What Are the Signs of Severe Dehydration?

Dehydration can happen unexpectedly and fast. Dehydration occurs when you begin to lose or use more fluids in your body than you are able to consume, and your body then does not have enough water or other fluids to continue carrying out normal body functions. If you cannot replace the lost fluids fast enough, your body will become dehydrated.

May become dehydrated, however, the condition can be especially dangerous for young children and seniors.

One of the most common causes of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. While seniors, naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies already, and may as well have other pre-existing conditions or take medications that can increase the risk of dehydration.

What does this mean for you mean it comes to dehydration? Any minor illnesses, such as infections that may affect the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration for many seniors.

Dehydration can also occur in anyone or any age group, especially if an individual is not drinking enough water or other fluids to help the body, and can become worse in warmer climates or if you are participating in strenuous activities or exercise.

Dehydration develops when your body starts to lose more fluid than you are able to intake or drink. Some common causes dehydration can show include:

– Excessively sweating
– Vomiting
– Diarrhea

When your body starts to lose too many fluids from the body, vital organs, cells, and tissues begin to fail to function properly, which in turn leads to dangerous complications if not treated. Dehydration if not correct immediately, can also cause the body to go into intense shock.

Dehydration normally can be felt with signs from mild to severe in nature, many individuals who experience mild dehydration have stated they were able to treat it at home, however, anything from moderate to severe dehydration will need immediate urgent care attention or emergency medical attention for treatment.

Signs and symptoms one may experience with dehydration are not always considered a reliable indicator of early onset of dehydration. Many adults and in particular seniors do not feel thirsty or feel the need to drink water until they are already dehydrated. It’s important to continuously increase your water intake throughout the day as well especially during warmer weather periods and when you are feeling sick.

A few signs and symptoms that you may experience with severe dehydration include:

Infant or young child
– Dry mouth and tongue
– No tears when crying
– No wet diapers for three hours
– Sunken eyes and cheeks
– Sunken soft spot on top of the skull
– Listlessness or irritability

Adult
– Extreme thirst
– Less frequent need to urinate
– Dark-colored urine
– Tired
– Dizzy
– Confused

Dehydration normally occurs when the body is not able to sufficiently get enough water or fluids to properly function, either because you are losing too many fluids too quickly or you are not able to intake enough fluids. Dehydration happens faster on hotter days when your body is producing more sweat than normal to stay cool or when you are feeling sick and have symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
Mild to moderate dehydration in anyone should be taken seriously and seen by a medical professional as we do. A few signs and symptoms to look out for when it comes to mild to moderate dehydration include:

– Feeling thirsty
– Dry and sticky mouth
– Dry skin
– Infrequent urination
– Dark yellow urine
– Headaches
– Muscle cramping

If you are showing signs or symptoms of severe dehydration, especially in babies, children or seniors, it is immediate and necessary for them to visit urgent care or hospital for medical treatment. Signs and symptoms of severe dehydration include:

– No urination or extremely dark yellow pee
– Dry skin
– Dizziness
– Rapid beating heart or breathing
– Sunken eyes
– Feeling lethargic
– Tired confused or irritable
– Fainting

If you are suffering from symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration, visit Columbia Clinic Urgent Care. We look forward to serving you. We serve patients from Tibbetts St Portland, Milwaukie OR, Oak Grove OR, Stark Street Portland, Fairview OR, Happy Valley OR, Gladstone OR, Cedar Mill OR, Tibbetts Street Portland OR, West Linn OR, Aloha OR, Tigard OR, Lake Oswego OR, Tualatin OR, Oregon City OR.