How to spot heat stroke and what you can do to stop it before it gets too serious

SAN ANTONIO — A weekend dilemma you want to be out and about but it's unbearably hot.

“It's Texas heat. I mean gotta just be prepared,” Jeffery Carter said.

Especially as temperatures in the Alamo City continue to push 100+ degrees with no relief in sight.

“We all have this feeling of I know that happens, but it's not going to happen to me. That's the other person. So, we think we are immune, and we are invincible. But when it comes down to it, we have to be concerned about ourselves, our families, our children, the elderly,” Emergency Medicine Doctor with University Hospital and UT Health San Antonio Dr. Shawn Varney said.

Dr. Varney said this kind of relentless heat shows the importance of using sunscreen, hats and layers.

“Even in a pool you are not immune, you are not I mean, you are protecting the sense that your body temperature will come down some. But there are other hazards,” Dr. Varney said.

Hazards such as heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Baptist Health tells us so far through July 20th their hospitals have "...seen higher numbers of patients with heat illnesses than a full month of July in 2021."

San Antonio Fire says from June 1st - July 20th they have had 396 heat related emergency calls.

It's up from 182 from the same time period in 2021.Metro Health has also seen an increase in numbers.

“44 cases of heat exhaustion were reported to us on the week of July 10th and anywhere from zero to one cases of heatstroke a week. It is concerning because this is preventable,” Dr. Junda Woo with Metro Health said.

Doctors said heat exhaustion happens when the body loses too much water or salt through excessive sweating. Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, irritability, thirst, headache and elevated body temperature with heatstroke the body can't cool itself.

A person with heatstroke may sweat heavily or not at all they can become disoriented or pass out and they could also have a seizure.

If you start to experience these symptoms seek immediate medical care.

“We know that as we get older, we get less able to regulate our body temperature and be aware when we're overheating,” Dr. Woo said.

Make sure if you are going to be going anywhere this weekend to take water and be cautious of how long you're outside for.