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Every cell in the body needs water to pull through , but it ’s possible to get too much or too piddling of the liquid , and that can cause some pretty serious problems .
The body ’s smooth balance is not only affected by water that ’s taken in by consuming food and potable and released in weewee and sweat , but also by the concentration ofsodium , an electrolyte . Electrolytes are mineral that transmit an electrical charge when dissolved in a liquidness such as parentage . In the body , sodium is mainly found in the fluid outside of cells and plays an important role in the movement of water into and out of them .
Two different disorders , known as hyponatremia and hypernatremia , may result from change in the balance of water in the body and levels of Na in the blood . [ How Much Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Do You Need to Survive ? ]
Hyponatremia and hypernatremia are primarily disorder of water metabolism , say Dr. David Mount , a kidney medical specialist and clinical chief of the renal naval division at Brigham and Women ’s Hospital in Boston .
In hyponatremia , an excess of water system in the body can lead to a crushed tightness of atomic number 11 in the blood , he said . And in hypernatremia , a deficit of water supply in the physical structure can result to a high concentration of sodium in the blood .
Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia is a low immersion of sodium in the lineage because of an inordinate memory of piddle , Mount allege . In this electrolyte abnormality , there istoo much body of water in the bodyand this reduce sodium horizontal surface in the blood stream , he noted .
Hyponatremia happens when blood sodium goes below normal levels , which is 135 milliequivalents / liter ( mEq / L ) .
When sodium levels in the blood are too low , extra weewee goes into soundbox cells causing them to swell . This swelling can beespecially dangerousforbrain cellphone , leave in neurologic symptoms such as headache , confusion , snappishness , seizures or even comatoseness .
The symptoms of hyponatremia may be more serious when blood Na levels drop very quickly and may be milder when they dip gradually , as that permit the body more clock time to adjust to the change . Other symptoms of the upset include muscle cramps or weakness , nausea , vomiting , tiredness and a lack of energy .
Hyponatremia can result from an illness or from taking certain medicinal drug . According to theNational Kidney Foundation , some of the cause may include :
People can alsoconsume inordinate amounts of waterduring exercise and make grow hyponatremia , Mount told Live Science . physical exercise - associate hyponatremia ismore likely to impress endurance athletes , such as marathoners , triathletes and ultra - aloofness race competition .
Hyponatremia is not a permanent condition , although sealed people may be more prone to the disorder than others because of lifestyle habits or a aesculapian status .
intervention for hyponatremia depends on its cause and seriousness . In moderate cases of hyponatremia that are the result of diet , accept diuretics or tope too much urine , a person may need to restrict piddle inhalation , ware salty foods — such as bouillon or pretzels — or adjust diuretic intake to evoke blood Na level .
A person with severe hyponatremia may be give a very concentrated saline solution intravenously . But sodium levels need to be even off lento and in a controlled mode , to prevent swollen brain tissue paper , Mount say .
Hypernatremia
In hypernatremia , the torso hold in too small water relative to the amount of atomic number 11 , Mount said . This causes sodium level to becomeabnormally in high spirits in the blood — more than 145 mEq / litre — which causes water supply to move out of body tissues and into the blood in an attack to equal the concentration between the two . pee can be lose from Einstein mobile phone , causing them to shrink , which can be unsafe .
Too much Na in the bloodis a common trouble in senior adults , particularly those who have been hospitalise or are in long - term care facilities , Mount said . The disorderliness can also affect much youthful the great unwashed : Infants may experience hypernatremia if they have severe diarrhea , for good example . [ 4 crown for shrink Sodium in Your Diet ]
Besides hungriness , many of the symptom of hypernatremia , such as irritability , restlessness and muscle vellication , involve the central uneasy system and stem from a loss of water capacity from brain cells . In some cases , hypernatremia can be life - threatening . Similar to hyponatremia , other symptoms of hypernatremia include feel banal or lacking energy , disarray , seizure or coma .
The primary cause of hypernatremia usually involves dehydration due to an impaired thirst mechanism or limited access to piddle , according to theMerck Manual . The disorder can also result from diarrhoea or vomiting , taking diuretics or get a high fever .
People who are n’t always able-bodied to provide body of water for themselves may be more at risk for hypernatremia . This includes mass on tube feedings and those with altered genial status ( stroke or dementedness ) , plus people who are very young or very old and frail , according to areviewin the New England Journal of Medicine .
old people aremore prostrate to hypernatremiabecause their hunger mechanism , kidney subroutine , and hormones regulating salt and water balance may not ferment as effectively .
The main treatment for hypernatremia is just to refill fluid . A person with a mild face of hypernatremia can usually just drink fluids to recover . But in more serious instances , body of water and a small amount of Na are given intravenously in control sum of money over a 48 - hour period to slow reduce sodium level to a normal image .
unstable levels are corrected slow to avoid the risk of cerebral edema , a dangerous precondition in which there is swelling of the brain , Mount said .
Hypernatremia can be fatal , and may cause permanent brain damage if not treated properly . Some study hint the mortality rate rate may be more than 50 % in hospitalized patients affected by the upset .
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