Top 12 Symptoms of Dehydration

This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections that affect the lungs or bladder , can result in dehydration  in older adults. Dehydration can  also occur in any age group if you don’t drink enough water during hot weather – especially if you’re exercising vigorously. You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration  by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration  needs immediate medical treatment.

Causes of Dehydration:  Sometimes dehydration  occurs for simple reasons: you don’t drink enough because you’re sick or busy, or because you don’t have access to clean water when you travel, hike, or camp. Other causes of dehydration  include:

• Diarrhea, vomiting. Severe, acute diarrhea – that is, diarrhea  that comes on suddenly and violently – can cause a tremendous loss of water and electrolytes in a short time. If you have vomiting along with diarrhea , you lose even more fluid and minerals.
• Fever. In general, the higher your fever, the more dehydrated you can become. The problem gets worse if you have a fever, in addition to diarrhea  and vomiting.
• Excessive sweat. You lose water when you sweat. If you do vigorous activity and don’t replace fluids as you go along, you can become dehydrated. Hot, humid weather increases the amount of sweat and the amount of fluid you lose.
• Greater urination. This could be due to  undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes . Certain medications, such as diuretics and some blood pressure medications, can also lead to dehydration , usually because they make you urinate more.

Symptoms of Dehydration:  Thirst is not always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water. Many people, especially older adults, do not feel thirsty until they are already dehydrated. That’s why it’s important to increase your water intake during hot weather or when you are sick. The signs and symptoms of dehydration  can also vary by age:

Infant or Toddler:

• Dry mouth and tongue
• No tears when you cry
• No wet diapers for three hours
• Sunken eyes, cheeks
• Dirty hose on top of the skull
• Disappearance or irritability

Adult:

• extreme thirst
• Lower frequency of urination
• dark colored urine
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• dry skin

Risk Factors for Dehydration:  Anyone can become dehydrated, but certain people are at greater risk:

• Babies and children. The group most likely to experience severe diarrhea  and vomiting, infants and children are especially vulnerable to dehydration . Having a higher surface area to volume area, they also lose a greater proportion of their fluids due to high fever or burns. Young children often cannot tell you they are thirsty, nor can they get you a drink.
• Older adults. As you age, your body’s fluid stores become smaller, your ability to conserve water is reduced, and your sense of thirst becomes less acute. These problems are exacerbated by chronic illnesses such as diabetes  and dementia and the use of certain medications. Older adults may also have mobility issues that limit their ability to get water for themselves.
• People with chronic illnesses. Having uncontrolled or untreated diabetes puts you at high risk for dehydration . Kidney disease also increases your risk, as do medications that increase urination. Even having a cold or sore throat makes you more susceptible to dehydration , because you are less likely to feel eating or drinking when you are sick.
• People who work or exercise outside. When it is hot and humid, the risk of dehydration  and heat illness increases. This is because when the air is humid, sweat cannot evaporate and cool down as quickly as possible, which can lead to a rise in body temperature and the need for more fluids.

Complications of Dehydration:  Dehydration can  lead to serious complications, including:

• Heat injury. If you don’t drink enough fluids when you exercise vigorously and chase heavily, you could end up with a heat injury, ranging in severity from mild heat cramps to heat exhaustion or potentially fatal heat stroke.
• Urinary and kidney problems. Prolonged or repeated sheets of dehydration  can cause urinary tract infections, kidney stones and even kidney failure.
• Convulsions. Electrolytes – such as potassium and sodium – help carry electrical signals from cell to cell. If your electrolytes are out of balance, normal electrical messages can get mixed up, which can lead to involuntary muscle contractions and sometimes a loss of consciousness.
• Low blood volume shock (hypovolemic shock). This is one of the most serious and sometimes fatal complications of dehydration . It occurs when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and a drop in the amount of oxygen in your body.

Diagnosing Dehydration:  Your doctor can usually diagnose  dehydration  based on physical signs and symptoms. If you’re dehydrated, you’re also likely to have low blood pressure, especially when shifting from a lying to a standing position, a faster-than-normal heart rate, and reduced blood flow to your extremities. To help confirm the diagnosis and identify the degree of  dehydration , you may have other tests, such as:

• Bloodtests.  Blood samples can be used to check a number of factors, such as the levels of your electrolytes — especially sodium and potassium — and how well your kidneys are working.
• Urine analysis. Tests performed on your urine can help show if you are dehydrated and to what extent. They may also check for signs of a bladder infection .

Dehydration Treatments:  The only effective treatment for dehydration  is to replace lost fluids and lost electrolytes. The best approach to treating dehydration  depends on your age, the severity of dehydration  and its cause. For babies and children who have become dehydrated from diarrhea , vomiting, or fever, use an oral rehydration solution such as Pedialyte or Hydralyte. These solutions contain water and salts in specific proportions to replenish fluids and electrolytes.

Start with about one teaspoon (5 milliliters) every one to five minutes and increase as tolerated. It may be easier to use a syringe for very young children. Older children can be given diluted sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade. Use 1 part sports drink to 1 part water.

Most adults with mild to moderate dehydration  from diarrhea , vomiting, or fever can improve their condition by drinking more water or other fluids. Diarrhea  can be made worse by fruit juice and full-strength sodas . If you work or exercise outdoors during hot or humid weather, cold water is your best bet.

Sports drinks containing electrolytes and a carbohydrate solution may also be helpful. Children and adults who are severely dehydrated should be treated by emergency personnel arriving in an ambulance or hospital emergency room. Salts and fluids delivered through a vein (intravenously) are absorbed quickly and speed recovery.