Beat the Southern Heat

Heat related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Despite this fact, approximately 1,220 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year.  In North Carolina summer temperatures range from the 80s all the way up to the low 100s in the hottest months.  Its important to know the signs and symptoms of heat related illnesses like heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough. In these cases, a person's body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down. This can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs.
Some factors that might increase your risk of developing a heat-related illness include:

• High levels of humidity
• Obesity
• Fever
• Dehydration
• Prescription drug use
• Heart disease
• Mental illness
• Poor circulation
• Sunburn
• Alcohol use

For this and additional health information, please visit the CDC.gov website.