Although water is constantly lost throughout the day as we breathe, sweat, urinate, and defecate, we can replenish the water in our body by drinking fluids.
The body can also move water around to areas where it is needed most if dehydration begins to occur. Most occurrences of dehydration can be easily reversed by increasing fluid intake, but severe cases of dehydration require immediate medical attention. Dehydration is easy to remedy but can be serious if left unchecked. The first symptoms of dehydration include thirst, darker urine, and decreased urine production.
However, it is important to note that, particularly in older adults, dehydration can occur without thirst. This is why it is important to drink more water when ill, or during hotter weather. The basic causes of dehydration are not taking in enough water, losing too much water, or a combination of both. Sometimes, it is not possible to consume enough fluids because we are too busy, lack the facilities or strength to drink, or are in an area without potable water while hiking or camping, for example.
Additional causes of dehydration include:. Diarrhea — the most common cause of dehydration and related deaths. The large intestine absorbs water from food matter, and diarrhea prevents this from happening. The body excretes too much water, leading to dehydration. Vomiting — leads to a loss of fluids and makes it difficult to replace water by drinking it. Hot and humid weather and vigorous physical activity can further increase fluid loss from sweating.
Similarly, a fever can cause an increase in sweating and may dehydrate the patient, especially if there is also diarrhea and vomiting. Diabetes — high blood sugar levels cause increased urination and fluid loss.
Tips for handling summer heat for people with diabetes. Participants who drank plain water, on the other hand, were more likely to have cramps. The study was small, so its findings may not apply to you, but the next time you feel a muscle cramp coming on after exercise, opting for an electrolyte-filled sports drink may help.
Higgins says symptoms may be milder or come on slower, but dehydration carries the same risks, regardless of the temperature outside. Other symptoms of heat illness include fever and chills. You may sweat profusely while your skin is cool to the touch. Fever can worsen dehydration.
The higher the fever, the more dehydrated you may become. Unless your body temperature decreases, your skin will lose its cool clamminess and then become hot, flushed, and dry to the touch.
Applying ice and cool, wet cloths, and moving to a cool area are short-term strategies until you can see a medical professional.
According to the Mayo Clinic , children and infants lose more of their body fluid to fever, and they are more likely to experience severe diarrhea and vomiting from illness. Any fever in an infant or toddler is cause for concern. Ask your pediatrician for guidelines on when to call for help. While you can crave anything from chocolate to a salty snack, cravings for sweets are more common because your body may be experiencing difficulty breaking down glycogen to release glucose into the bloodstream to use as fuel, he says.
As MedlinePlus points out, even mild dehydration can cause a dehydration headache and trigger a migraine headache. Although various factors besides dehydration can cause headaches , drinking a full glass of water and continuing to sip more fluids during the day is an easy way to ease your pain if, in fact, dehydration is a culprit.
Here are two other ways to check whether your body is dehydrated:. For example, if you're vomiting, sweating or you have diarrhoea. Sometimes people you care for do not have a sense of how much they're drinking. If you're being sick or have diarrhoea and are losing too much fluid, you need to put back the sugar, salts and minerals that your body has lost.
Your pharmacist can recommend oral rehydration sachets. These are powders that you mix with water and then drink. Treatment of hypovolemia dehydration in children.
Sterns RH. Etiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of volume depletion in adults. Marx JA, et al. Heat-related emergencies. Freedman S. Oral rehydration therapy. Thomas DT, et al. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Takahashi PY expert opinion.
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
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