Severe Dehydration

There are three different categories of dehydration: mild, moderate and severe. The severe kind, if neglected, could be life-threatening. This condition arises when a large quantity of fluid is lost by the body, in a very short period of time. Water is essential for some of the most important functions of the body, and a substantial drop in its levels, can cause serious health issues.

One cannot get severely dehydrated, just because of not drinking sufficient amount of water. The main causes are diarrhea, vomiting, fever, excessive sweating during exercises, etc. Excess output of urine due to diabetes or use of diuretic can also cause dehydration. In all these cases, if the loss of water is not replenished by drinking sufficient amount of water, it leads to severe dehydration.

Infants and small children are prone to extreme dehydration, as their body weight is less, and the frequency of water turnover is higher. Elderly people are also at a risk of getting severely dehydrated. This is because their capacity to hold water in the body diminishes with age. Moreover, their sensation of thirst becomes weak and they tend to forget drinking water.

Chronic illnesses like diabetes, kidney disease, and adrenal gland disorders often increase the chances of people getting severely dehydrated. Athletes who perform intense exercises in hot and humid weather for several days can suffer from it. People living in higher altitudes tend to get affected by it more. This is because their bodies try to cope up with the high altitudes, with faster breathing and frequent urination, resulting in more loss of water.

Symptoms often vary from person to person. Symptoms in infants will be slightly different from that of an adult. Similarly, an elderly body will respond to dehydration, in a manner which is quite different from the adults. Thirst, dryness in mouth, loss of appetite, weakness and fatigue, chills, less urine output, decreased sweating, lack of skin elasticity are some of the symptoms that are common in severely dehydrated patients.

When the condition deteriorates further then muscle spasm, fall in blood pressure, breathing difficulty, pain in chest and abdomen, lightheadedness, faintness, etc. set in. If this condition lasts for a long time, then it can damage internal organs like kidney, liver, brain etc.

In extreme cases, one can slip into a coma. Some symptoms that help identify extreme dehydration in infants and small children are blue coloration of the lips, cold feet and hands, fast breathing, rapid pulse, high fever, inability to pee, loss of interest in drinking fluids, etc.

Severe dehydration needs immediate medical attention. It can be treated with the replenishment of water and electrolytes that have been lost. Oral intake of fluids may not be enough for most dehydration cases.

For this reason, patients are hospitalized and intravenous fluids, rich in sodium chloride, are administered to them. In the initial stage, it is given at a rapid pace and as the condition of the patient improves, it is lowered. If the doctor advises oral administration of fluids, then electrolyte solutions available in pharmacies are given to the patient.

It should be taken slowly in small sips, because drinking a lot of fluid at a time can bring about vomiting. However, avoid sports drinks as they contain sugar which is bad for dehydration. Along with this, the underlying cause is identified and the doctors proceed with the treatment accordingly. Like, if the underlying causes is diarrhea, the medicines are given to control diarrhea.

Any adult should drink 7-8 glasses of water everyday. Fresh fruits and vegetables have high water content, and hence they should be included in the diet. In hot weather, fluid intake should be higher than usual to prevent dehydration.