It’s been boiling in Manila and elsewhere, hindi ka ba (insert preferred adjective here)? After weeks of fanning, cold compressing and milk tea-ing ourselves through sizzling hot temperatures, are we finally going to feel the cold at the end of the tunnel?

In early May, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the Philippines could have already logged its peak actual temperature for the year of 40.3 °C on April 27. But chances are high that it will still get hotter in last half of the month, the state bureau warned. We can expect the heat index—how the temperature feels to a person with air temperature and relative humidity taken into account—to continue to hover between the “extreme caution” and “danger” classifications.

Treating heat-related illnesses

Hold on to your umbrellas and make sure those flasks are filled to the brim, especially if you have a physically demanding job or one that requires you to go out a lot in these energy-sapping temperatures. Take measures to protect yourself and your vulnerable loved ones from heat-related illnesses like heat cramps, heat exhaustion (also called heat prostration) and heatstroke.

Watch out for heat cramps if you sweat more than usual and experience muscle pain during a physically demanding sport or activity. When this happens, stop what you’re doing and move someplace cool. Drink some water or even a sports drink to replace the salts and minerals your body lost during the activity. Wait for the cramping to pass before resuming your game or routine. While heat cramps are the mildest among the three major heat-related illnesses, seek medical help if you have heart problems or if the cramps don’t go away after half an hour.

When profuse sweating and muscle cramps are accompanied by fatigue, nausea, headache or dizziness, fainting, clammy skin, and a fast but weak pulse, that’s the more serious condition called heat exhaustion. Move to a cool area and loosen or remove your clothes. Sip some water. Place cold compresses on yourself or, if you are able to do so, take a bath. Continue doing the cooling methods until your temperature normalizes. If your symptoms last beyond 30 minutes, see a doctor or go to the hospital.

Heatstroke, the most severe among the heat-related illnesses, is a life-threatening condition. Like heat exhaustion, this condition is indicated by nausea, headache or dizziness and fainting. However, the skin is hot and flushed as the person is unable to release sweat. The pulse is fast and strong instead of fast but weak. The person becomes disoriented and their body temperature shoots up to 39ºC or higher. Call an ambulance or drive them to the hospital right away. In the meantime, move them to a cool, well-ventilated area and loosen or remove outer clothing. Put cold compresses on their head, neck, groin, ankles and wrists, but avoid giving them medication or drinks. Watch that they don’t harm themselves or swallow anything as their muscles start twitching uncontrollably.

Other heat-related illnesses to watch out for are heat rash(prickly heat), heat edema (swelling), heat syncope (fainting) and heat tetany (heat stress). As soon as you experience symptoms, move to a cool place, take off or loosen clothing, administer various cooling methods (e.g., bathe or stand under a cool shower, apply cold compresses or wet towels, and hydrate). Monitor your temperature and have yourself checked if your symptoms don’t go away after 30 minutes.

Loose and light

The best way to protect yourself is to stay indoors when the sun is at its strongest and hottest.

If you need to spend any amount of time outdoors, especially from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., go for loose, lightweight, light-colored getups. White, yellow, orange, light gray and lavender are said to be the best colors for keeping the heat at bay; for now, move your black, blue and green fits to the back of the closet. And don’t forget your umbrella, wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and sunglasses with UV protection.

Drink lots of water—prehydrate and rehydrate, but don’t overhydrate. We’ve always been told to drink eight glasses a day, but the amount really depends on factors such as one’s weight and activity. Most of us don’t hydrate enough even on normal days, but you can start by doubling your regular intake, e.g., from five 8- ounce glasses to 10 glasses per day. Another rule to remember is to drink when you’re thirsty. By the time you do feel parched, you’re actually already a bit dehydrated—estimates range from 10% to as much as 25%—so pay attention to what your body tells you. Additionally, eat regularly as the food you consume contributes a good percentage to your daily liquid intake.

Again, pay close attention to what your body is saying. By the time you realize heat exhaustion has crept in, it might be too late to counter with drinks and cold compresses. If a person doesn’t feel better at the 30-minute mark or if their symptoms worsen at any point, especially if they faint, seek medical help immediately.

Even as we look forward to the end of this summer’s searing temperatures and heat indexes, certain practices—drinking lots of water, eating healthy, putting on sunblock and protecting our eyes—should be mainstays of our regular routines moving forward. The combination of global warming and a powerful El Niño resulted in a freakish Summer 2024, but it could also be a sign of the times—it could become (another) new normal moving forward.

IMAGE BY WIRESTOCKA on www.freepik.com

IMAGE BY WIRESTOCKA on www.freepik.com

IMAGE BY WIRESTOCKA on www.freepik.com