Dehydration symptoms and treatment | Zyla Health
I still remember very clearly what happened to me a few years back. I had been quite busy the whole week, especially the last 2–3 days. I had headaches, cramps and fatigue throughout those days which I thought was due to irregular meals and disturbed sleep.
On the very last day, I skipped my 30 minutes break to complete my work on time. As soon as I got up from my seat to use the washroom, I saw the whole room spinning in front of me and I blacked out.
I was taken to a nearby clinic where I was treated. The Doctor told me that it was a result of dehydration and of course the disturbed eating and sleeping pattern. And that cramps, headaches and fatigue are all dehydration symptoms.
Since then, I have been careful of my water intake even when I am occupied with work. And I will suggest this to you as well so that you don’t experience what I did!
Less water intake can have some huge impacts on your body and thus it is important for you to know-how. So here is the blog, entirely dedicated to dehydration.
What is dehydration?
It is well known that the body cannot survive very long without water. Most scientists agree that the longest the human body can go without water is 3 days.
Your body loses water routinely when you breathe, sweat, urinate and pass stools.
Dehydration means your body loses more water than you drink. In dehydration, your body does not have the right amount of water to function properly.
The loss of water can affect the body in a variety of ways. To avoid dehydration you should drink a proper amount of water on a daily basis.
You might be wondering how much water I should drink in a day? It is advisable to drink 2.5 to 3 litres of water in a day. Your body is able to monitor the amount of water it needs for proper functioning. If there is a lack of water, then dehydration symptoms appear which you’ll read about in some time.
Did you know? Our body is made up of 75% water by weight.
Hydration has several benefits. Some of these include:
- Helps to regulate the body temperature
- Supports brain function
- Helps to maintain the balance of body fluids
- Helps to prevent and relieve constipation
- Reduces the risk of kidney stone formation
- Helps to digest foods properly
- Aids in weight loss
- Keeps the skin hydrated
- Keeps energy and performance level intact
See, keeping yourself hydrated has so many benefits. So, how many glasses of water have you had until now?
If you’re seeking help to improve your health, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and check out the health program which is suitable for you.
Moving on, let us take a look at some of the dehydration causes.
Dehydration causes include:
1. Sweating too much
Sweating is a natural process to keep your body cool. It also keeps your body hydrated and maintains the electrolyte balance.
When you are sweating excessively that means there is excessive evaporation which causes dehydration, then your body lacks water.
2. Fever
During a fever, your body loses water through the skin to reduce the body temperature and then if you are not drinking enough water it can lead to loss of water in your body.
3. Excessive urination
Your body excretes water through urine, when you are urinating excessively then your body loses more water which can lead to dehydration.
Sometimes you are taking some medicines which can lead to excessive urination so there can be loss of extra fluids from your body.
4. Underlying disease
When you are having any disease which can cause vomiting or diarrhoea then your body loses lots of water. This loss of water gradually causes dehydration symptoms to appear.
Also, any infection or ulcer in the mouth or throat can cause dehydration as the person cannot drink water properly due to the infection.
5. Excessive intake of coffee
Coffee contains caffeine which can lead to frequent urination that further affects your hydration status.
6. Excessive alcohol consumption
Alcohol is a diuretic, it excretes fluid from your body very quickly which eventually leads to dehydration.
Now that you know what the causes of dehydration are, let us take a closer look at some of the common dehydration symptoms.
What are dehydration symptoms?
Dehydration symptoms for adults:
- Excessive thirst: Is one of the most common dehydration signs. The brain gives you a signal to drink water after sensing the low level of water in your body.
- Dehydrated skin: Is a well-known effect of dehydration. You can easily feel and see it when your skin becomes dry.
- Fatigue: With reduced water in the body, it struggles to function correctly and fatigue can develop.
- Less urination/ change in urine colour: It is common to experience reduced urination with dehydration. It is a physiologic response to the lack of water in the body. The body tries to conserve the remaining water present in the body. Change in the colour of urine can be a symptom of severe dehydration, urine becomes dark or honey-coloured.
- Reduced sweating: This can be a symptom as there is a low level of water in your body so it will automatically sweat less.
- Dry mouth: It is another symptom of dehydration, as there is less water so there is less saliva production in your mouth to keep it hydrated.
- Constipation: Hard stools can be a symptom of dehydration, as water makes stool soft so when the body lacks water, the stool becomes hard.
- Muscle cramps: This can be a symptom of severe deficiency of water in the body.
- Severe headache: It can be a side of severe dehydration. As there is less water in the body your brain cells are having less water which leads to headaches.
- Low blood volume: Dehydration leads to low blood volume which further leads to less blood and oxygen supply to your brain.
