Dehydration

Dehydration

Dehydration is a condition that occurs when your body does not get enough water. Without enough water, your body cannot function well. Your dehydration can be moderate or severe depending on the amount of water/fluid your body has lost.

What Causes Dehydration?

75% of your body weight is contributed by water (H₂O). This means that water is very important for your body to function properly. Losing water from your body is normal. You can lose it normally through:

·         Peeing

·         Breathing

·         Tears

·         Spitting saliva

·         Sweating

·         Urinating

We usually replace the amount of lost water through the above ways by taking fluids and eating foods that contain plenty water such as fruits. However, after you lose too much water and fail to drink or eat enough, you are likely to get dehydrated.

Below are ways you can lose water quicker than usual/normal:

·         Diarrhea- Plenty of water is reabsorbed back into the large intestines and lost though the stool

·         Illness- Some illnesses such as Bronchitis, bladder infections and influenza accompanied by fever can lead to water loss

·         Vomiting- Vomiting which is a flashing out mechanism of defense can lead to excessive water loss

·         Excessive Sweating- This can be as a result of strenuous exercise or fever

·         Excessive egestion- Excessive egestion can occur as a result of diabetes or some medications such as diuretics

You may fail to replace water lost through these ways because:

·         You don’t feel thirsty

·         You are very busy and forget to have enough drinks

·         You don’t have the ability to drink or eat anything due to mouth sores, sore throat, or stomach sensitivity

Who are at Risk?

Any person can become dehydrated but some people have higher odds than others. Such people are:

·         Older adults- Older adults have less water in their bodies and many times don’t realize they are thirsty.

·         Infants and young children- They are most likely to have severe vomiting or diarrhea. Infants lose most of their water as a result of high fever. Children also cannot tell when they are thirsty.

·         Ill people- People with a sore throat or cold may not want to drink or eat

·         Hot and humid environment-In such an environment, you may sweat heavily but your sweat fails to evaporate. This can result in high body temperature and excessive sweating

·         People with chronic diseases- Some chronic diseases can lead to excessive egestion which can result to excessive water loss.

Symptoms of Dehydration

Signs and symptoms of dehydration range from moderate/mild to severe or life-threatening.  Thirst is not always a reliable early indicator that your body needs more water. Some people especially the older adults may feel thirsty when they are fully dehydrated. This means symptoms and signs of dehydration may also differ with age.

Signs and symptoms of mild dehydration include:

·         Headache

·         Muscle cramps

·         Cool and dry skin

·         Thirst

·         Sticky or dry mouth

·         Dark yellow stool

·         Little stool

Signs and symptoms of severe dehydration include:

·         Rapid breathing

·         Fatigue

·         Dark-colored urine- The color of urine is due to high concentration of salts

·         Very dry skin

·         Very dark yellow stool or no stool at all

·         Sunken eyes

·         Heart palpitations

·         Confusion

·         Lack of sleep

·         Irritability

·         Infrequent urination

·         Fainting or unconsciousness

·         Extreme thirst

Signs and symptoms of infants and young children are different from those of adults. They include:

·         Dry mouth and tongue

·         Lack of sleep

·         Fatigue or irritability

·         Dry diapers even after 3 hours

·         Lack of tears when crying

·         Sunken eyes, soft spot, cheeks and on top of the skull

Severe signs of dehydration are life-threatening and need immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis of dehydration

Dehydration is often diagnosed by looking at the physical signs and symptoms. For example, you are likely to experience low blood pressure if you are dehydrated. Low blood pressure becomes noticeable when one moves from lying condition to a standing position and becomes dizzy. During dehydration, the heart rate becomes faster than normal making the blood flow abnormal. 

Your doctor can confirm your diagnosis and the level of dehydration by opting for the following tests:

·         Urinalysis- This is a test on your urine to help know the degree of your dehydration. Urinalysis can also help detect any signs of bladder infection.

·         Blood tests- Your blood samples may be used to check for factors such as electrolyte levels (especially potassium and sodium) and the status of your kidney.

Prevention and Treatment of Dehydration

Treatment

The most effective and best treatment for dehydration is replacing the lost electrolytes and lost fluids. The best approach during treatment of dehydration depends on the severity of the condition, the cause, and age of the affected. Older children can be given diluted sports fluids to treat dehydration. Diarrhea may be worsened by soft drinks and concentrated fruit juice in young children.

Severely dehydrated adults and children can be treated by emergency personnel through intravenous administration of salts and fluids for speedy recovery.

Prevention/Self-Management

To prevent dehydration, you have to drink plenty of fluids or eat foods rich in water such as vegetables and fruits. If you can prevent yourself from ever becoming thirsty, then you have adequate guidance to self-manage dehydration for a healthy lifestyle.

You have to eat foods rich in water or drink more fluids in case you experience the following conditions:

·         Illness- Dehydration can sometimes occur in older adults as a result of minor illness such as bronchitis, bladder infections and influenza. You should therefore consume extra fluids if you experience any type of illness.

·         Strenuous exercise- It is vitally important to start hydrating yourself before strenuous exercise. The color of urine, especially clear urine, is a good indication that your body is well hydrated. Before, during and after any strenuous physical activity, you should you should take replenishing fluids at regular intervals to make sure you stay hydrated.

·         Vomiting or diarrhea- In case you or your child starts to experience diarrhea or vomit, you should start giving oral rehydration solution or extra water immediately after the first signs. You should not wait until dehydration occurs to remedy the situation.

·         Hot or cold environment- If your day is humid or hot, you should have additional water to help lower body temperature and as well replace the water lost though sweating. During cold weather, you may need extra fluids to help replace water/moisture lost from dry air,especially at high altitudes.