What are the main types of heat illnesses?
Heat cramps: are severe cramps often felt in the legs and or abdomen during prolonged exercise. They are the least severe of the three heat illnesses and are usually caused by imbalances or deficiencies in your body’s electrolyte stores resulting from heavy sweating. When sodium in particular falls to a certain level the incidents of heat cramps increase. To treat; rest quietly in the shade and drink plenty of fluids which contain electrolytes. Use cool towels to cool the skin, and gently massage the cramping muscle. Hold the cramp in a stretched position until the pain stops. If the pain doesn’t subside within an hour seek medical advice. As well as following the basic guidelines to preventing heat illness you can also avoid heat cramps by stretching regularly before and after exercise in particular the calf, hamstring and quadriceps muscles. Heat exhaustion: is more serious and is again caused from not replacing lost fluids during prolonged exercise, which can result in dizziness and