- Low blood pressure: Is an effect of low levels of water in the body. As the blood volume decreases it also reduces the blood pressure.
- Palpitations: As your body water level decreases your heart has to work hard to pump blood which leads to increased or irregular heart rate.
Dehydration symptoms for children:
- In the case of children, sunken eyes are a symptom of dehydration.
- Lack of tear production when they cry.
- Children feel dizzy, tired and sleepy as an effect of less water intake.
- Less urination or dry diapers for a long time (in the case of a very small child) is a symptom of dehydration.
Thus, in case you experience any of the symptoms of dehydration as mentioned above, make sure to drink water immediately. Now, let us take a close look at some of the complications of untreated dehydration.
Complications of untreated dehydration:
Proper treatment of dehydration is very important because untreated dehydration can cause severe complications like:
- Electrolyte loss: As a result of fluid loss from the body, electrolyte levels can be disturbed leading to electrolyte imbalances. High or low levels of potassium can lead to muscle weakness or disturbances in heart rhythm. As a result of imbalances in sodium levels, weakness, seizures etc can occur.
- Shock: Dehydration reduces blood volume, blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain and other organs, so prolonged untreated dehydration can lead to shock.
- Kidney damage: As an effect of low blood pressure and decreased blood flow to the kidney, it cannot function properly, which can lead to kidney damage.
In case you have any kidney problem or any other health condition, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website-Zyla.in. Zyla offers multiple health programs and provides personalised care and treatment for your overall health management.
Have you ever wondered that there are some people who are at a high risk of experiencing dehydration? Chances are less but never zero. So, let’s get to know about these people…
People at risk of dehydration
- Elderly: They forget to drink water regularly and their thirst is also decreased as a result of many underlying diseases.
- Infants and young children: Children are prone to frequent episodes of fever, diarrhoea, vomiting which can lead to dehydration.
- People who work outside: Exposure to heat for a long time can dehydrate the body very rapidly.
- Diabetics: Some diabetic medicines can cause frequent urination which can further decrease the water level of their bodies and gradually they start having dehydration symptoms.
- Exercise enthusiasts and sports players: Prolonged exercise can increase body temperature, making them sweat more so there is excessive fluid loss from their bodies which can cause dehydration.
Now that we know the people at risk for developing dehydration, let us look at how dehydration is diagnosed!
Diagnosis of dehydration
Dehydration can be diagnosed easily from the symptoms. Apart from the symptoms in case of severe dehydration, it can be diagnosed through:
- Checking the electrolyte level of the body.
- Measuring the vitals like blood pressure, temperature and heart rate.
After a proper diagnosis by you or your healthcare provider, depending on the severity, proper treatment has to be provided to you in order to fulfil your body’s water requirement. Here is what is to be done…
Dehydration treatment
Rehydration is the primary treatment for dehydration. Yes, you heard it right! Dehydration treatment is simple and drinking sufficient water can treat and prevent it.
During rehydration always drink normal water or electrolyte solutions. Do not have soda, soft drinks as it can worsen the condition.
- Electrolyte solutions may not always be available at home, you can easily make it in your home by adding salt (½ teaspoon) and sugar (6 teaspoons) in water (1 litre) and mixing it well, then homemade electrolyte solution is ready to treat dehydration.
- Intravenous fluids are given when there is severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance or the patient cannot have water or electrolyte solution through the mouth.
Do follow the first dehydration treatment at home if your symptoms are mild and in case of severe symptoms, visit your nearby Doctor.
Now, let us look at some tips for dehydration prevention…
Tips to stay hydrated!
We need to treat dehydration symptoms and work on dehydration prevention. We know that all of it requires us to keep ourselves hydrated. So, here are some tips to stay hydrated:
- Drink 2.5 to 3 litres of water regularly to keep dehydration symptoms away.
- You can also have fluids like tea, lemon water, coconut water, buttermilk, sattu, soymilk, dal soup or vegetable soup etc.
- Drink water 30 minutes before or after every meal.
- Try to have more fruits and vegetables, their fluid content will add up to your hydration. Around 20% of daily fluid intake comes from foods.
- Avoid drinking alcohol in excess as it can easily lead to dehydration.
- Ensure your child has access to drinking water at all times, particularly when they play.
- Remember to hydrate while exercising or spending time in the sun.
Now that you know the signs and symptoms of dehydration, you have a better idea of the signs to look for in order to treat dehydration in time. The general guideline is to follow the tips to stay hydrated and drink enough water so you urinate every 2–3 hours.
In the case of children, it is helpful to get them used to drinking small sips of water between activities and ensuring they have access to water at all times, so they get the required amount of water.
In the event that you feel like you have dehydration signs, do not hesitate to seek help from your consulting doctor and make sure you hydrate well.
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