Doctor provides safety tips amid extreme heat in Southeast Michigan

With dangerously hot temperatures expected in Southeast Michigan this week, doctors at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital are urging people to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness.

They say sunscreen and staying hydrated will be especially important as "feels like" temperatures approach 100 degrees.

On average, more than 1,000 people across Michigan are treated each year for heat-related illnesses, many of which doctors say are preventable.

Dr. Roy Elrod, a physician advisor at Detroit Receiving Hospital, says the most common issues they see during extreme heat include heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke, all of which can escalate quickly without proper precautions.

"Many times, when people don't understand it, they're outside, they're enjoying themselves, but as we get to lose a lot of our perspiration, what happens is we're no longer able to continue to do that, so you start having something like headache, dizziness, weakness, muscle cramps," Elrod said.

Elrod says older adults, young children, and people who work outside are most at risk.

"Depending on how bad it is, you can have serious organ damage. So people that have heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, they're the high risk of those things that happen," he said.

Doctors recommend checking in on neighbors and loved ones, limiting time outdoors during peak heat, and taking frequent breaks in cool or shaded areas. Doctors say the key is recognizing symptoms early and taking action before heat exhaustion turns into a more serious medical emergency.

"Hydration is very important. And so I always talk about prehydration, drinking fluids throughout the day. Even if they're not thirsty, that's the best time," Elrod said.