Dehydration - Essay Example

Introduction

Water is a critical component of the body, and a well-hydrated body allows the body's proper functioning. 60% of the body is constituted of water, with most of this found in the body's intracellular parts and the rest in the extracellular part. Dehydration results from more water leaving the body than getting in the body, always dynamic and always changing. That is true with the amount of water in the body (Peate & Evans, 2020). Water is lost routinely when one breathes, and the humidifies air leaves the body. When doing manual jobs, sweat is released, cooling down the body and also through urination as a way of eliminating waste.

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Routine Loss of Water

On normal days, one has to drink a good amount of water to replace the routine loss of water from the body. The water drinking formula depends on some factors, such as body weight. The symptoms and signs of dehydration can be minor, including increased thirst, or maybe severe and life-threatening, depending on the extent to which the person is thirsty (Tortora & Derrickson, 2019). Early symptoms of dehydration are thirst and reduction in the production of urine, which is darkened. Progress in dehydration leads to the development of other symptoms such as dry mouth, lightheadedness, muscle cramps, and precipitation.

Different things can cause dehydration, either too much is lost and no enough water uptake or even both. It can also be caused by diarrhoea, which can make one lose a lot of water in a short time. Dehydration from diarrhoea leads to death at a very instant rate. Vomiting can also be another cause of fluid loss, and that can be not easy replacing. The body can also lose water through sweat as the body tries to cool down. That is whether there is an increase in body temperature or a case of fever due to an infection when the body uses water in the form of sweat to cool down. Depending on the weather conditions, there is a generation of sweat that allows faster cooling of the body. The water needed for this is easily replaceable by drinking water or fluids. The inability to drink fluids is also another cause of dehydration, such as the case study. The inability to drink water coupled with routine and extraordinary water loss can lead to great water loss to the extent of dehydration.

Urine

Urine is a clue about the state of your health and is produced when kidneys filter waste and extra water out of the blood. That waste travels to the bladder that holds it until one is ready to release it. Urine has a colour which is typically yellow from a pigment called trichrome and urobilin. When having a lighter colour, it is more diluted and is concentrated when it is darker. Therefore very dark urine is a sign that one is dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to some serious complications.

Heat injury can occur due to failing to drink enough water and exercising vigorously while perspiring heavily. It can be severe or mild heat cramps or heat exhaustion that is a life-threatening condition that may lead to stroke. Dehydration can also lead to urinary and kidney problems. This is after a prolonged or repeated dehydration, which may cause urinary tract infections, kidney stones, or even kidney failure. Seizures can also result from dehydration, where the electrolytes such as potassium and sodium get out of balance, causing a mix up of the electrical messages. This can cause involuntary muscle contraction and loss of consciousness. One of the most serious complications from dehydration is low blood volume, which can sometimes be life-threatening.

Bladder Irritation

Dehydration can also lead to bladder irritation as well as concentrated urine. The concentrated urine irritates the bladder and makes one always feel the urge to pass urine with urgency and more frequently and cause one to suffer from incontinence. Drinking enough water helps to flush the irritants through the bladder and out of the body (Waugh, 2018). Dehydration increases the risks of UTI. The symptoms may include a burning sensation when urinating, a feeling of one being unable to empty the bladder, and pain in the lower abdomen or the pelvis.

The human brain is 80% water, and during dehydration, the brain tissues lose water, which causes it to shrink, pulling away from the skull. That will trigger pain receptors that surround the brain and give you a headache. Dehydration can also cause a drop in the volume of blood, thus lowering the amount of oxygen reaching the brain. In response, the brain's blood vessels may dilate, which would lead to swelling and inflammation, which could further worsen the headache.

Conclusion

Thirst can be triggered by about 1-2% of water loss. That can result in the deficit in the cognitive functioning that may be of great concern to people in hot areas and the elderly or young children. Mild dehydration affects short term memory, alertness and concentration. It also impairs performance on some tasks such as visual-motor tracking, arithmetic ability as well as psychomotor skills. However, by drinking water, these effects are reversible. Mild dehydration alters the visual vigilance of an individual as well as the visual working memory and response latency for men. However, the cognitive functioning of women compared to men is not altered. Apart from experiencing cognitive deficits, a dehydrated person may experience mood alterations. It is also observed to impair the physical performance of a person greatly. That lowers the physical productivity of a person.

References

Peate, I. & Evans, S. (2020) Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology: For Nursing and Healthcare Students. 3rd edn. Singapore. Wiley-Blackwell.

Tortora, G. J. & Derrickson, B.H. (2019) Introduction to the Human Body. Singapore. Wiley Blackwell.

Waugh, G. (2018) Ross & Wilson Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness. 13th edn. Poland. Elsevier.