6 Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration to Watch Out For

Water is essential to life. It typically makes up around 60% of our bodies, aiding all the core functions that keep us in good health. Because of this, dehydration can spell a lot of trouble for every facet of our life. Whether you want to avoid illness, perform at your best, or just plain feel good, it’s important that we keep our bodies hydrated.

You know you should be drinking plenty of water every day. In fact, most experts recommend drinking four to six cups each day on average. But how often do you actually meet that goal? It’s easy to lose track of how many ounces of water you’re consuming as you go about your busy day, and by nighttime, your mouth may feel a little dry, or your urine is a dark golden color. Those are warning signs that you may be dehydrated and need to get some fluids in you right away. 

Dehydration can come in many forms. Mild dehydration can be chronic, getting worse as our bodies spend more time without enough water. We don’t want to let our bodies become more severely dehydrated, leading to worse symptoms and dangerous complications.

Luckily, mobile IV therapy can help.

If you do become dehydrated, Mobile IV Nurses can help you rehydrate quickly and relieve your symptoms with IV therapy. But knowing the treatments, causes, and early signs of dehydration can help you understand the importance of staying hydrated and avoid potential problems.

What Causes Dehydration?

You’re probably wondering what other signs and symptoms of dehydration exist. Dehydration occurs when your body doesn’t have enough of the fluids you need to stay healthy. While you can become dehydrated any time you don’t drink enough water, situations like the following pose a higher risk for dehydration:

• Illness. When you vomit, have diarrhea, or sweat out a fever, fluids are leaving your body. Sometimes it can be challenging to drink enough water to make up for the lost liquids, like when you have a sore throat or you’re too nauseated to keep anything down. 
• Heavy sweating. If you spend a lot of time outdoors in a hot climate or engage in high-intensity workouts, you’re bound to start sweating. The copious amount of sweat you generate means you lose fluids as well as the electrolytes your body needs to operate at its highest levels. 
• Frequent urination. You may be going to the bathroom too often if you are on certain medications, are ill, or have a medical condition such as diabetes. 
• Drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases urine production. When you drink too much, your body responds by urinating much more, resulting in the dehydration that accompanies most hangovers. 

What Are the Signs of Dehydration?

People don’t always notice that they are dehydrated right away. In fact, some research suggests that the majority of people are dehydrated all the time! This can be dangerous, as severe dehydration effects can have a hugely negative effect on your life. 

But don’t worry! There are some common symptoms you may experience when you are dehydrated. If you pay attention to these signs, you can get the fluids you need to improve your health (perhaps through a rehydrating IV treatment).

What are the signs of dehydration? Here’s what to watch for:

1. Excessive Thirst:

This is one of the first signs of dehydration. Thirst is your cue that you don’t have enough water in your body. Your mouth will likely feel dry and your throat parched, and it might take more than one glass of water to quench your thirst. When you feel thirsty, get a glass of water or other hydrating fluid as soon as possible, as this will help you avoid the signs and symptoms of severe dehydration.

2. Changes in Your Urine:

When you are dehydrated, you may notice that you don’t have a particular urge to use the restroom. Infrequent urination is another sign of dehydration. If you think you’re dehydrated, look at the color of your urine when you go to the bathroom. If it is a pale yellow or clear, you’re safely hydrated. But if it’s darker in color (and if your bowel movements are more rigid), you should look into how to treat dehydration.

3. Tiredness:

Water is necessary for your body to produce the energy you need to get through the day. Less water will lead to less energy, which is why fatigue is a sign of dehydration. If you feel fatigued even after a good night’s sleep, think about your water consumption and try drinking a glass or two of water to recharge.

4. Aches and Pains:

Lack of water can trigger the nerves in your muscles to spasm. It can also lead to headaches because your bodily systems are out of balance. As a result, dehydration can leave you feeling achy from head to toe.

5. Lightheadedness:

Do you feel woozy, especially after physical activity or standing up too quickly? Dehydration may be the culprit. When you don’t have enough water in your system, your respiratory rate, and temperature increase. This dilates your brain’s blood vessels and limits blood flow to your brain.

6. Impaired Brain Function:

You may feel confused or forgetful when you’re dehydrated because your brain doesn’t have the electrolytes it needs, as well as the lack of blood flow we just mentioned.

It’s important to replace fluids as quickly as possible to rehydrate and stave off the symptoms of severe dehydration. Extreme dehydration can bring on more complicated symptoms, such as:

• Mood swings
• Dry, papery skin
• Disorientation
• Rapid heart rate
• Kidney stones
• Urinary tract infection
• Heatstroke or cramps
• Seizures

Your body may also go into shock due to low oxygen levels and blood pressure. These signs of severe dehydration require medical attention, and your doctor may run blood and urine tests to determine the proper course of treatment.