Dehydration:Symptoms,Causes and Treatment.

 Dehydration is the removal/loss of water or fluid from the body. It happens when the intake of fluids is less than the output. Our body cells work well and perform their normal functions in water or in an aqueous medium. In case of absence or decrease in water level, cells fail to function, and body systems start deteriorating/altering, leading to serious health emergencies.

 Symptoms of Dehydration:

Dehydration can affect all populations, but the high-risk population is children and older adults.

Symptoms of dehydration are as follows.

• Dry mouth/dry lips
• Severe thrust
• Dry skin/loose skin tone
• In severe dehydration no tears in the eyes, especially in infants and children
• Very dark urine/concentrated urine
• In severe cases, no urine, especially in infants and children
• Sunken eyes and dark circles around the eyes
• Irritability/agitation/lethargy
• Headache and blurry vision
• Fast pulse rate /tachycardia
• Fainting in severely low blood pressure (Hypotension) is usually called Hypovolemic shock, in which severely low blood volume leads to life-threatening low blood pressure.

Causes of Dehydration:

Dehydration may be due to many reasons. Such as,

• Severe diarrhea and vomiting, either infective diarrhea or chemotherapy-induced diarrhea
• Inadequate fluid intake due to severe oral infection or oral ulcers (mucositis)
• Working in fields/outside offices in very hot weather puts individuals at greater risk of  heat stroke
• Any use of medications resulting in increased urination.
• High-grade fever is when the insensible losses of fluid occur.
• People use some medications that cause excessive urine output. Keeps a person at risk for dehydration
• People with chronic diabetes are at greater risk of excessive urination, which can further lead a person to severe dehydration.
• People with excessive blood volume loss are at risk of dehydration.

Women with excessive vomiting (hyperemesis gravidarum) during pregnancy are at high risk for dehydration.

Treatment of Dehydration:

 In dehydration, not only is water or fluid from the body depleted, but an electrolyte imbalance also occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to give a fluid or hydration fluid that is also rich in electrolytes. For mild to moderate dehydration, oral Rehydration Solution is advised at home to be given orally to the patient, but in severe cases, the patient needs hospitalization to receive drips through the vein (intravenous) to prevent further complications such as Acute Kidney injury, stroke, respiratory distress, or cardiac shutdown.

Prevention of Dehydration:

Dehydration can be well prevented in many cases. The following measures must be taken to prevent life-threatening situations due to dehydration.

• In case of vomiting and Diarrhea:

Diarrhea and vomiting are the major causes of dehydration. In which a person shows symptoms of dehydration in a very short period. Furthermore, most of the electrolyte imbalances occur in this case. However, the root cause of diarrhea and vomiting should be ruled out so that the main and basic cause can be corrected along with hydration. For example, is it due to food poisoning or caused by any medication, such as most antibiotics, which can cause diarrhea and vomiting, or chemotherapy-induced diarrhea? Do the following preventive measures.

• If you have started any new treatment for any disease and you experience severe diarrhea and vomiting must stop taking the medication and consult your health care provider.
• In case of severe vomits and you are unable to take fluids or water must consult a health care provider. So, you will be treated to stop vomiting, and dehydration will be prevented.
• In case of strenuous exercise: Hydrate yourself by drinking water and a drink containing minerals before going for exercise. Keep a water bottle with you while exercising.
• Avoid unnecessary direct sun exposure. In case of going out in hot weather, you must keep a water bottle with you.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and coffee; these products contain antidiuretic properties that produce more urine, and put you at risk of dehydration.

 Complications of  Dehydration:

All body systems carry out their functions in a systematic manner and work in collaboration with one another. However, in case of dehydration, if one of the body systems gets affected other automatically starts affecting.

Cardiac system:

Our heart needs a proper amount of blood volume to carry out its proper functioning. Our blood plasma contains around 90 to 92 percent of water.

When a person becomes dehydrated, blood becomes viscous, which exerts more pressure on the heart and also distributes slowly throughout the body. That results in decreased cardiac output and lower blood pressure.

Moreover, severe dehydration can result in an inadequate supply of blood and nutrients to the heart muscles, which may result in ischemia or a heart attack.

Nervous system:

 Our brain is the most demanding organ in our body that needs the most nutritious blood filled with pure oxygen and glucose. An interrupted supply of food to the brain results in a decrease in its function. A person with severe dehydration feels dizzy and confused, and sometimes faints and has a seizure episode.

Moreover, the brain needs a continuous supply of blood and glucose. Five-minute interruption in the blood supply to the brain resulted in brain cell death, so hydration is very important for brain cells to stay alive.

Renal system:

Our kidneys carry out their function in a continuous supply of blood and water; it works like a filtering machine. Retains the beneficial components or electrolytes and removes the excessive ones.

When kidneys get inadequate blood flow, cells start shrinking, resulting in acute kidney injury (AKI). So, continuous blood flow is needed for the kidneys for their proper functioning. When there is kidney injury, the end products in the body start accumulating in the body and blood, which further leads to many other life-threatening situations.

Respiratory System and Dehydration:

Severe dehydration leads to hypotension, which results in less blood flow to the lungs, which further results in poor gaseous exchange in the lungs and poor cell perfusion.

Another thing is lactic acid accumulation in the body and in the lungs, which again impairs the breathing pattern and results in shortness of breath.

Hence, dehydration is a major health issue if not prevented and treated on time. Moreover, it’s very important to know dehydration symptoms and treat them on time.

It’s simple management is drinking water and a solution containing electrolytes. The easiest and most available over-the-counter source is an Oral Rehydration Solution. Preventing dehydration is better than its cure to avoid its complications.