Symptoms of Dehydration in Women

The symptoms of dehydration in women are the same as that in men and children. The body is in constant need of water in order for it to function properly. The cells, the blood and other organs in the body feed on water; other than that, water helps cleanse the body of waste which is excreted via the urine. The water level in the body is constantly decreasing every day. It is exhausted or let out of the body by means of sweating, urinating, bowel movement and even breathing. If the woman fails to replenish the water that had been released out of the body, she would suffer the different symptoms of dehydration.

Types of Dehydration

There are three types of dehydration:

• Hypotonic or hyponatremic – Hypotonic or hyponatremic happens when sodium, an important electrolyte, is excessively excreted out of the body. This is rare and happens when a person has a heart condition.

• Hypertonic or hypernatremic – Hypertonic or hypernatremic occurs when excessive water is expelled from the body. This happens when a person does strenuous activities, such as jogging or running, and sweats excessively and does not drink water to replenish the lost fluids.

• Isotonic or isonatremic – Isotonic is the most common form of dehydration experienced by women. It is the loss of both the electrolytes and water. This is what happens in the case of diarrhea.

Knowing the type of dehydration will help the doctor give the best possible treatment to remedy the condition. Physical examination as well as diagnostic tests should also be conducted to confirm the cause of dehydration.

Symptoms of Dehydration in Women

The most common symptom of dehydration in women is dryness. This includes dryness of the skin and even the eyes. Below are other symptoms of dehydration in women:

• Less or absence of sweating even after running or brisk walking or engaging in strenuous physical activities

• Minimal fluid in the eyes, leaving the eyes feeling dry

• Dryness in the mouth

• Constant muscle cramping due to loss of water which helps in the elasticity of the muscles

• Nausea and vomiting especially with sudden movements such as standing up from a lying or sitting position.

• Noticeable weakness

• A significant decrease in urine output

If these symptoms are already felt, it is important not to delay medical attention. Most cases of dehydration can be resolved with just replacing what was lost. So it is essential to undergo diagnostic tests to determine what was lost in the body.

Treatment of Dehydration

It is imperative to first determine the real cause for the dehydration and the type of dehydration. Once the doctor knows what’s lost, the treatment is simply to replace it. Rehydration can be done by drinking lots of water and taking prescribed fluids to replace the electrolytes lost. Examples of these fluids are Pedialyte, oral rehydration salts, and Gatorade. If the condition is severe, the individual would be advised to be confined in the hospital where electrolyte replacement can be done intravenously.

The symptoms of dehydration in women can be corrected right away. It is also important to keep in mind to keep the body hydrated at all times. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day could prevent dehydration from happening.