Blog Post

It is impossible to truly measure the necessity of water to life, as every living thing on Earth is in some way connected to the liquid. Water covers most of the planet’s surface, and anywhere water is found, some form of life exists even if it’s just on the microscopic level. 

Not only is water something you need to live (your body is 60% water), but it’s necessary to grow crops, sustain trees, and so much more.

Water helps manage basic functions of every part of the human body. When you don’t have enough of it to do those basic things, you become dehydrated. And while many signs of this condition are easy to spot, some are not as obvious.

Residents of the greater Houston and Spring, Texas, area looking for ways to stay hydrated can turn to our 2024 award-winning team at Houston Medical ER for help.

Here, we explain some basics about dehydration and the common and uncommon symptoms you should be aware of.

Dehydration basics

Water is essential for lubricating joints, regulating body temperature, digesting food, maintaining chemical balance, delivering oxygen, and cushioning bones. So when you are dehydrated, it can have a mild to severe impact depending on how dehydrated you are. 

Dehydration means losing more water than you retain, and it can happen for several reasons, among them:

• Medications (diuretics) that can increase urination
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Excessive sweating

The risk of dehydration increases in the older population. As you age, your body carries less water, and you may find it harder to detect when you need more.

Signs to look for

Generally dehydration comes with signs like fatigue, low amounts of urine or dark urine, lightheadedness, dizziness, heart palpitations, and hypotension (low blood pressure). It can also alter brain function, affecting your concentration, as well as your short-term memory and your mood.

In young children and infants, the signs vary, including showing less tearing when crying, diarrhea or constipation, dry tongue and lips, sunken eyes, extreme fatigue, feeling cold, discoloration in their hands and feet, and wrinkled skin.

Uncommon symptoms

Many cases of dehydration are mild, but extreme cases can show different signs than what you might expect, such as complete lack of urine, rapid breathing and heartbeat, confusion, fainting, seizures, and even rapid weight loss. Some lesser known signs include:

• Dry mouth
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Itchiness and flaking of your skin
• Hunger due to the loss of nutrients
• Weakness in extreme cases

If being dehydrated reaches the extreme or rare signs, visit our emergency room as soon as possible for hydration and other vital medications your body may need. If you’re struggling with this or another emergency condition, contact us at Houston Medical ER as soon as possible.