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Dehydration, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

by | Feb 1, 2022 | Info | 0 comments

Dehydration Overview

Dehydration happens when your body doesn’t have enough water as it needs. It occurs occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.

Without enough water, your body can’t function properly. You can have mild, moderate, or severe dehydration. It occurs when more water and fluids leave the body than enter it. Even low levels of dehydration can cause headaches, lethargy, and constipation.

The human body is roughly 75 percent water. Without this water, it cannot survive. Water is found inside cells, within blood vessels, and between cells.

A sophisticated water management system in our bodies keeps our water levels balanced, and our thirst mechanism tells us when we need to increase fluid intake.

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.

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

When too much water is lost from the body, its organs, cells, and tissues fail to function as they should, which can lead to dangerous complications. If dehydration isn’t corrected immediately, it could cause shock.

Dehydration can be mild to severe. You can usually treat mild dehydration at home. Severe dehydration needs to be treated in a hospital or emergency care setting.

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.

Levels of Dehydration

Dehydration may be categorized as follows:

  • Mild: You just have to take in more fluids orally (by mouth). Drink water, but replace fluids with a drink that contains electrolytes if you experience significant sweating or fluid losses from Vomiting and diarrhea. You should feel better after five or 10 minutes.
  • Moderate. Moderate dehydration requires an IV (intravenous hydration). You’ll get this in an urgent care, emergency room, or hospital.
  • Severe. See a healthcare provider if your symptoms of dehydration are severe. Call 911 or go to an emergency room.

If you’re seeing a healthcare provider, they’ll figure out what level you’re at in order to assign you treatment.

What water does for the body?

Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. Newborn babies are about 78% water, a year-old baby is 65%, adult men are about 60% and adult women are about 55%.

Your brain and heart is composed of 73% water, and lungs are about 83% water. Your bones are 31% water, muscles and kidneys are 79% and your skin is 64%. A whopping 83% of water makes up your lungs.

Each day humans must consume a certain amount of water to survive. Of course, this varies according to age and gender, and also by where someone lives.

Generally, an adult male needs about 3 liters (3.2 quarts) per day while an adult female needs about 2.2 liters (2.3 quarts) per day. All of the water a person needs does not have to come from drinking liquids, as some of this water is contained in the food we eat.

Water helps with the following bodily functions:

  • Aid digestion and get rid of waste.
  • Work your joints. Water lubricates them.
  • Make saliva (which you need to eat).
  • Balance your body’s chemicals. Your brain needs it to create hormones and neurotransmitters.
  • Deliver oxygen all over your body.
  • Cushion your bones.
  • Regulate your body temperature.

Act as a shock absorber for your brain, your spinal cord and, if you’re pregnant, your fetus.

Water is important to your body, especially in warm weather. It keeps your body from overheating. When you exercise, your muscles generate heat. To keep from burning up, your body needs to get rid of that heat.

The main way the body discards heat in warm weather is through sweat. As sweat evaporates, it cools the tissues beneath. Lots of sweating reduces the body’s water level, and this loss of fluid affects normal bodily functions.

Signs and Symptoms of of Dehydration

The first symptoms of dehydration include thirst, darker urine, and decreased urine production. The urine color is one of the best indicators of a person’s hydration level, clear urine means you are well hydrated and darker urine means you are dehydrated.

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 you are sick, or during hotter weather.

Following are the symptoms of moderate dehydration:


Following are the signs and symptoms of severe dehydration in addition to the above symptoms:

Severe dehydration is characterized by loss of 10-15 percent of the body’s water.

  • Excessive thirst 
  • Fainting
  • Fever
  • Dark colored urine
  • Delirium
  • Dry skin
  • Increased heart rate
  • Low blood pressure
  • Lack of sweating
  • Shriveled skin
  • Sunken eyes
  • Unconsciousness

Symptoms in Children

  • A sunken fontanel (soft spot on the top of the head in babies)
  • Dry mouth and tongue 
  • Diapers don’t get wet for 3 or more hours
  • Irritable
  • No tears when crying
  • Sunken cheeks and eyes

The best way to beat dehydration is to drink before you get thirsty. If you wait until after you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Causes of Dehydration

The basic causes of dehydration are not drinking enough water, somehow losing too much water (because of diarrhea), or a combination of both.

Sometimes, it is not possible to consume enough fluids because we are too busy, lack of facilities or not having strength to drink, or are in an area without potable water (for examples while hiking or camping).

Additional causes of dehydration include:

  • Diarrhea: Persistent diarrhea is one of 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: Throwing up leads to a loss of fluids and makes it difficult to replace water by drinking it.
  • Sweating: During sweat the body’s cooling mechanism releases a significant amount of water. 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.
  • Frequent urination: Frequent urination usually caused by uncontrolled diabetes, but also can be due to alcohol and medications such as diuretics, antihistamines, blood pressure medications, and antipsychotics.
  • Burns: Burns can damage the blood vessels, causing fluid to leak into the surrounding tissues.

