How can you tell if you’re adequately hydrated. What are the key signs of dehydration to watch out for. Why is proper hydration essential for your body’s optimal function. What are the potential consequences of severe dehydration.

Understanding Dehydration: More Than Just Thirst

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than it takes in, disrupting normal bodily functions. While common wisdom suggests drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily or half your body weight in ounces, these are merely guidelines. The truth is, hydration needs vary from person to person. Instead of rigidly adhering to these rules, it’s crucial to listen to your body and recognize the signs of dehydration.

The Vital Role of Hydration in Body Function

Proper hydration is fundamental to your body’s optimal performance. Fluids play a critical role in preserving and providing nutrients to essential organs such as the brain, kidneys, liver, and heart. When you’re adequately hydrated, your body functions smoothly, and you generally feel well. However, when dehydration sets in, your body sends out distress signals that shouldn’t be ignored.

6 Key Signs of Dehydration You Shouldn’t Ignore

1. Persistent Headaches: A Common Dehydration Symptom

Dehydration can lead to a decrease in blood volume, resulting in reduced blood flow to the brain. This can trigger headaches ranging from mild to severe. These headaches may be localized or widespread and often worsen with movement. For some individuals, dehydration can even act as a trigger for migraines.

2. Muscle Cramps and Aches: The Body’s Cry for Hydration

Contrary to popular belief, muscle cramps aren’t exclusive to athletes. Dehydration is a common cause of muscle cramps for everyone. Our muscles require adequate water and electrolytes to function properly. Without sufficient fluids, muscles can become hypersensitive, leading to involuntary spasms or contractions.

Moreover, water plays a crucial role in flushing out cellular waste from our bodies. When dehydrated, toxin buildup can occur, potentially leading to inflammation and pain. Proper hydration also helps lubricate joints, potentially warding off joint discomfort.

3. Dry Mouth and Bad Breath: Oral Health Indicators

While a glass of water can provide immediate relief for a dry mouth and throat, consistent hydration ensures that your mouth produces enough saliva. Saliva is vital in controlling bacterial growth in the mouth. Insufficient saliva production due to dehydration can lead to bad breath and increase the risk of tooth decay.

4. Decreased Urine Output: A Warning Sign

Most adults typically produce at least two cups of urine daily. Urination is a critical process that helps your body eliminate waste and toxins. If you’re urinating less than three or four times a day, it could be a sign of dehydration. Additionally, dark, concentrated urine is often another indicator of insufficient fluid intake and can potentially lead to kidney stones if left unchecked.

5. Inability to Sweat: A Serious Concern

Sweating is your body’s natural cooling mechanism. When you’re severely dehydrated, your body may lose its ability to sweat effectively. This can lead to dangerous overheating. Heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition, can occur when body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher due to an inability to cool down through sweating.

6. General Malaise: Dehydration’s Impact on Mental State

The brain is largely composed of water, and even slight dehydration can affect its energy supply. This can manifest as fatigue, lethargy, mood swings, and in some cases, even depression. Difficulty concentrating at work or school can also be a result of mild dehydration. If you’re feeling generally “off,” consider your hydration status.

Factors Influencing Hydration Needs

Your hydration needs aren’t static; they can vary based on several factors:

• Temperature and climate
• Illness
• Exercise
• Body strength and size

Those who are ill, have smaller body sizes, live in warmer climates, or exercise frequently generally have greater hydration needs. However, maintaining proper hydration should be a priority for everyone, regardless of these factors.

Practical Tips for Staying Hydrated

Maintaining proper hydration doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some practical tips:

1. Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go, just as you would your phone.
2. Spread your fluid intake throughout the day rather than consuming large amounts at once.
3. When in doubt, take a sip. Many health issues can be alleviated simply by improving hydration levels.
4. Pay attention to your body’s signals and increase fluid intake when necessary.

