Dehydration has two basic main causes; excess loss of water and ingesting insufficient water. Most often dehydration comes about as a result of a combination of the two.
The cumulative effect of not drinking water, or drinking insufficient water, over a long period of time is chronic dehydration, which leads to toxin accumulation, impaired bodily functions, stagnation of bodily fluids, and more.
Chronic dehydration occurs from excess water loss from exercise or from illness involving diarrhoea, vomiting, blood loss, and sweating from extreme fever. It is therefore vital that one drinks sufficient water during illness, to remain hydrated and to flush toxins from the body. Children especially are more susceptible to dehydration when ill, especially if their illness involves vomiting, diarrhoea or fever.
Acute dehydration is caused by:
Burns and Skin Diseases: The human skin is the largest organ of the body, and also the largest organ of elimination. When burns or skin inflammatory diseases damage the skin, bodily fluids permeate into the damaged skin and this additional fluid loss can lead to other parts of the body becoming dehydrated.
Diarrhoea and/or Vomiting: Diarrhoea is the most common cause of acute dehydration because each bowel movement causes a significant amount of water loss. In excess of four million children die of dehydration from diarrhoea annually. Vomiting also causes huge water loss, and most people who vomit due to illness cannot keep liquids down, making it next to impossible to rehydrate.
Excessive Sweating: The human body cools itself down by sweating, and when it gets extremely hot, either from physical exercise during weather or from a fever induced by illness, too much water can be lost and upset the balance of fluids in the body, especially if it is not replaced.
Excessive Urination: Excessive urination can be the result of uncontrolled use of diuretics or diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes elevates blood sugar levels, which can trigger frequent urination and electrolyte imbalance, resulting in dehydration. Excessive thirst and frequent urination are common symptoms of diabetes.
Inability to Drink Water: This mostly occurs when an individual is unable to tolerate fluids due to illness and vomiting, or have mouth sores or sores in the throat due to illness. It can also be due to the fact that there is no fresh drinking water available due to drought or water scarcity.
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