Knowledge about dehydration

 Dehydration occurs when you don't get enough liquid.

Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more water than you drink. Common causes include:

Excessive sweating
Vomiting
Diarrhea

At the Mayo Clinic, it is recommended that women drink 92 fl oz (11.5 cups) per day and men drink 124 fl oz (15.5 cups) per day. Individuals, athletes, and people exposed to high temperatures on the go should increase their drinking water intake to avoid dehydration.

When the body loses too much water, its organs, cells, and tissues cannot function as they should, leading to dangerous complications. If dehydration is not corrected immediately, shock may result.

Dehydration can be light or heavy. You can usually treat mild dehydration at home. Severe dehydration requires treatment in a hospital or emergency room.

 

Risk factors for dehydration

 

Athletes exposed to direct sunlight aren't the only ones at risk of dehydration. In fact, this is also a common occurrence among bodybuilders and swimmers. It seems strange that sweating in the water is possible. Swimmers lose a lot of sweat while swimming.

Some people are at higher risk of dehydration than others, including:

• Outdoor workers exposed to high temperatures (e.g., welders, gardeners, construction workers, and mechanics)
• Elderly
• Patients with chronic diseases
• Athletes (especially runners, cyclists, and footballers)
• Infants and young children
• People who live at high altitudes

 

How does dehydration develop?

Your body often loses moisture through sweating and urination. If you don't replace the water, you will become dehydrated. Any situation or condition that causes the body to lose more water than usual can lead to dehydration.

Perspire

Sweating is part of the body's natural cooling process. When you get hot, your sweat glands activate to release moisture from your body in an attempt to cool your body. The way it works is through evaporation.

When a drop of the sweat evaporates from your skin, it takes away a small amount of heat. The more you sweat and the more you evaporate, the cooler your body becomes. Sweating also moisturizes your skin and maintains a balance of electrolytes in your body.

The liquids you sweat with mainly salt and water. Excessive sweating can lead to dehydration because you lose a lot of water. The technical term for excessive sweating is hyperhidrosis.

Disease

Disorders that cause persistent vomiting or diarrhea can lead to dehydration. This is because vomiting and diarrhea can cause too much water to be excreted from the body.

Important electrolytes are also lost in these processes. Electrolytes are minerals that the body uses to control muscle, blood chemistry, and organ processes. These electrolytes are found in the blood, urine, and other fluids in the body.

Vomiting or diarrhea can impair these functions and lead to serious complications such as stroke and coma.

Fever

If you have a fever, your body loses moisture through the surface of your skin in an attempt to lower your body temperature. Usually, a fever causes you to sweat profusely, and if you don't drink water to replenish your water, you may end up dehydrated.

Micturition

Urination is a normal way for the body to release toxins from the body. Certain conditions can lead to chemical imbalances, which can increase urine output. If you don't replenish fluids that are lost due to excessive urination, you may experience dehydration.

Symptoms of dehydration?

Symptoms of dehydration depend on whether the condition is mild or severe. Symptoms of dehydration may begin before complete dehydration occurs.

Symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration include:

• Fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Increased thirst
• Decreased urination
• Fewer tears are produced
• Dry skin
• Constipation
• Dizziness
• Headache

In addition to the symptoms of mild dehydration, severe dehydration can lead to the following:

• Excessive thirst
• Insufficient sweat secretion
• Hypotension
• Increased heart rate
• Shortness of breath
• Sunken eyes
• • Dry skin
• Dark urine

Severe dehydration is a medical emergency. If you show any of these signs and symptoms, seek medical help immediately.

Medical emergencies

Children and the elderly should receive treatment immediately, even if they develop mild dehydration symptoms.

Seek emergency care if someone of any age develops the following symptoms:

• Severe diarrhea
• Blood in the stool
• Diarrhea for 3 days or more
• Inability to maintain adequate body fluids
• Disoriented

How is dehydration diagnosed?

Before starting any test, your doctor will examine any symptoms that you must rule out other conditions. After taking your medical history, your doctor will check your vital signs, including your heart rate and blood pressure. Hypotension and rapid heart rate may indicate dehydration.

Your doctor may use blood tests to check your electrolyte levels, which can help indicate a fluid loss. Blood tests can also check your body's creatinine levels. This helps your doctor determine how well your kidneys are functioning, which is an indicator of how dehydrated you are.

Alphauria is an examination using a urine sample to check for the presence of bacteria and electrolyte depletion. When combined with other symptoms, the color of the urine can also indicate dehydration. Dark urine alone cannot diagnose dehydration.

Strategies for treating dehydration

If necessary, treatment for dehydration includes rehydration methods, electrolyte replacement, and treatment of diarrhea or vomiting.

Rehydration

Not all people can rehydrate by drinking alcohol, such as people who have severe diarrhea or vomiting. In this case, intravenous fluids may be given.

To do this, insert a small IV tube into a vein in your arm or hand. The solution it offers is usually a mixture of water and electrolytes.

For those who can drink water, drinking water and rehydration drinks containing electrolytes, such as low-sugar exercise or electrolyte drinks, may be recommended. Dehydrated children are often instructed to drink Pedialyte.

Things to avoid

Avoid sodas, alcohol, overly sweet drinks, or caffeine. These drinks can aggravate dehydration.

Potential complications of untreated dehydration

Untreated dehydration can lead to life-threatening complications such as:

• Heatstroke
• Heat spasms
• Heart disease
• Seizures caused by electrolyte loss
• Low blood volume
• Renal failure
• Coma

How can I prevent dehydration?

Here are some ways to prevent dehydration:

• If you are sick, increase your fluid intake, especially if you vomit or have diarrhea. If you cannot control your fluids, consult a doctor.
• If you're going to exercise or exercise, drink water before the activity. Change fluids regularly during your workout. Also, make sure to drink water or electrolytes after exercise.
• Wear cool clothes during the hot months, and if you can avoid it, avoid going out in a directly hot environment.
• Even if you are not active, drink the recommended amount of liquid.

summary

Dehydration occurs when you don't get enough liquid. Whether it's exercise, hot weather, or illness, dehydration can quickly become dangerous – whatever the reason.

If you start to see early signs of fluid loss, you can help prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water throughout the day and taking electrolytes.