Jackson Heights, NY — With temperatures soaring to 100 degrees and higher in many portions of the country, United Spinal Association urges people with disabilities to be aware of the many dangers that come with extreme temperatures.
Indira S. Lanig, MD, a physician at Craig Hospital in Colorado and President of the American Paraplegia Society, identifies specific dangers with excessive temperature conditions, “The consequences of thermal extremes can be even more insidious and detrimental to those with spinal cord injury/dysfuntion (SCI/D) due to the body temperature regulation difficulties that many individuals with SCI/D experience.” She added, “It is of great importance that both individuals with SCI/D as well as those in the community who work, play or otherwise interface with individuals with SCI/D to be aware of this vulnerability during heat waves.”
To increase public awareness that can promote the health and well being of all people with SCI/D and other disabilities, United Spinal Association in cooperation with Craig Hospital offer several heat-related safety measures:
1. Avoid going outdoors, especially if the temperature is extremely high and it is a high humidity day.
2. Keep hydrated! Drink lots of fluids. Do not wait until you are thirsty, drink consistently throughout the day (or as specified by the advice of your physician).
3. Drink water rather than caffeinated products, since colas, teas and other caffeinated beverages do not help you meet your water requirements. In fact, they cause you to lose water by increasing urine output.
4. Curtail physical activity until cooler weather comes.
5. Keep cool! Mist yourself with water from a spray bottle.
6. Know your own body and how long you can stay in a hot environment without problems.
7. For individuals that do not have normal sensation, watch for inconspicuous items that may heat up outside during hot weather such as medical accessories, foot pedals on wheelchairs, picnic tables and metal clips or other metal items on clothing.
8. Wear a hat, sunglasses and stay out of direct sun
9. Be aware that medications you take may make you more sensitive to the effects of the sun.
10. Rest more often during hot weather.
11. When indoors, limit the amount of clothing that you wear.
12. All individuals going outside should wear a 15 or higher sunscreen or sunblock.
For more information please call the United Spinal Member Services department at 1.800.404.2898.
United Spinal Association is a national membership organization for people with spinal cord injuries or disorders. It distributes over 100,000 consumer and provider specialized publications every year throughout the country explaining disability issues, veteran’s affairs, advocacy strategies, and safety concerns. In collaboration with clinical and research specialists in the field of SCI/D, United Spinal also sponsors a peer-reviewed medical journal, the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine (JSCM), the official journal of the American Paraplegia Society. It is available by subscription to clinicians interested in cutting edge clinical and research topics related to spinal cord injury and dysfunction (SCI/D).
