What are the symptoms of dehydration?

Answer 1

Symptoms of dehydration usually begin with thirst and progress to more alarming manifestations as the need for water becomes more dire. The initial signs and symptoms of mild dehydration in adults appear when the body has lost about 2% of it's total fluid. These mild dehydration symptoms are often (but not limited to):

* Thirst

* Loss of appetite

* Dry skin

* Flushing

* Dark colored urine

* Dry mouth / Cotton mouth

* Fatigue / Weakness

* Chills

* Head rushes

If the dehydration is allowed to continue unabated, when the total fluid loss reaches 5% the following effects of dehydration are normally experienced:

* Increased heart rate

* Increased respiration

* Decreased sweating

* Decreased or no urination

* Increased body temperature

* Extreme fatigue

* Muscle cramps

* Headaches

* Nausea

* Tingling of the limbs

When the body reaches 10% fluid loss emergency help is needed IMMEDIATELY! 10% fluid loss and above is often fatal! Symptoms of severe dehydration include:

* Muscle spasms

* Vomiting

* Racing pulse

* Shriveled skin

* Dim vision

* Painful urination

* Confusion

* Difficulty breathing

* Seizures

* Chest and Abdominal pain

* Unconciousness

Be aware that these are not the only symptoms of severe dehydration that may manifest in response to dehydration, these are simply the most common. Symptoms of dehydration will differ from person to person because the body is a complex network of systems and everyone's body is different. When these systems are disturbed due to loss of fluids there will be several common symptoms shared by most bodies, but there may also be unusual or unexpected responses depending on the particular person in question. Age also plays a part in the manifestation of symptoms. Signs of dehydration in a child will not be the same as those experienced by a teenager, adult or in the elderly. Dehydration prevention is the best treatment for every age group. heatstroke is always around the corner.

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Treatment:If the patient is responsive, rehydrate with water if that's all you have, and maintain the patient's body temperature as close to normal as you can get it. This may mean reducing body temp in cases of Heat Stroke.

Assume that, if your patient is dehydrated, their electrolytes will be out of balance. If they're available, sports drinks like Gator-Ade and its ilk work well. The sort-of-medical, Pedialyte will work too. So does fruit juice, especially lemonade or Orange Juice. If you have it, add a pinch of salt or potassium salt per large glass. Stop when the patient note's that the drink is salty. Note that orally rehydrating will not be nearly as effective if they patient's electrolytes are depleted

If the patient is not responsive and/or the dehydration is advanced, your best call is rapid transport to an ER. This can, in extreme cases, be a life threatening condition, so hurry or call for transport.

If you must treat in the field, transfuse .5L normal saline administered sub-Q to thighs via a #14 needle. If the patient is in extremis, and/or you're qualified, you can use a #18 needle and administer IV. Increase to 1L if needed. Change over to PO as soon as possible.

See related link.
Weakness delusion and dry mouth.