LEWISTON – It’s the season for fun in the sun, but summer-related injuries can be devastating.

Central Maine Medical Center’s director of emergency services says he has seen every form of heat-related ailment, including heat stroke, victims of swimming and diving accidents and injuries related to alcohol abuse come through the Emergency Room at CMMC.

While heat stroke, heat exhaustion and dehydration are preventable, Dr. David Stuchiner cited alcohol abuse coupled with boating, swimming and many other outdoor summer activities among the more dangerous.

“Outdoors sort of things and alcohol don’t mix,” he said, referring to boating, all-terrain vehicle riding and driving. “We see people who drink and go swimming and drown.”

While scuba-diving accidents are more prevalent along the coast, the ER at CMMC does see a considerable number of patients injured while diving into area lakes.

“There are a lot of neck injuries. You dive into water and you rupture an ear drum,” Stuchiner said. Some of the most severe neck injuries have been cervical fractures that can lead to permanent paralysis.

Dehydration is one of the most common heat-related ailments. Stuchiner said bringing a patient’s temperature down and hydrating the person could often treat it. “Dehydration may be the first step in developing heat exhaustion and heat stroke,” he said.

While both could be life threatening, there is a difference between heat stroke – also known as sun stroke – and heat exhaustion. Stuchiner explained that the severity of the symptoms could indicate whether the patient is suffering a heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

A change in mental status could occur, which may be accompanied by dizziness and grogginess. He said the most severe danger is the patient could lapse into a coma. Death could follow.

In one of the worst-case scenarios, a heat stroke could result in cardiovascular collapse and death.

Heat stroke is different from strokes that affect one side of the brain. “To the physician it looks very different. It’s definitely more of a global status, not one side of the brain or the other,” Stuchiner said.

“People who are the most susceptible to heat stroke are the very young and the very old,” he said. That is because many older people are taking medications that, coupled with the aging process, could change the levels of hydration, including the ability to sweat.

Some blood pressure medications have that effect on some people. Young children may not know when to say they’ve had enough and they may not know when they are in danger.

“Avoid exertion and strenuous activities in the heat,” Stuchiner said. “Heat puts a huge stress on the body for people with heart disease, kidney disease – all of those get worse.”

He also cautioned that too much sun for pale individuals could cause severe sunburn. He advised the use of sunscreen products and getting exposure to the sun in small doses.

“Have fun. Do fun things sober and responsibly,” Stuchiner said, adding that seat belts and helmets should be worn.