Severe Dehydration: When to Seek Medical Help

While most cases of dehydration can be addressed by increasing fluid intake, severe dehydration requires immediate medical attention. Each year, approximately half a million people in the United States are hospitalized primarily due to dehydration, with nearly 2% of these cases resulting in fatality.

Severe dehydration can lead to serious complications such as:

• Heat exhaustion or heatstroke
• Seizures
• Low blood volume shock (hypovolemic shock)
• Kidney problems
• Coma

If you or someone you know experiences symptoms of severe dehydration, such as extreme thirst, lack of urination, rapid heartbeat, or confusion, it’s crucial to seek emergency medical care immediately.

The Role of Electrolytes in Hydration

While water is essential for hydration, electrolytes play a crucial role in maintaining proper fluid balance in your body. Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other bodily fluids that carry an electric charge. They are vital for various bodily functions, including:

• Regulating nerve and muscle function
• Hydrating the body
• Balancing blood acidity and pressure
• Helping rebuild damaged tissue

Common electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. When you’re dehydrated, you lose both water and electrolytes. This is why sports drinks or electrolyte solutions can be beneficial in cases of significant fluid loss, such as during intense exercise or illness.

Balancing Electrolytes Naturally

While commercial electrolyte drinks are available, you can also replenish electrolytes through your diet. Here are some natural sources of key electrolytes:

• Sodium: Table salt, cheese, olives
• Potassium: Bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes
• Calcium: Dairy products, leafy greens, fortified plant-based milk
• Magnesium: Nuts, seeds, whole grains

Remember, for most people, a balanced diet and adequate water intake are sufficient to maintain proper electrolyte balance. However, in cases of excessive sweating, prolonged illness, or certain medical conditions, additional electrolyte supplementation may be necessary.

Hydration and Exercise: Finding the Right Balance

Exercise is a common cause of fluid loss through sweating, making proper hydration crucial for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. However, the amount of fluid needed can vary greatly depending on the intensity and duration of exercise, as well as individual factors and environmental conditions.

Pre-Exercise Hydration

Proper hydration should begin before you even start exercising. The American Council on Exercise recommends:

• Drinking 17-20 ounces of water 2-3 hours before exercise
• Drinking 8 ounces of water 20-30 minutes before exercise

During Exercise

During exercise, aim to drink 7-10 ounces of fluid every 10-20 minutes. For exercises lasting longer than an hour or performed in extreme heat, consider a sports drink to replenish electrolytes.

Post-Exercise Hydration

After exercise, continue to hydrate. A good rule of thumb is to drink 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.

Remember, these are general guidelines. Your specific needs may vary, so it’s important to listen to your body and consult with a healthcare professional or sports nutritionist for personalized advice.

Hydration Throughout the Lifespan: Special Considerations

Hydration needs can vary significantly throughout different stages of life. Let’s explore some special considerations for different age groups:

Infants and Young Children

Infants and young children are particularly susceptible to dehydration due to their small body size and high metabolic rates. They may not be able to communicate their thirst effectively, so caregivers must be vigilant about offering fluids regularly, especially in hot weather or during illness.

Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

Pregnant women need additional fluids to support fetal circulation, amniotic fluid, and increased blood volume. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink about 10 cups (2.3 liters) of fluids daily. Breastfeeding mothers require even more, about 13 cups (3 liters) of fluids a day.

Older Adults

As we age, our body’s ability to conserve water decreases, our thirst sense becomes less acute, and we’re less able to respond to changes in temperature. These factors make older adults more susceptible to dehydration. Chronic conditions and medications can further complicate hydration status in this age group.

Hydration and Chronic Health Conditions

Proper hydration is crucial for everyone, but it takes on added importance for individuals managing certain chronic health conditions. Here’s how hydration intersects with some common health issues:

Diabetes

People with diabetes, especially when blood sugar levels are high, are at increased risk of dehydration. High blood sugar levels can cause increased urination, leading to fluid loss. Maintaining proper hydration is crucial for helping the body eliminate excess glucose through urine.

