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Dehydration is most often associated with the loss of water by the body in hot weather, but this is nothing further from the truth. Because dehydration can also occur in winter and during severe illness. What symptoms does dehydration cause? Can it cause permanent damage to the body? How can dehydration be treated?
What exactly is dehydration? This is a sudden loss of electrolytes and water by the body, the condition may be due to a variety of factors. Since water and other fluids are essential for the proper functioning of the whole organism, disturbance of the water and electrolyte balance is a very dangerous condition for human health and life.
Dehydration – symptoms
Dehydration comes in three types:
- iso-osmolar or isotonic dehydration – is dehydration in which the loss of water and electrolytes is the same in the proportions.
- Hyperosmolar or hypertonic dehydration is dehydration in which there is more water loss than electrolytes.
- Poosmolar or hypotonic dehydration is dehydration in which there is a greater loss of electrolytes than water.
Dehydration can happen for a variety of reasons. It occurs when the body becomes dehydrated as a result of hot weather, i.e. persistent sweating. In hot weather, an adult can lose up to 10 liters of water, so it is important to regularly provide the body with more fluid than usual. During high temperatures, dehydration is primarily exposed to young children, the elderly, but also people who take diuretics on a permanent basis and people who are very overweight. Dehydration can also occur in winter, as a result of water loss when heat is given off along with water vapor when we breathe.
Dehydration is also a symptom of chronic diseases, for example in kidney disease – renal failure, diabetes insipidus, and glucosuria. Dehydration can occur in Parkinson’s disease. Dehydration is also the result of long-term vomiting, diarrhea and high fever.
What symptoms does dehydration cause?
In the initial phase, dehydration may lead to: reduced frequency of urination (if it appears dark yellow), excessive thirst, another symptom is dry mouth, the abdomen becomes bloated. A dehydrated person has no appetite and may be sleepy or agitated. In young children, dehydration is characterized by a sunken fontanel and, in some cases, sunken eyeballs.
If the fluid deficiency in the body is not corrected at the right time, further symptoms, much more dangerous, may appear.
- the skin ceases to be elastic, it may become dry, its appearance resembles parchment.
- high dehydration causes people to sweat less
- a high fever may be another symptom that you are dehydrated
- dehydration is characterized by an increased heart rate
- the eye tension is also reduced
The last symptoms that characterize dehydration are:
- sudden fall in blood pressure when you are standing upside down called postural hypotension
- seizures
- swoon
Dehydration – treatment
Dehydration is treated very similarly in each case. It is necessary to replenish the fluid and electrolyte deficiency in the body. Still water or unsweetened tea should be served. Oral rehydration medications are also available in pharmacies. It is very important to hydrate your body gradually. In cases where dehydration is advanced, intravenous glucose, potassium and sodium chloride or sodium chloride alone are administered.