 

Risk Factors of Dehydration

Although dehydration can happen to anyone, but the odds are higher for some people. Those at most risk include the following:

  • Athletes (especially runners, cyclists, and soccer players)
  • Infants and young children
  • Older adults
  • Individuals residing at higher altitudes
  • Patients with chronic diseases, such as alcoholism, adrenal gland diseases, diabetes, kidney disease and cystic fibrosis.
  • People working outdoors who are exposed to excessive amounts of heat (for example, construction workers, mechanics, landscapers, construction workers, and welders)

Complications of Dehydration

If dehydration is not checked, it can lead to serious complications, which can include the following:

Low blood volume: Less blood produces a drop in blood pressure and a reduction in the amount of oxygen reaching tissues, this can be life threatening condition.

Seizures: Seizures occur because of an imbalance of electrolytes.

Kidney problems: These include kidney stones, urinary tract infections and eventually leading to kidney failure.

Heat exhaustion: ranging from mild cramps to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke.

How Dehydrations Affects the Body?

Dehydration does more than you might expect. If affects you not only physically (note the signs stated above), but mentally and emotionally as well. If you’re dehydrated, you may feel:

Mental affects:

  • Confused
  • Like you can’t remember

Emotional affects:

  • Cranky
  • Anxious

Dehydration affects on the brain: Severe hydration shrinks the blood vessels in the brain. When there aren’t high enough fluid levels in your brain, that affects your memory and coordination.

Affects on the heart: Your heart has to work harder when there’s less water in your blood.

Dehydration affects on the kidneys: The average person urinates about six or seven times a day. If you’re dehydrated, you may urinate less. This is because less water in your blood causes your kidneys to hold on to the urine.

Dehydration cause cramping: Loss of electrolytes, like sodium and potassium, can cause cramping. They’re expelled through perspiration (sweating). Drink water, but also a sports drink to replenish your electrolytes if your fluid losses are extensive from sweating, vomiting or diarrhea.

Diagnosis of Dehydration

A doctor will use both physical and mental exams to diagnose dehydration. A patient presenting symptoms such as disorientation, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, fever, lack of sweat, and inelastic skin will usually be considered dehydrated.

Blood tests are often employed to test kidney function and to check sodium, potassium, and other electrolyte levels. Electrolytes are chemicals that regulate hydration in the body and are crucial for nerve and muscle function.

A urine analysis test can provides very useful information to help diagnose dehydration. In a dehydrated person, urine will be darker in color and more concentrated, containing a certain level of compounds called ketones.

To diagnose dehydration in infants, doctors usually check for a sunken soft spot on the skull. They may also look for a loss of sweat and certain muscle tone characteristics.

Treatment of Dehydration

Dehydration must be treated by replenishing the fluid levels in the body. This can be done by consuming clear fluids such as water, clear broths, frozen water or ice pops, or sports drinks (such as Gatorade).

Some dehydration patients, however, will require intravenous fluids in order to rehydrate. People who are dehydrated should avoid drinks containing caffeine such as tea, coffee or sodas.

Underlying conditions that are causing dehydration should also be treated with the appropriate medication. This may include medication available to purchase over-the-counter or online, such as anti-diarrhea medicines, anti-emetics which are used to stop vomiting and anti-fever drugs.

Prevention of Dehydration

Prevention is really the most important treatment for dehydration. Consuming plenty of fluids and foods that have high water content which include fruits and vegetables, should be sufficient for most people to prevent dehydration.

People should be cautious about doing activities during extreme heat, under direct sunlight or the hot part of the day, and anyone who is exercising should make replenishing fluids a priority.

Since the elderly and very young are most at risk of being dehydrated, special attention should be given to them to make sure they are receiving enough fluids.

Following are some ways and tips to prevent dehydration:

  • If you’re ill, increase your fluid intake, especially if you’re vomiting or having diarrhea. If you can’t keep down liquids, immediately seek medical attention.
  • If you’re going to exercise or play sports, drink water before the activity. At regular intervals during the workout, replace your fluids. Make sure to drink water or electrolytes after exercise, too.
  • Dress cool in summer and hot months and avoid being out in direct heat if you can avoid it.
  • Even if you aren’t active, drink the recommended amount of fluids.

Dehydration occurs when you’re not getting enough fluids. Whether it’s from exercising, hot weather, or an illness, dehydration can quickly become dangerous, no matter the cause.

You can help prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water throughout the day and taking electrolytes if you start seeing early signs of fluid loss.

 

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