Nothing beats listening to your favourite band play stay whereas swaying and singing in unison with 10,000 of your new greatest mates at an out of doors summer time live performance. (It’s, as the children say, a vibe.) However as somebody who received just a little tipsy, overheated, after which puked throughout her bro’s ft at a Phish present, I can attest that the expertise additionally comes with some well being dangers.
It’s a actuality that Laura Purdy, MD, additionally is aware of properly. She based JellyMed, a well being care firm that companions with main music festivals to deal with attendees with issues like warmth exhaustion, alcohol poisoning, urinary tract infections, bug bites, poison ivy, sunburns—and, most severely, drug overdoses. As any summer time concert-goer is aware of properly, they’re not at all times the most secure locations, given they’re usually paired with punishing warmth and humidity, huge crowds, lack of water, and lots of people who’re utilizing substances. “Similar to going out on a bodily tour, reminiscent of mountaineering or operating a race, it could possibly demand so much out of your physique,” Dr. Purdy says. Most well being points related to attending performances, like warmth sickness, are preventable should you take the best steps to guard your physique through the present, Dr. Purdy notes. Listed here are six ideas that may aid you take pleasure in your fave band’s setlist and keep away from a visit to the medical tent.
1. Plan forward in case you have a well being situation.
Korin Hudson, MD, a sports activities medication and emergency medication doctor, tells SELF that when she works at giant occasions, she incessantly sees folks with medical points—like bronchial asthma and diabetes—who find yourself having hassle within the warmth and chaos. If you realize you have got a well being situation, examine in with a main care doctor (or the specialist who treats you) a couple of months previous to the present. They’ll set you up with stuff that’ll assist stop not-so-fun issues in a distant space the place medics could be far and few. For instance, you would possibly want a brand new inhaler for bronchial asthma or a quick-digesting sugar stash in case you have sort 1 diabetes and are in danger for hypoglycemia. Even should you *don’t* have a situation, it’s nonetheless a good suggestion to get a well being scan, each Dr. Hudson and Dr. Purdy agreed. Principally, you must deal with a serious competition like some other grueling bodily pursuit.
A doc must also be capable of flag if sure medicines—like diuretics, antihistamines, stimulants, antidepressants, and blood strain tablets—may make you extra vulnerable to heat-related sickness and what to do to manage. (For the report, you may deliver your meds previous the gates at numerous reveals, however they must be within the pharmacy-labeled container). Plus, the on-site EMTs or paramedics might want to know in case you have one thing occurring to allow them to deal with you appropriately, Dr. Purdy says.
In case you plan on ingesting (and even taking one thing a bit stronger), “don’t be ashamed to speak to your physician,” says Dr. Purdy. Positive, it could possibly really feel awkward at first, however they’re not there to wag a finger at you—their job is to maintain you protected.
2. Prep for sweltering temps.
Once you’re swaying in huge crowds underneath the direct solar for lengthy intervals, your physique works extra time to manage your core temp. And if it could possibly’t cool itself—significantly if there’s a ton of humidity within the air, so sweat can’t evaporate—this will result in points. For instance, you would possibly get warmth cramps (a.okay.a. you lose electrolytes by sweat and your muscular tissues spasm); warmth syncope (primarily fainting as a result of excessive temps), warmth exhaustion (when, once more, your physique loses a ton of water and salt by sweat and also you begin to get nauseous, dizzy, and actually weak);, and, probably the most critical and harmful, warmth stroke (your physique can’t management its temperature, and it escalates right into a life-threatening emergency.)