The practical guide to signs and symptoms of dehydration

Did you know that dehydration can happen to all of us without even knowing it? The headache, lack of energy, or not being in the mood could be due to not drinking water.

But you drink water every…

How often?

Are you sure you are hydrated? Your body or kidneys are working properly?

Tahoe Springs Water brings you the reasons for dehydration, signs and symptoms, how to treat it, the high risk groups, etc.

What is Dehydration?

Your body doesn’t contain enough water; it is dehydrated, and your body can not work properly. The hydration level can be:

• Mild
• Moderate
• Severe

The severity depends on how much water your body has lost. You can often treat hydration at home, but serious cases need treatment at the hospital.

Dehydration might seem rare in city life. But most of us don’t get enough drinking water due to:

• A busy schedule,
• Not feeling thirsty
• Not knowing the importance of water, or
• Forgetting to drink.

What Causes Dehydration?

You and I lose water every day through:

• Perspiration
• Breathing
• Tears and saliva
• Using the bathroom

But you replace the water you lose by drinking water, fluids, and food containing water. What’s the problem? The point is your situation might cause dehydration. The following cases can make you lose water as well:

• Diabetes
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Been in the sun too long
• Have a high temperature

How to know you are dehydrated?

The signs and symptoms of dehydration are various for different people. Yet, the most common ones include:

• Thirst
• Sticky or dry mouth
• No normal use of the restroom
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Cool, dry skin
• Exhaustion

The above items are the common-basic symptoms of dehydration. Please remember that they might also have another source.

The above factors are mild signs. The symptoms of severe dehydration are as follows:

• Extreme thirst
• Rapid breathing
• Not enough energy or tiredness
• Rapid heartbeat

Children

Young children might experience different symptoms of dehydration than adults. Consult or visit a doctor or in the following cases:

• Dry tongue or mouth
• Dry diapers, often for three hours
• Sleepiness
• Sunken eyes
• Crying with no tears

When do you need to see a doctor?

Mild dehydration can be treated by home remedies and by taking enough water. Yet, it can be life-threatening in severe cases. If you see the following symptoms, get medical help:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Diarrhea for one day or more
• Confusion
• Inability to take fluids
• Passing out
• Rapid breathing

Who is at most risk due to Dehydration?

Everyone. No one is safe from the damages of dehydration. However, a few groups are at a higher level of risk:

Children and infants

Why? They can not yell at you, “I’m thirsty,” or take a glass by themselves. It makes them a vulnerable group. They tend to experience vomiting and diarrhea more than others.

Medspace’s article titled children more susceptible to dehydration proves the point.

The research indicates that children and infants’ bodies contain more water than adults’. Due to the high metabolic rate, children lose more water than adults as well.

Elderly

The older you and I, the smaller our body’s fluid reserve will become. Your body can not keep water as it did before. A few illnesses like diabetes and some medicines make things worse.

If the elderly have a problem in getting around, he/she might not drink enough water.

Athletes and workers

The more humid and hot the weather, the higher risk of dehydration. Heat illnesses also become possible:

• Heatstroke
• Heat exhaustion
• Heat cramps

The perspiration couldn’t evaporate and chill you as it regularly does. The situation leads to higher body temperature and the need for more water.

If you work or do exercise outdoors, take the precautionary steps.

Risk factors of Dehydration

The below conditions tend to cause more dehydration.

High altitudes 

By the Wilderness Medical Society report, at high altitude, your body loses water twice as fast as it does at sea level. The lower oxygen in higher altitudes makes you breathe more. So you lose more water through breathing out.

You use the bathroom more as your body acclimates to a higher altitude. It’s because the body tries to avoid respiratory alkalosis (elevated blood PH).

High altitudes tend to be more humid and close to the heat. So you lose water more than the normal height.

Cold or hot temperature

Your body doesn’t like to spend energy heating the inner fluid in cold weather. So it gets rid of the extra fluid by easing nature. You need to watch over water intake in cold climates as well.

The hot temperature also tends to make you dehydrated. You particularly need to be careful in hot seasons or hot climates.

How to diagnose Dehydration?

See the section above to know the common symptoms of dehydration. If you have the symptoms, you might be suffering from it. But it could be due to another disorder.

If you doubt, visit your doctor. He/she will check symptoms to evaluate your overall condition.

After examining your medical background, the doctor will check:

• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Respiratory rate
• Temperature

Rapid heart rate and low blood pressure are symptoms of dehydration.

The doctor could use a medical test to make sure of everything. The test shows the level of creatinine, which the doctor uses to know the functions of the kidneys. Your kidney’s conditions show the degree of dehydration.

How to reduce the risk of Dehydration?

You can simply reduce the possibility of dehydration by preventive measures. The appropriate action depends on you and your environment.

In case you are sick, drink more fluids and, more importantly, water. It is particularly true if you suffer from diarrhea or vomiting. Providing that you can’t take the fluids, get medical care.

You do exercise or play sports, and drink enough water before the activity. Take an appropriate amount of water through sports activities. When the activity is finished, replace the lost liquid with water or fluids.

Wearing the right outfit is also important. Try to put something cool and light in hot months. If you can not stand direct heat, avoid it if possible.

As your body gets used to exercising, drink water even when you don’t work out.

How to treat Dehydration?

The treatment of dehydration depends on your:

• Age
• The severity of your situation, and
• The source

If you suffer from mild dehydration and are young, you could treat it by drinking enough water and resting. In case your illness is severe, you might need electrolyte drinks. Electrolytes are minerals in the body that aid in adjusting fluids and muscle contractions.

The point to remember is that you can make your electrolytes water at home. Mix:

• 6 teaspoons sugar
• 4.2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

In serious cases, you need medical care.

Visiting a doctor for adults and babies is essential as they are at higher risk. Take the signs of dehydration for them seriously and never ignore them.

When you are dehydrated, avoid:

• Tea
• Coffee
• Soda

Your body doesn’t contain the required amount of water; you are dehydrated. Often you might not know of the problem. If not treated, it can cause significant health problems. Affecting your kidneys, higher risk of kidney stones, muscle damage, and constipation are a few samples.

How to know you are dehydrated? Look at the symptoms and take them seriously. The text well-explained that signs are various based on age, severity, and cause.

How to eliminate the problem? The treatment of dehydration also depends on your situation. Most cases can be treated by drinking enough water and fluids. However, in severe cases need to visit a doctor.

Avoiding all the problems due to dehydration is simple; drink water. If you don’t like water’s taste, different options are available: alkaline water, spring mountain water.

Tahoe Springs Mountain Water has been in the Las Vegas valley since 1994. We have provided different services to various clients, Pick up the phone and call us at +702-903-1433 to receive the water you want.

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