The content of this podcast is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as,

nor should it be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.

Oh, how I feel.

Bitchy, bitchy, bitchy, bitchy, itchy, itchy, itchy, itchy, bitchy, itchy, bitchy, itchy and bitchy.

Hello, this is Karen Nicol family nurse practitioner, and you are listening to Itchy and Bitchy, a podcast that provides answers to your many unanswered health questions.

During the last two summers, I have aired an episode about heat exhaustion and heat stroke,

and with the Earth's temperature continuing to rise

and the recent record-breaking temps across the country, I felt this is a very good episode to repeat,

to remind everyone of the measures you can take to beat the heat and how to help yourself or someone else who is experiencing

heat exhaustion or heat stroke. On Monday, June 23rd, 2025, almost three quarters of the

country's population, 245 million people sweltered with 90 degrees Fahrenheit, about 32 degrees Celsius or higher temperatures,

and 33 million people, which is almost 10% of the country, had blistering 100 degree heat,

about 38 degrees Celsius.

These temps were driven by something called a heat dome.

A heat dome occurs when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a reservoir,

trapping heat and humidity.

A heat wave is the persistence of heat, usually three

days or more, with unusually hot temperatures. Our summer temps here in Knoxville certainly fall

under the category of a heat wave. We have had 90 degree and higher temps every day for 10 consecutive days this June.

If you don't believe that the world is continuing to heat up, last year on Monday, July 8th,

24, more than 150 million Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches, or warnings.

This summer, the number of people affected climbed to 245 million people. And we're just a third of the

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