Kidney Disease

The kidneys play a vital role in fluid balance. In kidney disease, the ability to regulate fluid can be impaired. Depending on the stage of kidney disease, some patients may need to limit fluid intake, while others may need to increase it. It’s crucial for individuals with kidney disease to work closely with their healthcare provider to determine appropriate fluid intake.

Heart Failure

In heart failure, the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently is compromised, which can lead to fluid retention. While staying hydrated is important, individuals with heart failure often need to carefully monitor and sometimes limit their fluid intake to prevent fluid overload. Again, guidance from a healthcare provider is essential.

Cystic Fibrosis

People with cystic fibrosis lose more salt in their sweat than others, increasing their risk of dehydration, especially in hot weather or during exercise. They often need to consume more salt and fluids to maintain proper hydration.

For individuals managing these or other chronic conditions, it’s crucial to discuss hydration needs with a healthcare provider. They can provide personalized guidance based on your specific health status and needs.

The Future of Hydration: Emerging Technologies and Trends

As our understanding of hydration and its impact on health continues to evolve, so too does the technology and methods we use to monitor and maintain proper hydration. Here are some emerging trends and technologies in the field of hydration:

Smart Water Bottles

Smart water bottles equipped with sensors can track your water intake throughout the day. Some models sync with smartphone apps to provide reminders and personalized hydration goals based on factors like your activity level and local weather conditions.

Hydration Monitoring Wearables

Wearable devices that can monitor hydration status are in development. These devices aim to provide real-time data on hydration levels by measuring factors such as sweat rate and electrolyte concentrations.

Personalized Hydration Solutions

Companies are developing personalized hydration solutions based on individual sweat analysis. These products aim to provide tailored electrolyte blends to match an individual’s unique sweat composition and rate.

Plant-Based Hydration

There’s growing interest in plant-based hydration drinks that offer natural electrolytes and nutrients. Options like coconut water, cactus water, and watermelon water are gaining popularity as alternatives to traditional sports drinks.

Hydration in Space

As space exploration advances, researchers are developing new ways to recycle and purify water in space environments. These technologies could have applications for improving water quality and accessibility on Earth as well.

While these innovations are exciting, it’s important to remember that for most people, simple awareness of hydration needs and consistent water intake remain the most effective strategies for maintaining proper hydration.

Hydration Myths Debunked

Despite the wealth of information available about hydration, many myths and misconceptions persist. Let’s address some common hydration myths:

Myth 1: You need to drink 8 glasses of water a day

While this is a good general guideline, individual hydration needs can vary greatly based on factors like activity level, climate, and overall health. Some people may need more, while others may need less.

Myth 2: If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated

Thirst is actually an early signal from your body that you need fluids. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re severely dehydrated. However, it’s a good idea to drink water when you feel thirsty rather than ignoring the sensation.

Myth 3: Coffee and tea dehydrate you

While caffeine can have a mild diuretic effect, the fluid in coffee and tea more than compensates for this. Moderate consumption of caffeinated beverages can contribute to your daily fluid intake.

Myth 4: You can’t drink too much water

While rare, it is possible to drink too much water, leading to a condition called hyponatremia, where sodium levels in the blood become diluted. This is most commonly seen in endurance athletes who over-hydrate during long events.

Myth 5: Clear urine means you’re well-hydrated

While dark urine can indicate dehydration, completely clear urine might mean you’re drinking more water than you need. Ideally, urine should be pale yellow, like lemonade.

Understanding these myths can help you make more informed decisions about your hydration habits. Remember, the key is to listen to your body and maintain consistent, appropriate fluid intake throughout the day.

Are You Dehydrated? 6 Signs You May Need To Drink Up | Methodist Health System

When it comes to water intake, you’ve probably heard that every day, you should consume:

• Six to eight glasses
• Half your body weight in ounces
• At least two liters (including what’s in your food)

These rules of thumb aren’t bad or wrong, but they are just that: guidelines. There is no set amount for every single body. What keeps you hydrated may not be enough for me.

