Monsoon: Is dehydration a common problem?

The catch of the season is that you don't feel thirsty even when your body has lost plenty of water in the form of sweat.

Monsoon calls for being prepared all the time, armed with windcheater, raincoats, umbrella and not to forget the bag cover and phone cover. No matter how hard you try, you are bound to lose the battle against rains. And if you thought wading through the rainwater was the biggest struggle of this season, you're wrong.

Humidity during the season can rip your body off huge amounts of water, this is exactly why you sweat and smell like a pig the minute you remove your shield for the weather. The biggest catch of the season is the fact that you don't feel thirsty at all even when your body has lost loads of water in the form of sweat. That's why 'tis the season of dehydration.

What is dehydration?

Dehydration is a deficit of total body water that leads to disruption of normal body metabolism. Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.

"About 75% of our body comprises of water. Most of the water is found within the cells of the body (intracellular space). The rest is found in the extracellular space, which consists of the blood vessels (intravascular space) and the spaces between cells (interstitial space). If you don't replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated," said Dr Sunil Havannavar, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Columbia Asia Hospital, Sarjapur Road.

Symptoms

In children, the symptoms of dehydration are:

- Dry mouth and tongue

- Drunken eyes

- Listlessness

- Irritability

While in adults, the symptoms include:

- Extreme thirst

- Not urinating frequently

- Dark- coloured urine

- Fatigue

- Dizziness

How common is dehydration?

Anyone can get dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults. The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhoea and vomiting. Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don't drink enough water. Remember that the amount of fluid required to maintain hydration depends upon an individual's weight. An average adult needs between 2 and 3 litres of fluids per day.

"Most people can tolerate a three to four per cent decrease in total body water without difficulty or adverse health effects. A five to eight per cent decrease can cause fatigue and dizziness. Loss of over ten per cent of total body water can cause physical and psychological deterioration, accompanied by severe thirst. A loss of fifteen to twenty-five per cent of body water can cause death," added Dr Havannavar.

Treatment

Treating dehydration is fairly simple. Make sure you keep drinking water at regular intervals of time. "To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids, eat foods high in water content such as fruits and vegetables. Fluid replacements may be attempted by small, frequent amounts of clear fluids," added Dr Havannavar.

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