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May 19, 2020 · If you’re not getting enough water, you can have dry mucous membranes—i.e., a lack of saliva. This can make it difficult to talk, swallow, and even breathe. Luckily, this can easily be solved by drinking water.
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Thirst isn't always a reliable early indicator of the body's need for water. Many people, particularly older adults, don't feel thirsty until they're already dehydrated. That's why it's important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you're ill.
The signs and symptoms of dehydration also may differ by age.
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Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don't drink enough because you're sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you're traveling, hiking or camping.
Other dehydration causes 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 amount of time. If you have vomiting along with diarrhea, you lose even more fluids and minerals.
•Fever. In general, the higher your fever, the more dehydrated you may become. The problem worsens if you have a fever in addition to diarrhea and vomiting.
•Excessive sweating. 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 you sweat and the amount of fluid you lose.
•Increased urination. This may be due to undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes. Certain medications, such as diuretics and some blood pressure medications, also can lead to dehydration, generally because they cause you to urinate more.
Anyone can become dehydrated, but certain people are at greater risk:
•Infants and children. The most likely group 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 higher proportion of their fluids from a high fever or burns. Young children often can't tell you that they're thirsty, nor can they get a drink for themselves.
•Older adults. As you age, your body's fluid reserve becomes smaller, your ability to conserve water is reduced and your thirst sense becomes less acute. These problems are compounded by chronic illnesses such as diabetes and dementia, and by the use of certain medications. Older adults also may have mobility problems that limit their ability to obtain water for themselves.
•People with chronic illnesses. Having uncontrolled or untreated diabetes puts you at high risk of 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're less likely to feel like eating or drinking when you're sick.
Dehydration can lead to serious complications, including:
•Heat injury. If you don't drink enough fluids when you're exercising vigorously and perspiring heavily, you may end up with a heat injury, ranging in severity from mild heat cramps to heat exhaustion or potentially life-threatening heatstroke.
•Urinary and kidney problems. Prolonged or repeated bouts of dehydration can cause urinary tract infections, kidney stones and even kidney failure.
•Seizures. Electrolytes — such as potassium and sodium — help carry electrical signals from cell to cell. If your electrolytes are out of balance, the normal electrical messages can become mixed up, which can lead to involuntary muscle contractions and sometimes to a loss of consciousness.
To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables. Letting thirst be your guide is an adequate daily guideline for most healthy people.
People may need to take in more fluids if they are experiencing conditions such as:
•Vomiting or diarrhea. If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea, start giving extra water or an oral rehydration solution at the first signs of illness. Don't wait until dehydration occurs.
•Strenuous exercise. In general, it's best to start hydrating the day before strenuous exercise. Producing lots of clear, dilute urine is a good indication that you're well-hydrated. During the activity, replenish fluids at regular intervals and continue drinking water or other fluids after you're finished.
•Hot or cold weather. You need to drink additional water in hot or humid weather to help lower your body temperature and to replace what you lose through sweating. You may also need extra water in cold weather to combat moisture loss from dry air, particularly at higher altitudes
•Illness. Older adults most commonly become dehydrated during minor illnesses — such as influenza, bronchitis or bladder infections. Make sure to drink extra fluids when you're not feeling well.
•Mayo Clinic Q and A: Hydration in the summer
•Hydration in the heat
- Isadora Baum
- 55 sec
- Low Energy. When dehydrated, you might notice your energy levels plummet, as water helps keep your mind alert and the body balanced, according to a 2019 review in Nutrients.
- Mental Fog. Your brain needs water since it's made up of about 73% water, per the USGS, and drinking enough keeps you mentally sharp, even long-term. The same 2019 review in Nutrients found that dehydration negatively affects working memory.
- Increased Risk of Stroke. According to a 2020 study in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, being dehydrated can raise the risk of strokes and prolong recovery time, if you've had one.
- Moodiness. Dehydration can make you cranky, too. The 2019 review in Nutrients states that emotions, such as anger, hostility, confusion, depression and tension increase with as little as 1% dehydration.
Apr 24, 2023 · Dehydration is the term for your body’s reaction when you don’t drink enough water, resulting in a fluid deficiency. Chronic dehydration is a condition when dehydration recurs for longer periods,...
Jun 5, 2023 · Dehydration happens when you don’t drink enough water, or when you lose water quickly through, for example, sweating, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Certain medications like diuretics (water pills) can result in increased urination and dehydration.
Jul 8, 2024 · Dehydration means your body doesn't have enough water to function well. This can happen for many reasons, including diarrhea, excessive heat, and intense exercise. Thirst, tiredness, and irritability are signs of dehydration. Lack of fluids can increase the risk of UTI and kidney stones.
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Aug 17, 2023 · If you lose too much water or don’t drink and eat enough, you can get dehydrated. You can lose more water than usual with: A fever. Diarrhea. Vomiting. Excessive sweating. Peeing a lot (diabetes...
