Everything You Need to Know about Heat Exhaustion

Living and working in Las Vegas, you eventually get used to the heat (mostly). For tourists visiting in the summer months, the heat is always a shock. Working and playing outside in the summer temperatures can be dangerous if you’re not careful. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are two common but potentially serious dangers of being exposed to Vegas heat.

Heat exhaustion is a dangerous heat-related illness. It can slowly sneak up on you when you’re having a few beers on the patio with some friends or kicking around a soccer ball at a barbecue on a hot day. You may feel fine at first, but gradually – or suddenly — something feels very, very wrong. Heat exhaustion is silently causing your body to overheat to the point where it can no longer cool itself down, and it’s taking its toll on your vital organs, too.

What are the signs of heat exhaustion?

Some of the first signs of heat exhaustion are also some of the easiest to overlook: headache and sweating. There are many quite ordinary reasons to have a headache. And it’s normal to perspire when it’s hot outside. But heavy sweating can actually be a covert sign of impending heat exhaustion. Since perspiration is your body’s primary way of cooling itself, excessive sweating means your system is working way too hard to stave off overheating.

You may also start to feel nauseated or a little weak. Maybe your gait is a little unsteady, or you start to feel cramps in your muscles. Your pulse may feel a little weak or a little fast, and you get incredibly thirsty. You are now in the throes of heat exhaustion.

Heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke

If you have no more fluid to sweat out, your skin becomes dry and clammy. The illness has now progressed to heat stroke, which is the most dangerous level of heat-related sickness. You may start to feel confused or disoriented. You feel the sudden urge to close your eyes and sleep. Despite being groggy, you might also experience an unusually rapid heartbeat. You may begin to hallucinate and see things or people that aren’t really there. You may also have a seizure or pass out completely.

What are the causes of heat exhaustion?

Hot weather is the main cause of heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion can occur in any hot environment, such as a hot yoga studio, a sauna, or just about anywhere outdoors in Nevada during the warmer months. Humid conditions also put people at a greater risk. When you add humidity to existing heat, humans have a more difficult time sweating, which can lead to overheating. The combined heat and humidity index is what meteorologists refer to as the “real-feel temperature.”

Strenuous activity is another common cause of heat exhaustion. Physical exertion causes your temperature to rise and your body to sweat. Some of the sweat evaporates, taking a portion of your body heat with it. If this process is impeded, your body is at risk of heat exhaustion.

Dehydration can also cause heat exhaustion. It’s normal for the human body to lose some water throughout the course of the day as we sweat, cry, go to the bathroom, or blow our noses. Your body may lose too much water from being sick, for example with diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or prolonged sweating. Your brain begins to shrink when you are not adequately hydrated, which puts pressure on your nerves. This causes a dehydration headache, which is an early warning sign of heat exhaustion.

Alcohol use is another contributor to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. In hot conditions, you need to replenish the water reserves in your body as you sweat. Drinking alcohol instead of water or other hydrating beverages will only compound the problem. Since alcohol is a diuretic, your body is now losing hydration in multiple ways. The higher the alcohol content, the greater the loss of hydration.

High altitude can also contribute to heat exhaustion. The air pressure is lower, and the oxygen levels are diminished. Because the air is dryer, you breathe more rapidly, both of which contribute to increased dehydration. Not only is Las Vegas a desert, but it sits at about 3,000 feet, so altitude is an issue when combined with the heat.

Who is the most at risk of heat exhaustion?

People who work outdoors are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness. Workers in other extremely hot environments, such as firefighters, farmers and field workers, construction workers and landscapers, miners (particularly surface miners), and restaurant workers, are also at increased risk for heat exhaustion. Extreme heat is costing the United States 100 billion dollars a year, according to conservative projections from the nonpartisan Atlantic Council.

Older people are more vulnerable to heat exhaustion, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older bodies do not acclimate as well to sudden increases in temperature, and older people are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes the body’s normal responses to heat (think: thyroid disease, schizophrenia, and heart disease). Certain medications may also affect the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.

Finally, travelers and visitors to Las Vegas – especially those who come from cooler climates – may face greater risk of heat exhaustion. Between June 30, 2023, and July 31, 2023, the temperature in Las Vegas was a minimum of 100°F every single day. It reached 113°F on July 15 and 16. Heat exhaustion sets in when the human body reaches 104°F; anyone who spent any amount of time outdoors in July was at risk. Non-residents of Nevada may simply not understand the dangers they face.

How to prevent heat exhaustion

Stay hydrated. Drink before, during, and after any strenuous activity, especially when it is hot. In July, two women were found dead at Valley of Fire State Park; they ran out of water on their hike, and the temperature reached 118 degrees that day. These were experienced hikers. NIOSH recommends workers drink eight ounces of water or other hydrating fluids every 15 to 20 minutes.

If you are dehydrated, you can remedy it by drinking water and electrolytes such as coconut water or sports drinks (you can even make your own with ingredients you have at home). Anyone who is dehydrated should avoid diuretics like caffeinated beverages and alcohol of all sorts. Diuretics may mimic the signs of proper hydration – like having to urinate a lot – but they actually extract water from your body.

Try to minimize your exposure to the sun. Wear appropriate protective gear such as breathable cotton clothing and a hat to protect your head and keep you cool. Stay in the shade as much as you possibly can and take breaks for rest and water as you need them.

If your employer forces you to work in extreme heat or other unsafe conditions, you are at risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or other heat-related illnesses. Heat-related illnesses can cause serious injuries or even death.

What to do if you suffered heat exhaustion in Las Vegas

If you cannot avoid being outside or working in hot conditions, you may develop heat exhaustion. If this happens, let your employer know you are experiencing symptoms and find a cool place to rest. Loosen your clothing and drink some water. If your symptoms do not improve or get worse, seek medical attention immediately.

If you suffer injuries at work related to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, you may be able to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits will pay for any associated medical bills and can provide temporary wages (about two-thirds of your regular weekly salary) while you are unable to work. Our Las Vegas workers’ compensation attorneys can explain more during a free consultation.

Don’t gamble with your health. The workers’ compensation attorneys at Claggett & Sykes Law Firm know exactly how these cases work in Nevada. Our team will talk to witnesses, doctors, and other experts to put together the best claim possible for you. Complete our quick and easy contact form or call one of our offices in Las Vegas or Reno for a free case evaluation.