Symptoms of dehydration and overhydration
Are you hydrated?
Symptoms of dehydration and overhydration (hyponatremia) By Mayo Clinic Staff
Dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you drink. When your body doesn’t have enough water, it can’t work properly. Dehydration can range from mild to severe. The signs of dehydration can include:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle cramps
- Dry mouth
- Sweating stops
- Heart palpitations
Signs of severe dehydration can include mental confusion, weakness and loss of consciousness. Seek medical attention immediately if you have any of these symptoms.
Severe dehydration combined with exercise can also lead to heat illness. Heat illness can occur when the body is dehydrated, which can compromise the body’s ability to cool itself. There are 3 stages of heat illness: heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Symptoms of heat cramps include muscle spasms in the legs, abdomen and arms. Symptoms of heat exhaustion are more serious and can include feeling faint or weak, nausea, headache, rapid pulse and low blood pressure. The most serious heat-related illness is heatstroke, and symptoms can include high body temperature, rapid pulse, flushed skin, lack of sweating, rapid breathing and possibly even delirium, loss of consciousness or seizures. Seek rapid emergency medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms of heatstroke. Untreated heatstroke can lead to death.
Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:
- Dry, sticky mouth
- Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
- Thirst
- Decreased urine output
- No wet diapers for three hours for infants
- Few or no tears when crying
- Dry skin
- Headache
- Constipation
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause:
- Extreme thirst
- Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults
- Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
- Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be darker than normal
- Sunken eyes
- Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched into a fold
- In infants, sunken fontanels — the soft spots on the top of a baby's head
- Low blood pressure
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- No tears when crying
- Fever
- In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness
Unfortunately, thirst isn't always a reliable gauge of the body's need for water, especially in children and older adults. A better indicator is the color of your urine: Clear or light-colored urine means you're well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber color usually signals dehydration.
When to see a doctorIf you're a healthy adult, you can usually treat mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, such as water or a sports drink (Gatorade, Powerade, others). Get immediate medical care if you develop severe signs and symptoms such as extreme thirst, a lack of urination, shriveled skin, dizziness and confusion.
Treat children and older adults with greater caution. Call your family doctor right away if your loved one:
- Develops severe diarrhea, with or without vomiting or fever
- Has bloody or black stool
- Has had moderate diarrhea for 24 hours or more
- Can't keep down fluids
- Is irritable or disoriented and much sleepier or less active than usual
- Has any of the signs or symptoms of mild or moderate dehydration
Go to the nearest hospital emergency room or call 911 or your emergency medical number if you think a child or older adult is severely dehydrated. You can help prevent dehydration from becoming severe by carefully monitoring someone who is sick and giving fluids, such as an oral rehydration solution (CeraLyte, Pedialyte, others), at the first sign of diarrhea, vomiting or fever and by encouraging children to drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise.
Dehydration occurs when there isn't enough water to replace what's lost throughout the day. Your system literally dries out. Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don't drink enough because you're sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you're traveling, hiking or camping.
Other dehydration causes include:
- Diarrhea, vomiting. Severe, acute diarrhea — that is, diarrhea that comes on suddenly and violently — can cause a tremendous loss of water and electrolytes in a short amount of time. If you have vomiting along with diarrhea, you lose even more fluids and minerals. Children and infants are especially at risk. Diarrhea may be caused by a bacterial or viral infection, food sensitivity, a reaction to medications or a bowel disorder.
- Fever. In general, the higher your fever, the more dehydrated you may become. If you have a fever in addition to diarrhea and vomiting, you lose even more fluids.
- Excessive sweating. You lose water when you sweat. If you do vigorous activity and don't replace fluids as you go along, you can become dehydrated. Hot, humid weather increases the amount you sweat and the amount of fluid you lose. But you can also become dehydrated in winter if you don't replace lost fluids. Preteens and teens who participate in sports may be especially susceptible, both because of their body weight, which is generally lower than that of adults, and because they may not be experienced enough to know the warning signs of dehydration.
- Increased urination. This may be due to undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes. Certain medications, such as diuretics and some blood pressure medications, also can lead to dehydration, generally because they cause you to urinate or perspire more than normal.
What is hyponatremia?
Hyponatremia is rare, but it is something that athletes should be aware of. Hyponatremia is when there is too little sodium in the body. It can occur when athletes, particularly endurance athletes, drink too much water. When sodium levels in your body are too low, your cells begin to swell with water. This can cause your brain tissue to swell, putting pressure on your brain. It can also cause your lungs to fill with fluid. Symptoms of hyponatremia can include headache, vomiting and swelling of the hands and feet.
Just how much water is too much depends on your body and the kind of activity you are doing. Talk to your family doctor if you have questions about the right amount of water to drink while exercising.
Ga. football player dies from overhydration (August 12, 2014)
Infomation taken from:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/symptoms/con-20030056
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/exercise-fitness/exercise-basics/athletes-the-importance-of-good-hydration.html
Just how much water is too much depends on your body and the kind of activity you are doing. Talk to your family doctor if you have questions about the right amount of water to drink while exercising.
Ga. football player dies from overhydration (August 12, 2014)
Infomation taken from:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/symptoms/con-20030056
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/exercise-fitness/exercise-basics/athletes-the-importance-of-good-hydration.html
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