MONTGOMERY, Ala. — With heat indices soaring into the triple digits, the Alabama Department of Public Health is urging residents to be vigilant about the warning signs of heat-related illnesses. These conditions occur when the body is exposed to high temperatures, and their incidence rises during warm weather periods.
The department highlighted the most common heat-related illnesses: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
Heat cramps involve muscle pains or spasms, profuse sweating, and high salt concentration in the sweat. Heat exhaustion is characterized by heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and fainting. It can also include cool and moist skin, a fast and weak pulse rate, fast and shallow breathing, or irritability. Older adults, individuals with high blood pressure, and those working or exercising in hot environments are particularly susceptible to heat exhaustion. If untreated, it may progress to heat stroke…