Heat rash is a common affliction, though not always quickly diagnosed.  That may be because a lot of people who get heat rash weren't obviously out in the heat.  But what about someone lying flat on their back in the hospital?  The sweat glands on their back don't get a chance to empty, and that itchy, red, bumpy condition known as rash begins.

Of course, summer is prime time for heat rash, both for scantily clad swimmers and for exercisers in synthetic materials that don't breathe.  And the hotter and more humid the environment, the more likely is heat rash to be.

For many people, heat rash is more than just present, it's an itchy uncomfortable nuisance.  Treating it is a two part routine.  One part includes applying a topical medicine, like cortisone-related creams or lotions, which knock out the inflammatory process.  To make therapy complete, the area involved with heat rash must become cooler and drier and stay that way.  Drying thoroughly after tepid baths or showers, wearing absorbent cotton clothes, and of course, not further stressing sweat glands by avoiding extreme heat and humidity also help.  Once the sweat glands are allowed to empty properly, they can do their best job of keeping the body's temperature normal inside while the skin outside stays normal too.  For a copy of this script access our web site, speakingofhealth.com. Speaking of Health, I'm Dr. Steven Andrew Davis for CBS News.