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Dehydration in Adults Topic Guide

Dehydration in Adults

Dehydration in Adults: What are the symptoms of dehydration? Signs include increased thirst, headache, dry skin, dizziness, sleepiness, decreased urine output, dry mouth, and few or no tears. Learn about causes and treatment.

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Doctor's Notes on Dehydration in Adults Symptoms

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Dehydration in Children

Dehydration in children can result from not drinking enough liquids, vomiting, diarrhea, or combination of these conditions. Causes of dehydration in children include viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections, diabetes, and increased sweating, and others. Symptoms include sunken eyes, decrease in urination, no tears when crying, dry mouth, lethargy, and irritability. Treatment at home includes proper fluid replacement. Some cases of dehydration are so severe they may require hospitalization.
Caring for Your Diabetes at Special Time

Be prepared to manage your diabetes, and control blood sugar and symptoms when you're sick, when you're at work or school, when traveling, during pregnancy, or during an emergency or natural disaster.
Diarrhea

Diarrhea is common and can be treated at home with natural remedies and over-the-counter medication. Learn about common causes, associated symptoms, and how to get rid of diarrhea.
Electrolytes

Electrolytes (including sodium, potassium, and magnesium) are chemicals that help the cells and organs of the body function. Electrolyte imbalance can result from dehydration, kidney failure, tumors, and other causes. Some symptoms of sodium imbalance include lethargy, confusion, weakness, swelling, seizures, and coma.
Fainting

Fainting or syncope, is a temporary loss of consciousness. Causes of fainting include vasovagal, situational, postural, cardiac, neurologic, and psychogenic. Treatment of fainting depends on the cause.
Fever in Adults

A fever is a body temperature of 100.4 F or greater. A fever may be caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus, blood clot, tumor, drug, or the environment. Treatment of fever in adults usually involves ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or aspirin.
Fever in Children

What are causes, symptoms, and treatment (acetaminophen) of fever in children? Learn when to worry, when a high fever is an emergency, and how to take a rectal temperature.
Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis or stomach flu is an infection of the GI tract caused by viruses (Norovirus), bacteria, and fungi. Learn about causes, symptoms, diet, and treatment.
Giardiasis

Giardiasis is an infection of the small bowel caused by Giardia lamblia. It is the most common intestinal parasitic disease in the U.S. Causes of giardiasis include contaminated water and food supplies, and person to person contact. Symptoms of giardiasis include diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, gas, constipation, nausea, vomiting, rash, and fever. Treatment of giardiasis is generally with antibiotics.
Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are brief, painful muscle cramps that occur can occur when a person is working or exercising in a hot environment. Heat cramp signs and symptoms include involuntary muscle spasms of the large muscles of the body with profuse sweating, the cramping muscles are those that usually have been stressed. The cause of heat cramps is not well known, however, those at risk are infants and children, the elderly, those without proper air conditioning in hot environments, alcohol use, and certain medications. Heat cramps generally do not require medical attention, however, if heat exhaustion or heat stroke is suspected, seek medical care immediately.
Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a condition in which a person's body overheats due to fatigue, exercising or working in a hot environment, or dehydration. They elderly and young children under the age of 5 are at a greater risk for developing heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat exhaustion in an adults and children include clammy skin, thirst, weak and rapid pulse, vomiting or nausea, headache, sweating heavily, muscle cramps, and weakness. Treatment is to place the affected person in a cool place, try to hydrate the individual, and cool their body with a cool mist of water, or cool (not cold) bath. Heat exhaustion can be prevented if precautions are taken. All cases of heat exhaustion should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Heat Rash

Heat rash (prickly heat, miliaria) is thought to be due to plugged hair follicles and sweat ducts on the skin. Overexposure to a hot environment, for example, working or exercising in a hot environment, are causes heat rash. There are three types of heat rash, clear, red, and deep.Signs and symptoms of heat rash include itching (prickly heat), red bumps, blisters, or large welts on the face, neck back, stomach, buttocks, groin, or the fold under the breasts. Home remedies for heat rash include first aid, cool baths or showers, and avoiding skin-to-skin contact. OTC and prescription medications may be necessary for treatment. People at risk for heat rash include infants, children younger than four years of age, and people with congenital decreased sweating, are overweight or obese, are bedridden and unable to walk, and the elderly.
Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Heat stroke is caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures while working, exercising, doing strenuous or non-strenuous activity, and certain medications. Symptoms of heat stroke include muscle cramps, profuse sweating, rapid pulse and breathing, dizziness, and headache. If heat stroke is not treated emergently, the prognosis is poor.
Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when the normal body temperature of 95 F (35 C) or lower. Causes of hypothermia include exposure to a very cold or frigid environment (primary hypothermia), or when the body's temperature is altered by disease (secondary hypothermia). Treatment of hypothermia depends on the length of exposure.
Wilderness: Face Squeeze

Mask squeeze is a feeling that occurs when scuba diving as a result of failing to equalize the pressure inside the diving mask. Mask squeeze symptoms include facial bruising and redness, facial pressure, nosebleed, red eyes or face, and changes in vision (rare).
Sunburn

Sunburn is a burn on the skin caused by UV radiation. Mild sunburn symptoms include skin redness and pain. Severe cases of sunburn (sun poisoning) are complicated by skin burning and blistering, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and possibly infection. A sun rash is caused by a condition referred to as polymorphous light eruption (PMLE). Home remedies for sunburn include over-the-counter pain medicine, aloe vera gels and lotions, and cool tepid baths. Severe sunburn may need medical treatment. Prevention of sunburn include staying out of the sun during the peak hours of the day, wearing sunscreen often and reapply often, and wear protective clothing shielding the exposed body from the sun.
Traveler's Diarrhea

Causes of traveler's diarrhea include bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Traveler's diarrhea is contagious, with symptoms including loose or watery stools, abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, and bloody stools. Treatment for traveler's diarrhea is generally with OTC medication.
Vomiting and Nausea

The many causes of vomiting and nausea include food poisoning, viruses, vertigo, head injuries, gallbladder disease, appendicitis, migraine, brain tumors, and infections. Learn about home remedies and treatment.
What Are the Side Effects of Dehydration

Dehydration can range from mild to severe and life-threatening. Mild dehydration might not always cause side effects or symptoms. Side effects and symptoms of dehydration include headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, tiredness, decreased urination, dark yellow/amber/brown-colored urine, decreased skin elasticity, dry mouth and mucous membranes (lips, gums, nostrils), low blood pressure (hypotension), thirst, confusion, lack of tears when crying, eyes that look sunken in the face, “sunken fontanel” in babies, abnormal breathing (severe cases), and coma (severe cases).
What Is the Best Way to Cure Dehydration

The fastest way to cure dehydration is fluid intake. Mild dehydration can be treated at home by drinking fluids such as water (the best fluid choice), sports drinks, oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte, juices diluted with water, decaffeinated tea, milk, breast milk for babies, soups, Jell-O, and ice cream.

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Drinks and Beverages FAQs

Drinks and Beverages FAQs Answers to your frequently asked questions (FAQs) about drinks and beverages are right here! Learn the truth about how alcohol, coffee, juices, water, and sodas impact your waistline and your diet!

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Dehydration in Adults Topic Guide - Visuals

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