So how can you tell if you’re adequately hydrated or need to up the ounces? Listen to your body.
 

What Dehydration Looks and Feels Like

Proper hydration is essential for your body to function best. Fluids help preserve and provide nutrients to the brain, kidney, liver and heart.

While adequate hydration comes with no signs or symptoms, you can likely assume you’re hydrated if things are functioning properly and you feel well on a consistent basis.

If you’re not properly hydrated, however, your body will let you know.

Here are some signs and symptoms of dehydration:
 

Headache

When our bodies are dehydrated, they experience a decrease in blood volume. And when our brains aren’t getting enough blood flow, headaches can occur.

Dehydration headaches can be mild or severe. They can be felt in one specific area of the head or all over, and they usually get worse with movement. Some migraine sufferers even report dehydration as a trigger for their attacks.

Muscle Cramps and Aches

Cramping isn’t just an athlete’s problem, but exercise can contribute to dehydration, which is a common cause of muscle cramps.

Our muscles require plenty of water and electrolytes to do what we ask of them. Without enough fluid, our muscles can become extremely sensitive and spasm or contract involuntarily.

We need water to flush our bodies of cellular waste. A buildup of toxins can lead to inflammation, which often results in pain. Water, which helps lubricate our joints, can also help ward off joint pain and discomfort.
 

Dry Mouth and Bad Breath

A glass of water may provide instant relief for a dry mouth and throat, but consistent hydration helps ensure that the mouth always produces enough saliva.

Saliva is vital in keeping the growth of bacteria in the mouth at bay. An overgrowth can lead to bad breath and tooth decay.

Lack of Urine Output

Most adults produce at least two cups of urine a day. Urination is critical in helping our bodies get rid of waste and toxins.

Decreased urine output can cause a number of complications, including infection. If you’re urinating less than three or four times a day, you may be dehydrated.

Dark, concentrated urine is often another sign of dehydration, and that can eventually cause kidney stones.

Inability To Sweat

Sweating is the body’s way of cooling itself. Without perspiration, the body can overheat.

Heatstroke is a serious, sometimes fatal condition that can occur when our bodies reach a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

Just Feeling Off

The majority of the brain is composed of water, and without enough of it, the brain’s energy supply can dip. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, lethargy, mood swings and even depression.

Difficulty concentrating at work or school can also be the result of even slight dehydration.

When in Doubt, Take a Sip

When it comes to how much water you need and how often you need it, there are several variables involved. They include:

• Temperature and climate
• Illness
• Exercise
• Body strength and size

Those who are ill, small or frail; those who live in warmer climates; and those who exercise often generally have greater hydration needs. But everyone really ought to make it a priority.

Just as you may carry a phone with you wherever you go, get in the habit of carrying a water bottle – and refill it as needed. Spread hydration out slowly over the course of the day. And when in doubt, take a sip! Many people are often surprised at how many issues and ailments can be remedied by simply improving their hydration levels.

Severe Dehydration Treatment Options | Everyday Health

By Sheryl Huggins SalomonMedically Reviewed by Michael Natter, MD

Reviewed: August 25, 2022

Medically Reviewed

Severe dehydration requires a visit to the ER.iStock

Dehydration happens when your body has lost so much fluid and electrolytes that there isn’t enough left for your body to function normally. (1) This common condition is easily addressed in most cases by simply drinking enough fluid to replenish your stores. But each year roughly half a million people in the United States end up in the hospital, primarily due to dehydration. Nearly 2 percent of them die at the hospital. (2) How does that happen, when the condition is so easy to correct? Read on to find out how the worst-case scenarios of dehydration develop, and what you and your healthcare team can do to help treat them.

When Is Dehydration Severe Enough That You Need to Seek Help?

