Dehydration symptoms and treatments (2024)

FAQs

What is the fastest way to treat dehydration? ›

What is the quickest way to rehydrate your body? Water is the best option for rehydrating your body, but oral rehydration solutions also provide essential electrolytes. These may be useful if you are dehydrated due to diarrhea or vomiting, or if you have been exercising intensely.

Most adults with mild to moderate dehydration from diarrhea, vomiting or fever can improve their condition by drinking more water or other liquids. Diarrhea may be worsened by full-strength fruit juice and soft drinks. If you work or exercise outdoors during hot or humid weather, cool water is your best bet.

If you resolve the issue that caused dehydration and you get the correct amount of fluids, mild to moderate dehydration should go away in less than a day. You should seek treatment for severe dehydration in a hospital. With appropriate treatment, dehydration should resolve within two to three days.

Water will rehydrate your body perfectly fine, but drinks with infused electrolytes can also help. Medline Plus reports that electrolytes balance the amount of water in your body, as well as move nutrients into your cells and wastes out of your cells.

A few hydrating drinks outside of water include electrolyte drinks, sports drinks, fruit juices, tea, coconut water, and milk. There is not enough evidence to support any fluid being more hydrating than water, but we do know that some drinks such as milk can aid in water retention.

Concussion, menopause, and hypothyroidism all have symptoms similar to being dehydrated. Here's how to tell them apart and when to seek an expert opinion. When you feel a headache (or fatigue or dizziness or mental fuzziness) come on, you may be quick to assume you're dehydrated.

You should call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest urgent care center for these symptoms: Urinating small amounts of dark-colored urine. Not urinating. Severe diarrhea or vomiting.

You can quickly check for dehydration at home. Pinch the skin over the back of the hand, on the abdomen, or over the front of the chest under the collarbone. This will show skin turgor. Mild dehydration will cause the skin to be slightly slow in its return to normal.

According to the National Library of Medicine, fatigue is one effect of dehydration. You may feel extra sluggish, mentally and physically, if you're not taking in enough fluids.

If your tongue is dry and rough, it could mean that it's not well-hydrated. Drinking more water should be your first line of defence against dehydration, but you can also try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on ice or lozenges to help relieve the dry mouth that can accompany dehydration.

Can you drink lots of water and still be dehydrated? ›

You might have an electrolyte imbalance: Electrolyte imbalances are one of the most common reasons you might feel dehydrated even after drinking tons of water. “Sometimes if we drink a lot of water but we don't take in enough fruits and vegetables, our electrolytes—sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, etc.

One research study demonstrated that subjects who were mildly dehydrated could reach normal levels of hydration within 45 minutes by taking in 600 mL of water or a combination of salt and carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions (CES).

Dehydration can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on how much of your body's fluid is lost or not replaced. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening emergency.

You should call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest urgent care center for these symptoms: Urinating small amounts of dark-colored urine. Not urinating. Severe diarrhea or vomiting.