When we do not drink enough water regularly we become dehydrated. Dehydration occurs when the amount of water that we are losing is more than the amount of water that we are ingesting.
The body is around 70% water and we must keep this balance in order for our body to operate at peak performance.
Complications of Dehydration
Mild dehydration may only cause thirst and a dry mouth or a slight headache, but if the lost fluids are not replaced at this stage it could lead to severe dehydration, which is only 10% loss of fluid.
Severe dehydration can lead to some very serious complications:
Cerebral Oedema
Cerebral oedema or swelling of the brain occurs when the body has been rehydrated after a long dehydration and pulls too much water back into the brain cells, causing them to swell and rupture.
Electrolyte Abnormalities
- Electrolyte Abnormalities may occur during dehydration because vital chemicals like sodium, potassium, and chloride are lost through sweating;
- Profuse diarrhoea or vomiting may also cause a significant loss of potassium, which could lead to muscle weakness and disturbances in the heart rhythm;
- Seizures may also occur due to sodium imbalances
- Heat-Related Illnesses and Injuries
- Heat Cramps occur when, in an attempt to cool itself via sweating, the body’s muscles may go into spasm;
- Heat Exhaustion occurs when fluid loss increases; symptoms can include light-headedness, weakness, nausea, and vomiting;
- Heat Stroke is very dangerous and can occur when a person is not moved into a cool space and rehydrated. At this stage the individual will cease sweating, become confused, the temperature may spike to 41 C or higher, and the person will fall into a coma.
Kidney Failure
If dehydration moves into the more serious stages and the body is not rehydrated, the blood pressure will fall, resulting in less blood flow to vital organs such as the kidneys. Decreased blood flow will impair the kidneys’ ability to function.
Shock & Coma
When multiple organs begin to fail due to dehydration, the body could go into shock, which could cause it to fall into a coma which could possibly result in death.
Source:
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