To understand how bad dehydration can get, it’s important to understand the different stages you can go through, based on the amount of body weight lost to fluid depletion. You can lose 3 to 4 percent to dehydration without running into any problems other than not feeling in tip-top shape, says Alp Arkun, MD, an emergency medicine physician at the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center in Fontana, California. “Most people can absorb that loss without realizing it,” Dr. Arkun says. (3)

Typical scenarios that might cause fluid depletion include overexertion, especially in hot weather, which can lead to excessive sweating; illnesses that cause vomiting and diarrhea, such as the flu; and chronic illnesses, such as uncontrolled diabetes, which can cause excessive urination. (1)

More on Dehydration Signs

What Are the Symptoms of Dehydration, and How Is It Diagnosed?

If you lose more than 3 to 4 percent of your body weight to fluid loss, you’ll start having recognizable symptoms of dehydration. Arkun describes these stages:

Mild (5 to 6 Percent of Body Weight Loss)

This is when you will start to notice your thirst, and you may feel fatigue, dizziness, and headache. Your muscles may begin to cramp, brought on by a growing imbalance of electrolytes as you lose fluid. “We see that in people who run marathons and then drop out of the race because of bad, bad cramps. That’s what’s happening,” Arkun explains. Reaching for a drink such as plain water or a sports beverage with electrolytes, like sodium chloride (salt) and potassium, should address the problem.

Moderate (7 to 10 Percent Loss)

At this stage you will have symptoms you simply can’t ignore. The loss of fluid volume can lead to low blood pressure and greatly decreased urination. Your pulse may be racing and your skin has become so dry that it tents when you pinch it instead of springing back. A child who has these symptoms should receive fluid orally, if they can keep it down, and medical attention. If you’re dehydrated and vomiting, especially for more than four to five hours, you should visit the emergency room so your fluid loss doesn’t become severe. (3,4)

More on Why You Need Water

What Are the Health Benefits of Drinking Water?

Severe (More Than 10 Percent Loss)

This stage can be life-threatening. “You can pass out,” says Arkun. “Because of electrolyte abnormalities, severely dehydrated people can have seizures and they can die.” Muscle spasms can intensify. “The worst thing that could happen, of course, is a spasm of your heart muscle. If that happens, it can put you into an arrhythmia [abnormal heartbeat] and kill you.” (3)

Bruce R. Tizes, MD, an emergency medicine specialist in Peridot, Arizona, says people in this state are at risk for injuries. “You can imagine if someone becomes severely dehydrated, they can fall down and bang their head.”

If fluid loss is severe enough, your heart can’t pump enough blood to your body, leading to  hypovolemic shock. Symptoms include pale, cool, and clammy skin; a rapid heartbeat; and shallow breathing. (3,5) You must be taken to a hospital for emergency medical treatment when you are in this stage, typically for intravenous rehydration.

Fatal

Once you have lost 15 to 25 percent of your total body weight to fluid depletion, death is likely to occur, Arkun says. But this stage is extremely rare and usually happens when someone can’t rehydrate themselves or get help from others.

How Is Severe Dehydration Treated in the ER?

If you or someone you know goes to the emergency room with a case of dehydration, doctors will carry out an examination, possibly have labs done, check your vitals, and analyze your medical history, if that info is available, to help identify the immediate and underlying causes. With severe cases, “we will give them saline [sodium chloride and water] solution, either very concentrated or not so, depending on what their lab results show,” says Dr.  Tizes. (Arkun says a 9 percent saline solution is typical.)

The next steps are to administer medications to get fluid-depleting symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea, under control, Tizes says. Loperamide (Imodium) is a typical medication for diarrhea, with ondansetron (Zofran) often being used for nausea, he adds. “Then the other treatments all focus on the underlying disease or disorder. For instance, if you have hyperglycemia [elevated blood sugar] from diabetes, we might treat that; or if you have a bacterial gastroenteritis, then we might treat that.”

