Say you’ve been on your feet all day and haven’t stopped to grab a snack or something to drink. After a while, you develop a headache — it’s not until this happens that you realize how thirsty you feel.
It’s time to grab a glass of water and take a break.
Many people are familiar with the symptoms of dehydration, and know how to prevent and treat it, or know when it’s time to seek help from a professional.
Chronic dehydration is an incredibly dangerous form of long-term dehydration that can be harder to spot. Especially, if you don’t know what the symptoms of it are.
If you’re worried that you or a loved one may be experiencing chronic dehydration, here are six signs that it’s time to seek medical attention.
Headaches are a common sign of dehydration. The same goes for chronic dehydration, but with one significant difference.
With chronic dehydration, the body is consistently low on fluids. Someone dealing with this condition will likely get headaches on a regular basis.
These headaches can last for a few hours or a few days. And, while they may fade every so often, they’ll continue to occur as long as the person in question remains dehydrated.
It’s common for us to suffer from dry skin in the winter or after moving to dryer area. For some people, dry skin can even be genetic.
But, it’s important to pay attention, as abnormally dry skin can be a sign of chronic dehydration.
Someone experiencing dry, flaky skin can be a sign that a persons fluid intake has dropped below a dangerous level.
Chronic dehydration can also wreak havoc on a person’s gastrointestinal system.
Our bodies require a certain level of hydration to remove waste. If a person does not receive the recommended about of fluid, their body will not be able to eliminate this waste, and they could become constipated.
Frequent constipation is a sign that you’re suffering from chronic dehydration, and you should seek out treatment.
Chronic dehydration can also lead to general muscle weakness.
Performing menial tasks can become a lot more difficult. And, any exertion that you may consider to be low-impact can result in dizziness or lightheadedness.
A lack of stamina and inability to lift or carry light objects are also signs of the muscle weakness that can accompany chronic dehydration.
Because sleep deprivation has become an epidemic in our country and across the world, fatigue is easy to overlook. But, unusual tiredness can also be a sign of chronic dehydration.
If you’ve been getting the right amount of sleep and are still experiencing fatigue, you may be suffering from chronic dehydration.
Finally, one of the most worrying signs of chronic dehydration is when it begins to affect the brain.
If you’ve noticed that you or a loved one have been irritable, forgetful, or disoriented, that could be a sign of severe chronic dehydration. If these symptoms are present, you should seek out treatment immediately.
Recovering from chronic dehydration is not as simple as sitting down and having a glass of water. Treatment requires the help of a professional healthcare provider.
If you’re concerned that you or a loved one may be suffering from chronic dehydration, visit or contact us at Coastal Urgent Care of Baton Rouge as soon as possible to begin recovery.
