Dehydration, refers to a deficit of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It is also the reason for hypernatremia. The term dehydration must be distinguished from hypovolemia (loss of blood volume, particularly plasma). Dehydration occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise or disease. Most people can tolerate a three to four percent decrease in total body water without difficulty. A five to eight percent decrease can cause fatigue and dizziness. Over ten percent can cause physical and mental deterioration, accompanied by severe thirst. A decrease more than fifteen to twenty-five percent of the body water is invariably fatal. Mild dehydration is characterised by thirst and general discomfort and usually resolves with oral rehydration.

3. Saliva has antibacterial properties in it, but dehydration can prevent
your body from making enough saliva.
If you’re not producing enough saliva in the mouth, you can get bacteria
overgrowth and one of the side reactions of that is bad breath from
chronic dehydration

4. Dry skin. A lot of people think that people who get dehydrated are really
sweaty; but as you go through various stages of dehydration, you become very
dizzy and you don’t have enough blood volume so you get very dry skin.
Think you can’t get dehydrated in cooler seasons or climates? Think again.
Symptoms may be milder or come on slower, but it’s still possible to be
dehydrated or suffer from heat illness in cooler weather.

5. Muscle cramps. The hotter you get, the more likely you are to get muscle
cramps, and that’s from a pure heat effect on the muscles. As the muscles
work harder and harder, they can seize up from the heat itself. Changes in the
electrolytes, changes in the sodium and potassium can lead to muscle
cramping as well.

6. Fever and chills. It might sound counterintuitive, but if your body is severely
dehydrated you may experience symptoms like fever or even chills. Fever can
be especially dangerous, so be sure to seek immediate medical help if your
fever rises over 101°F.

7. Food cravings, especially for sweets. When you’re dehydrated, it can be
difficult for some nutrients and organs like the liver which use water to release
some glycogens and other components of your energy stores, so you can
actually get cravings for food. While you can crave anything from chocolate to
a salty snack, cravings for sweets are more common because your body may
be experiencing difficulty with glycogen production.
Craving something sweet? Reach for a snack that has high water content. Most
fruits and vegetables have high water content and will help you stay hydrated.

8. Headaches. The brain sits inside a fluid sack that keeps it from bumping against
the skull, explains Higgins. If that fluid sack is depleted or running low because
of dehydration, the brain can push up against parts of the skull, causing
headaches.

10. If you're a healthy adult, you can usually
treat mild to moderate dehydration by
drinking more fluids, such as water or an
energy drink.
Get immediate medical care if you develop
severe signs and symptoms such as extreme
thirst, a lack of urination, shriveled skin,
dizziness and confusion.

11. Woodlands
Multispeciality Hospital
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www.healthatwoodlands.com
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