As usual, the summer is going to be hot, especially for those of us in the deep South. As a result, we will see a number of cases of heatstroke.

The question is: Can we do anything about it? According to data, there are about 7,000 deaths in the United States each year from heatstroke, mostly among very young and old people. Heatstroke is more common among the elderly, and can result in permanent brain damage.

You can take the usual precautions, such as drinking plenty of cool water, covering your head, dressing in loose-fitting cool clothing, drinking electrolytes, and coming indoors out of the heat frequently.

I once had a partner who treated an elderly gentleman with chronic damage from a heatstroke. The main result was that he could no longer tolerate the heat.

Heatstroke can cause changes in blood pressure, headaches, and even seizures. Neurological studies have shown that heatstroke can lead to an irritable cortex with an abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) reading, which measures brain waves.

The best early treatment is to drink at least a liter of cold filtered water. Then take a shower in cold water, letting it run on your head and neck for at least 10 minutes. This will cool the brain, which is overheated. Serious cases require hospitalization.

As noted, my partner had a patient suffering complications from heatstroke, and he didn’t know what to do. Nothing seemed to work. I suggested the patient be put on Dilantin, a seizure medication. To everyone’s surprise, he improved. I suspect it corrected heat-induced instability of the neurons, which can result in neurological symptoms including seizures. The medication stabilized the affected neurons.

Nano-curcumin will protect the brain as well. And antioxidant vitamins E, D3, B complex, riboflavin 5-phosphate, and pyridoxal 5-phosphate all reduce the free radicals.

It’s also a good idea to take a coated aspirin daily. This helps prevent formation of blood clots, a known complication of heatstroke.