Arkun says the most severe cases that he sees in the emergency room tend to involve people who are isolated and already have health problems or infirmities that prevent them from getting help quickly.

“There was an elderly person who lived by themselves in a trailer. They fell down and just stayed there. They were not within reach of a phone, did not have any neighbors within earshot, and stayed on the ground for maybe two or three days. What made it worse was that they had been in a hot trailer, so they were suffering from heat injuries as well as dehydration. So they were brought into the emergency room in pretty bad shape. They were dehydrated to the point where their kidneys had shut down and their potassium level was sky-high and actually causing [heart] arrhythmias. We had to take pretty quick action in order to reverse the effects of that high potassium levels on their heart.”

Even at such an advanced level of dehydration, proper treatment can help reverse such negative health effects. “After they were admitted to the hospital they had to undergo dialysis in the short term, but over [a] period of time of slowly rehydrating and getting their kidneys functioning again, they were discharged from the hospital. Within a few weeks of that, they were able to discontinue dialysis.”

Who Is at the Highest Risk of Developing Severe Dehydration?

As Arkun says, people who are isolated and cannot get help are especially vulnerable to dehydration that escalates to a severe stage. So are:

Infants and Children Youngsters can’t tell you if they are thirsty or get a drink for themselves. Furthermore, children and infants lose a higher proportion of their body fluid to fever, and they are more likely to have severe diarrhea and vomiting. (3)

Older People As we age, our body’s fluid reserve decreases, as does the thirst drive. “The elderly are our biggest population of patients who come in with major dehydration issues without realizing what is happening to them,” notes Arkun.

More on What Causes Dehydration

How Diarrhea Can Lead to Dehydration

Medications that increase urination, as well as health conditions that prevent someone from self-hydrating are also vulnerabilities. (5) Dementia is one such health condition. “Some of the medications that patients might take to slow down the progress of their disease or to reduce their symptoms can sometimes interfere with the thirst drive,” explains Sanjey Gupta, MD, the chairman of emergency medicine at South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, New York. “Depending on how advanced the dementia is … it can get so bad that you forget how to take care of yourself, and you can forget to eat and drink.”

People With Chronic Health Conditions People with diseases that can make them urinate more often, such as uncontrolled diabetes or kidney disease, are at a higher risk of severe dehydration. High blood pressure medications and diuretics can also increase urination. (5,6)

People With Infections Any infection, such as the flu, that causes you to lose fluid through urination, vomiting, or diarrhea can escalate quickly. (4,7)

Anyone Who Lacks Access to Clean Drinking Water Losing fluid can compromise your body’s ability to cool off and can lead to heat illness — particularly when a person has a fever or the weather is hot. A person who is poor may lack access to water or a place to cool off, notes Dr. Gupta.

People Who Work or Exercise Outdoors Especially when it’s hot and humid and your sweat can’t cool you off as well as it normally can, your risk of dehydration and heat illness rises. The pressure to keep working or win an athletic competition can lead you to ignore warning signs of the earlier stages of dehydration. (5)

But, Arkun says, the symptoms of dehydration usually cause people to rehydrate or seek help before they get to the severe stage. “Thankfully, most of the people we get coming into the emergency room are more in the 5 percent [of body weight lost to dehydration] range because their bodies tell them, I can’t do it anymore.”

After they have been rehydrated and given medications to address symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea, he says, “9 times out of 10, they’ll feel well and can go home in a couple of hours.”

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Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

1. Dehydration. MedlinePlus. August 10, 2021.
2. Kim S. Preventable Hospitalizations of Dehydration: Implications of Inadequate Primary Health Care in the United States. Annals of Epidemiology. September 2007.
3. Dehydration. Encyclopedia.com. August 13, 2018.
4. Do You Know When to Visit the Hospital for Vomiting? Cleveland Clinic. March 8, 2021.
5. Hypovolemic Shock. MedlinePlus. September 23, 2019.
6. How to Manage Your Diabetes in Extreme Summer Heat. Cleveland Clinic. July 21, 2020.
7. The Flu: Caring for Someone Sick at Home [PDF]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 2010.

