Dealing with dehydration

Dehydration is a condition that can occur when the loss of body fluids, mostly water, exceeds the amount that is taken in. With dehydration, more water is moving out of individual cells and then out of the body than the amount of water that is taken in through drinking.

Medically, dehydration usually means a person has lost enough fluid so that the body begins to lose its ability to function normally, and begins to produce symptoms related to the fluid loss. People lose water every day in the form of water vapor in the breath we exhale, and as water in our sweat, urine, and stool. Along with the water, small amounts of salts or electrolytes are also lost. Our bodies are constantly readjusting the balance between water (and salts or electrolytes) losses with fluid intake.

When we lose too much water, our bodies may become out of balance or dehydrated. Dehydration can be reversed or put back in balance by oral intake of fluids that contain electrolytes (or salts) that are lost during activity. If unrecognised and untreated, some instances of moderate and severe dehydration can lead to death. Many conditions may cause rapid and continued fluid losses and lead to dehydration.
• Fever, heat exposure, and too much exercise
• Vomiting, diarrhoea, and increased urination due to infection
• Diseases such as diabetes
• No access to safe drinking water
• Significant injuries to skin, such as burns or mouth sores, severe skin diseases, or infections (water is lost through the damaged skin)

In addition to drinking water, the body also needs replacement of electrolytes lost with the above mentioned conditions, so drinking water without electrolyte replacement may not complete the balance of water and electrolytes the body has lost. The signs and symptoms of dehydration in adults range from minor to severe. Mild to moderate dehydration may include the following:
• Increased thirst
• Dry mouth
• Tired or sleepy
• Decreased urine output
• Urine is low volume and more yellowish than normal
• Headache
• Dry skin
• Dizziness
• Few or no tears

The above symptoms may quickly worsen to indicate severe dehydration with signs and symptoms as follows:
• Severely decreased urine output or no urine output. The urine, if any, produced is concentrated and a deep yellow or amber colour.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness that does not allow the person to stand or walk normally.
• Blood pressure drops when the person tries to stand after lying down (low blood pressure)
• Rapid heart rate
• Fever
• Poor skin elasticity
• Lethargy, confusion, or coma
• Seizure
• Shock

Treatment

Try to get people who are dehydrated (even those who have been vomiting) to take in fluids in the following ways:
• Sip small amounts of water.
• Drink carbohydrate/electrolyte-containing drinks. Good choices are sports drinks such as Gatorade or prepared replacement solutions (Pedialyte is one example).
• Suck on popsicles made from juices and sports drinks.
• Suck on ice chips.
• Sip through a straw (works well for someone who has had jaw surgery or mouth sores).

Try to cool the person, if there has been heat exposure or if the person has an elevated temperature in the following ways:
• Remove any excess clothing and loosen other clothing
• Air-conditioned areas are best for helping return the affected individual's body temperature to normal and break the heat exposure cycle.
• If air-conditioning is not available, increase cooling by evaporation by placing the person near fans or in the shade, if outside. Place a wet towel around the person.
• If available, use a spray bottle or misters to spray tepid (luke-warm) water on exposed skin surfaces to help with cooling by evaporation.
•Avoid exposing skin to excessive cold, such as ice packs or ice water. This can cause the blood vessels in the skin to constrict and will decrease, rather than increase heat loss. Exposure to excessive cold can also cause shivering, which will increase body temperature, this may cause the dehydration symptoms to become worse.

emedicinehealth.com