Dehydration

Dehydration means loss of water from an object. In medical terms it means the condition in which the human body has less or insufficient amount of water that is required for the normal functioning of the body. Among the most common causes of dehydration is the lesser intake of water. If you are involved in prolonged physical activity without consuming adequate water, especially during the summers or the humid environment you may suffer from a bout of dehydration. Again prolonged exposure to air may also be the cause. This has a lot of diverse effect. It may cause nausea and vomiting.

Dehydration can also be considered as one of the strong causes of headaches. This headache may be similar to something that is experienced during a hangover, a sudden episode of visual snow, decreased blood pressure and dizziness or fainting when you are standing upright due to orthostatic hypotension. Besides the splitting headache that it leaves, untreated dehydration generally results in delirium, unconsciousness, swelling of the tongue and if the case becomes extreme it may also cause loss of life. It is only after the loss of 2% of the water volume in the body that the symptoms of dehydration are visible. In the beginning one only experiences thirst and some discomfort. There may be a loss of appetite and dry skin. Gradually constipation may follow suit.

Many of us do not realize that dehydration is a major cause of headaches. They affect even the children. Children and infant toddlers are at great risk of dehydration as per the monograph published by the International Life Sciences Institute. In children this is not just serious but can be life threatening too. The effects of poor hydration or dehydration range in short term from thirst and headaches, continence problems and constipation to concerns of urinary tract infections, renal stones and renal diseases in the long term. Everyone should be encouraged to drink more amount of water each day in order to avoid such complicacies. There are a large number of adults who do not take the adequate amount of water. This may result in headaches.

Headaches are only common complaint right after common cold. Many individuals continue to work with a headache. Generally people do not drink the required amount of water so the body becomes dehydrated. This causes the blood vessels to constrict in an effort to conserve the fluids in the body. As a result they may also go into spasm resulting in a reduced flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Avoiding dehydration can best be done by drinking plenty of water. The more water you lose through perspiration the more you will have to compensate to replace it in order to avoid dehydration.

A useful tip for avoiding the effects of dehydration in hot and humid environments and hence as a result avoid headaches resulting from them, involves monitoring the frequency and character of urination. If one develops a full bladder at least every 3 to 5 hours and the urine is only slightly colored or maybe colorless, then chances are high that dehydration is not occurring. Treat dehydration well and lead a healthy life ahead.

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