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8 signs of dehydration and how to deal with them

In an ideal world, we eat right and drink enough water. In reality, many people generally forget that water is important for the body. As a result, we lose water through sweat and even breath, and if not enough water is supplied, various symptoms of dehydration appear. Here’s what you need to know about them.

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How much water should you drink?

Do not self-medicate! In our articles, we collect the latest scientific data and the opinions of authoritative health experts. But remember: only a doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Opinions differ on this point. Some experts say that three liters, others – “as much as you can”, others advise not to think about it at all.

But we know that children and the elderly need more water than usual. The same goes for those who have experienced a heart attack or a severe viral infection. In hot climates and after exercise, it is also important to drink more.

In any case, it is best to quench your thirst with water. Don’t forget to drink before, during and after your workout, and eat vegetables and fruits. More is better than less!

Thirst occurs when the body lacks only 2% of the 5-7 liters available in the body. Accordingly, a glass of water is enough. But there are other signs of dehydration, and much more serious ones.

Symptoms of dehydration

1. Dry mouth

Another signal that there is not enough water in the body. The body does not produce enough saliva if there is not enough fluid. Due to dryness, the breath also deteriorates.

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2. Dark urine

The more liquid enters the body, the lighter the discharge. Dark means more concentrated.

3. Rare trips to the toilet

If there is not enough water, then the desire to go to the toilet will be less frequent. Only this is fraught with serious health problems, including the appearance of kidney stones.

4. Dry skin

As you know, the skin is the largest organ in terms of area, and it needs a good blood supply to function properly. If you notice that the skin has become drier, do not try to moisturize it from the outside, it is better to drink water.

5. Deterioration of blood supply

More than half of the blood in the body is plasma – the liquid part. It consists of water, protein and salt. With a lack of water, the blood becomes more concentrated.

6. Muscle spasms

Lack of water affects those areas where it is needed most, which means that muscle pain cannot be avoided.

7. Fatigue

May also be associated with dehydration. Pressure drops, blood flow worsens, and the pulse quickens – and you no longer want to go anywhere.

8. Headache

One of the most common problems when there is not enough water for the brain.

And what to do?

If you are severely dehydrated, you need to drink water in small doses, otherwise it will immediately come back. It is important to eat something salty and keep drinking until the symptoms stop. In difficult cases, you will have to drink medicines that allow you to saturate the body with fluid, or even go to the hospital.

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Muscle pain: causes of occurrence, in what diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment.

Definition

Muscle pain that occurs after physical exertion is called krepatura. Krepatura is a kind of indicator of stress on the muscles – the stronger the post-workout pain, the more stress the muscles experienced.

Varieties of muscle pain after exercise

There are several types of pain that occur after training:

• moderate post-training muscle pain – appears the next day after training, has a pulling character and increases with contraction or stretching of the corresponding muscle;
• delayed muscle pain – develops 2-3 days after training, has a strong aching character;
• traumatic muscle pain – occurs during exercise, immediately after or the next day, is acute and restrictive.

Possible causes of muscle pain after exercise

When muscles contract, they consume oxygen, which is necessary for their effective work – the more intense and more frequent contractions, the more oxygen is required for muscle cells (myocytes).

If the muscles experience hypoxia (lack of oxygen), then another way of “extracting” energy is activated – anaerobic glycolysis.

Anaerobic glycolysis is the process of energy production by the cells of the body through various transformations of glucose with the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), occurring under anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions. In other words, as a result of the breakdown of glucose, a certain amount of ATP molecules are released, which provide energy, and lactic acid (lactate), the excess of which leads to muscle soreness after exercise.

