Roofers working all day out in the sun. Elderly people without air conditioning. Kids playing outside too hard for too long.

That's who has been coming into the emergency room at Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem with heat-related illnesses since the heat and humidity have climbed, Candi Carroll, director of the emergency services department, said Monday.

But representatives from Roanoke Valley hospitals say there hasn't been an influx of patients seeking care for heat-related illnesses.

Carroll said the medical center has seen a "slight increase" in the number of such illnesses since July 1. Patients have ranged in age from 10 to 80, Carroll said.

"We don't expect it to go away until it cools off," she said.

Patients have come in suffering from the classic signs of dehydration - excessive thirstiness, rapid pulse, throbbing headaches, dizziness and nausea.

"When it's humid, it makes it even harder for the body to cool down, on top of the heat," Carroll said.

But Carroll said she hasn't seen anything as serious as heat stroke this year. She added that the medical center typically sees cases of heat-related illnesses on and off all summer long.

Carilion Health System, as of Monday evening, had not seen an increase in the number of patients suffering from heat exhaustion either, said spokesman Eric Earnhart. By Monday evening, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital had treated about 10 people for heat-related complaints such as heat exhaustion or dehydration, he said.

Earnhart said that could be because the heat really didn't hit hard until Monday afternoon.

He also pointed out that media outlets have reported on the anticipated heat wave over the past week and he suggested that people might be following suggestions to stay hydrated and out of the sun.

He also said Carilion is waiting to see what happens today, when the mercury is expected to climb even higher.

People should use common sense to avoid heat-related illnesses, Carroll said.

She advised people to move out of the sun when they feel hot, get into an air-conditioned place and start drinking fluids.

If the symptoms of heat-related illness such as skin redness and an inability to sweat persist, or if the person has passed out, someone should take the person to the emergency room, she said.

People who have to work outside should schedule breaks to get out of the sun and rehydrate, she said. And parents need to keep an eye on their children and make sure they're getting enough fluids, Carroll said.

John Acquaviva, an associate professor of health and human performance at Roanoke College, said Monday that it is OK for people to exercise on days when the heat and humidity are high, as long as they are acclimated to doing so.

But he added that there's "no reason to kill yourself on a day like this."