Summer Heat Update: What We’re Seeing at HCE Right Now
Summer Heat Update: What We’re Seeing at HCE Right Now
Heat-related illness is already climbing at HealthCARE Express clinics across the region, and summer is barely underway. Over the past two weeks, our providers in Texarkana, Shreveport, and across the Oklahoma City metro have seen a steady rise in patients coming in dehydrated, overheated, and — in too many cases — waiting longer than they should have before walking through the door.
What Our Providers Are Seeing This Week
The pattern across our clinics is consistent. Outdoor workers — construction crews, utility workers, landscapers — are coming in after full shifts in direct sun with no shade breaks and not enough water. We’re also seeing youth athletes, particularly in Longview and Marshall, where summer league baseball and soccer are in full swing. Heat illness in active teenagers is easy to overlook until it becomes serious.
A third group we don’t talk about enough: older adults who don’t feel the heat the way younger patients do. The body’s ability to regulate temperature slows with age, and the thirst response becomes less reliable. By the time an older adult feels bad, they’re often significantly behind on fluids.
“The humidity in this part of the country is what makes it dangerous. People think they’re doing fine because they’re not in direct sun — but when it’s 98 degrees with high humidity, you’re losing fluid fast whether you feel it or not. We’re seeing patients who went from feeling a little off to vomiting within an hour. Once that starts, you can’t catch up by drinking water.”
— Dr. Tim Reynolds, HealthCARE Express
Signs the Heat Is Becoming a Medical Problem
Feeling hot and tired is normal in a Southern summer. These symptoms are not:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when standing
- Nausea or active vomiting — once this starts, drinking fluids stops being enough
- Skin that has stopped sweating despite the heat (this is a heat stroke warning sign — call 911)
- Rapid or pounding heartbeat
- Confusion, difficulty focusing, or slurred speech
- Muscle cramps in the legs or abdomen
- Dark urine, or going several hours without urinating at all
- Headache that won’t respond to water or over-the-counter medication
Two or more of these together — or any single symptom that came on suddenly after heat exposure — means come in. If the patient has stopped sweating or is confused, call 911 first. For everything short of that, HCE is the right call and we can assess you immediately.
Why a Sports Drink Isn’t Always Enough
For mild dehydration — a few hours outside without enough water — oral fluids work. But once vomiting starts, or once the deficit is significant enough, the digestive system can’t absorb fast enough to make a meaningful difference. That’s the situation we’re treating most often right now.
IV hydration therapy delivers sterile saline, electrolytes, and — when needed — anti-nausea or pain relief medication directly into the bloodstream. No wait for digestion. Most patients feel noticeably better before the bag is finished. Sessions typically run 30 to 60 minutes at any HCE location. Walk in and tell the front desk what’s going on — a provider will assess you first and confirm it’s the right approach.
If You’re in One of These Groups, Your Threshold Should Be Lower
Some people are more vulnerable to heat illness than the general population. If you or someone you’re with falls into any of these categories, don’t wait to see if symptoms improve:
- Outdoor workers with prolonged daily sun and heat exposure
- Children and teenagers in summer sports or outdoor programs
- Adults over 65, whose heat regulation and thirst signals are less reliable
- People on diuretics, antihistamines, beta blockers, or blood pressure medications
- Anyone who hasn’t acclimated to the regional heat — visitors, people who recently moved here
- Anyone who has had heat illness before — previous episodes increase risk
At our Fort Smith and Maumelle clinics, we’ve also been seeing patients who came in for something unrelated and mentioned in passing that they hadn’t had much water that day — and turned out to be more dehydrated than they realized. If you’re unsure, we’d rather check.
Staying Ahead of the Heat This Summer
The basics work — when people actually follow them. What we’re seeing in our clinics right now is less about people not knowing what to do, and more about underestimating how fast this heat moves. A few reminders that are worth repeating:
- Start hydrating before you go outside — not after you feel thirsty
- In heat above 95°F with humidity, plain water isn’t enough for extended outdoor activity — add electrolytes
- Schedule the hardest outdoor work or activity before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
- Take a real shade break every 30 to 45 minutes during peak heat hours
- Check in on elderly neighbors and family members during heat events — they often won’t volunteer that they’re struggling
Temperatures across Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana are going to keep climbing through the next several months. Our clinics are open seven days a week — and heat-related illness is one of the most straightforward things we treat. Don’t talk yourself out of coming in.
Walk into any HealthCARE Express location — no appointment needed. Find your nearest clinic.
