Severe Dehydration Symptoms: Top 6 Signs to Be Never Ignored

Severe dehydration symptoms in anyone are very worrying and are an indicator that you need to hydrate yourself immediately.

Water is essential for every bodily process. The lack of water intake that leads to dehydration is known medically as hyponatremia. Sometimes, even when you drink plenty of water every day, you may still suffer from chronic dehydration if you don't drink enough throughout the day.

Acute dehydration is common in the general population when certain conditions are met, such as exposure to high temperatures or prolonged physical exertion. Normal dehydration is easily remedied by sitting still and consuming fluids.

However, in the case of chronic dehydration, you don't just expend more water than you take in. Instead, it turns into a chronic problem in which you consistently dehydrate yourself. When severe, chronic dehydration needs to be treated right away.

Consequences such as high blood pressure and kidney stones have been linked to untreated chronic dehydration. Below, we will discuss some severe dehydration symptoms that you need to watch out for.

Water is essential for all bodily functions (Image via Pexels @Pixabay)

Top 6 Severe Dehydration Symptoms in Adults

It's important to keep in mind that these signs may also point to a more serious health issue than simple dehydration. In the event that you are experiencing any of these signs, it is vital that you seek medical attention immediately. Meanwhile, read here why you should drink plenty of water.

1) Darker Urine Color; Lesser Frequency and Output

This is one of the most common severe dehydration symptoms that almost everybody faces. When you don't get enough water, your urine turns a darker color and you urinate less frequently.

A common method of detecting dehydration is by observing the color of one's urine. If your urine is darker, you may also feel a burning sensation while passing it.

If your body is trying to conserve water by producing less urine, the color of your urine may become darker. This causes a buildup of sodium and urea in the urine, two common bodily waste products.

The absence of any color in the urine is not the target. Instead, light straw yellow is the ideal hue for urine. It's important to remember that medications and B vitamins can cause your urine to turn a bright yellow for variety of reasons.

Dehydration can cause unwarranted headaches (Image via Pexels @Andrea Piacquadio)

2) Headache

Again, one of the most common severe dehydration symptoms that everyone experiences many times in their lifetime is a headache. Although there is a strong correlation between dehydration and headaches, the exact mechanism by which dehydration brings on headaches is unclear.

One possible explanation for headaches is that fluid loss causes the brain's blood vessels to expand, causing pain. However, experts agree that there are probably several causes for headaches when you're dehydrated and that some people are more likely to get them than others.

3) Heart Palpitations

Palpitations, or the feeling of a rapid, erratic, or pounding heartbeat, are some of the severe dehydration symptoms that can escalate pretty quickly.

The health of the heart, among other organs, can be negatively impacted by not getting enough fluids. Dehydration can have a number of detrimental effects on heart function, such as on blood vessel function and on blood pressure regulation.

Drinking less water cant affect heart health (Image via Pexels @Designecologist)

4) Severe Fatigue

Fatigue is commonly caused due to severe dehydration. You will feel more tired than usual if you are dehydrated. This is due to the fact that dehydration has far-reaching effects on health, including disruptions in normal sleep-wake patterns.

A study involving over 26,000 Chinese and American adults found that those who were adequately hydrated slept longer than those who did not. The study also claimed that shorter sleep duration was significantly associated with inadequate hydration.

One of the most common severe dehydration symptoms, you may experience fatigue even while working out.

Dehydration can lead to hindered sleep and fatigue (Image via Pexels @Pixabay)

5) Dry Skin and Decreased Skin Elasticity

Dry skin and lips, as well as decreased skin elasticity, are severe dehydration symptoms that you should watch out for. Dry skin, dry mouth, and dry or cracking lips could all be signs of dehydration.

However, if you continue to experience it despite consuming adequate amounts of water, it's important to see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis. Signs of moderate to severe dehydration include decreased skin turgor.

Dry and flaky skin is one of the most common indicators of dehydration (Image via Pexels @Jenna Hamra)

6) Dizziness and Light-Headedness

This is one of the more immediate severe dehydration symptoms that will warn you when your body is dehydrated. When you stand up, dizziness and lightheadedness are common symptoms of dehydration.

The medical term for a drop in blood pressure upon standing or sitting up is orthostatic hypotension. Orthostatic hypotension is a complication of dehydration. Dehydration and low blood volume (hypovolemia) are particularly prevalent among the elderly. Dehydration can make you feel weak and dizzy, especially when you stand or sit up too quickly.

In some cases, especially in the elderly, severe dehydration can cause fainting.

Illness, medication, intense exercise, or a lack of fluid intake are just some of the common causes of dehydration. Dehydration manifests itself clinically in the form of severe dehydration symptoms. These include a decrease in urination volume, a dark urine color, headaches, fatigue, dry skin, a loss of skin turgor, and a decline in mental acuity.

Drink plenty of water or other fluids every day to ensure adequate hydration. Get in touch with a doctor right away if you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of severe dehydration. Learn more about effective ways to protect your body from dehydration.