The content of lactate in the cells of a healthy person is from 0.6 to 1.3 mmol / l, according to this indicator, the quality and intensity of muscle oxygen saturation, the quality of carbohydrate metabolism are assessed. In some diseases accompanied by convulsions, lactate levels are higher than normal values.

Lactic acid is normally found in the cells of the liver, brain, muscles, heart and other organs.

In the liver, the process of reverse glycolysis takes place – a chain of chemical reactions, as a result of which glucose is obtained from lactic acid, which is used for further transformations with energy production.

Another cause of pain after exercise is muscle microtrauma. More often they occur in people who play sports irregularly. In an untrained person, myofibrils (the main contractile elements of muscles) of different lengths are present in muscle fibers – short and long. During eccentric exercises (when tense muscles lengthen under load), short myofibrils are torn.

What diseases can cause muscle pain

Lactic acid can accumulate not only in people involved in sports from time to time. The level of lactate increases with a number of diseases – such as diabetes, kidney damage, leukemia, sepsis, acute blood loss, etc.

A pathologically high level of lactic acid leads to the development of such a life-threatening condition as lactic acidosis, as a result of which the acidity of the body environment changes, which leads to dysfunction of all systems and organs at the cellular level.

Which doctor should I contact for muscle pain?

Before you start going to the gym or fitness center, it is advisable to undergo a preventive examination by

therapists

and

cardiologist

, take a series of blood tests.

If any pathology is identified, the intensity of training, their volume, duration and frequency should be discussed with a fitness instructor or sports medicine doctor.

Diagnostics and examinations for muscle pain

As a rule, muscle pain after training goes away on its own. However, a preventive examination and research results will allow a trainer or fitness instructor to adjust individual training, preventing the development of muscle pain.

For the convenience of patients, the INVITRO laboratory has developed special examination complexes for men and women of different age groups (men over 25, over 40, over 50; women over 25,
over 40 years old
older than 50), which include examinations by specialists and certain tests to assess the functioning of the body and identify the presence or risk of developing diseases of the bronchopulmonary, cardiovascular, endocrine and other systems.

What should I do if my muscles hurt after exercise?

The lack of trace elements in people involved in sports can cause malfunction of organ systems. There are a number of screening examinations that allow timely identification and replenishment of the level of missing substances.

Athletes, bodybuilders (correction of body composition)

Up to 2 business days

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Treatment of muscle pain after exercise

If muscle pain is caused only by an increase in the level of lactic acid after physical exertion, then to reduce its intensity, it is enough to follow a number of simple rules: This will restore blood supply to the muscles after training, and before training, smoothly reduce muscle oxygenation, which will lead to a decrease in the formation of lactic acid;

after training, you can take a hot bath (40 ° C), which contributes to peripheral vasodilation (vasodilation) and, accordingly, blood flow to the muscles and their increased blood supply. The recommended bath time is no more than 15 minutes. Hot baths are not recommended for patients with chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system and diabetes, so you must first consult with your doctor;

In chronic diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus, kidney pathology), the appearance of regular muscle pain may indicate a change in their course, so you should consult a doctor to determine a number of indicators of the biological environment of the body (blood, urine, etc.) and develop treatment tactics.

If bleeding is suspected (black loose stools, active nosebleeds, vomiting of “coffee grounds” or blood, hypotension – a drop in blood pressure, tachycardia – a rapid heartbeat), you should immediately seek medical help.

Sources:

1. European guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in clinical practice (revised 2016) // Russian Journal of Cardiology, 2017, 6 (146): 7–85.
2. Rehabilitation and secondary prevention in patients with acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation // Russian Society for Cardiosomatic Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention, Russian Society of Cardiology.
3. Clinical guidelines. Algorithms of specialized medical care for patients with diabetes mellitus // Diabetes mellitus. 2015;18(1S): 1-112. DOI: 10.14341/DM20151S1-112

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.
For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes in dynamics, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes.

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