Sodium plays a key role in your body. It helps keep regular blood pressure, supports the work of your nerves and muscles, and manages your body’s fluid balance. A typical sodium level is in between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) of sodium. Hyponatremia takes place when the sodium in your blood falls listed below 135 mEq/L.
Sodium Deficiency Causes
Lots of possible conditions and lifestyle factors can result in hyponatremia, including:
Certain Medications
Some medications, such as some water tablets (diuretics), antidepressants and pain medications, can cause you to urinate or sweat more than regular.
Heart, Kidney and Liver Problems
Heart disease and specific illness affecting the kidneys or liver can cause fluids to accumulate in your body, which dilutes the sodium in your body, reducing the total level.
Syndrome of Improper Anti-Diuretic Hormone (SIADH)
In this condition, high levels of the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) are produced, causing your body to maintain water rather of excreting it generally in your urine.
Chronic, Severe Vomiting or Diarrhea
This causes your body to lose fluids and electrolytes, such as salt.
Consuming Excessive Water
Due to the fact that you lose sodium through sweat, drinking too much water during endurance activities, such as marathons and triathlons, can water down the sodium content of your blood. Consuming excessive water at other times can likewise cause low sodium.
Dehydration
Taking in insufficient fluid can likewise be a problem. If you get dehydrated, your body loses fluids and electrolytes.
Hormonal Changes
Adrenal gland deficiency (Addison’s disease) impacts your adrenal glands’ capability to produce hormones that help preserve your body’s balance of salt, potassium and water. Low levels of thyroid hormone also can cause a low blood-sodium level.
What are Symptoms of Sodium Deficiency?
- transformed Personality
- sleepiness (Feeling of Tiredness)
- gastrointestinal Distress (Decreased Appetite, Nausea and Vomiting)
- confusion
- seizures
- coma and death.
Coma and death are result of extreme cases of Sodium Deficiency. Age also plays a crucial function in intensity of symptoms. Old age people will have more negative condition then a younger individual with same level of sodium shortage.
Sodium Deficiency Treatment
If the condition is very little negative then medical professionals may suggest you to take excellent amount of salt in your diet, as salt is the primary source of Sodium in our diet. If the patient is unable to take salt in diet then he/she might take pills of salt (it will remove the sensation of Salt on tongue, as the capsule will liquify in stomach).
In some extreme case doctors might recommend the patient to take saline through blood. Its directly caused into blood stream much like glucose. Its an easier way to increase Sodium level at a much faster rate.
Hyponatremia treatment is targeted at dealing with the underlying cause, if possible.
If you have moderate, chronic hyponatremia due to your diet, diuretics or drinking excessive water, your doctor might suggest briefly cutting down on fluids. He or she likewise may recommend adjusting your diuretic use to increase the level of salt in your blood.
Sodium deficiency treatment for low blood salt differs depending on the cause. It may include:
- cutting back on fluid consumption
- changing the dose of diuretics
- medications for symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and seizures
- treating hidden conditions
- intravenous (IV) salt service infusion.
If you have severe, severe hyponatremia, you’ll need more-aggressive treatment. Choices include:
- Intravenous fluids. Your doctor may suggest IV salt service to raise the sodium levels in your blood. This typically requires a stay in the healthcare facility.
- Medications. You may take medications to handle the symptoms and signs of hyponatremia, such as headache, queasiness and seizures.
Risk Factors for Hyponatremia
The list below aspects may increase your risk of hyponatremia:
Age
Older adults might have more contributing elements for hyponatremia, including age-related changes, taking particular medications and a greater probability of establishing a chronic disease that modifies the body’s salt balance.
Specific Drugs
Medications that increase your risk of hyponatremia include thiazide diuretics as well as some antidepressants and pain medications.
Conditions that Reduce Your Body’s Water Excretion
Medical conditions that might increase your risk of hyponatremia include kidney disease, syndrome of improper anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH) and heart failure, among others.
Intensive Physical Activities
Individuals who drink excessive water while taking part in marathons, ultramarathons, triathlons and other long-distance, high-intensity activities are at an increased risk of hyponatremia.
Complications
In chronic hyponatremia, salt levels drop slowly over 2 Days or longer– and symptoms and complications are usually more moderate.
In severe hyponatremia, salt levels drop rapidly– leading to possibly dangerous effects, such as fast brain swelling, which can result in coma and death.
Premenopausal women seem at the greatest risk of hyponatremia-related brain damage. This might be connected to the effect of women’s sex hormones on the body’s capability to balance sodium levels.
Health Tips
The following procedures might help you avoid hyponatremia:
- Normal blood sodium levels fall in between 135 and 145 mEq/L.
- Sodium deficiency is called Hyponatremia.
- Overhydration, burns, diarrhea and vomiting may cause sodium levels to drop.
- Low salt level causes expanding of tissue cells. Our brain cannot manage this increase of size of cells and produce irregularities in body which results in different symptoms.
- Treat associated conditions. Getting treatment for conditions that contribute to hyponatremia, such as adrenal gland insufficiency, can help avoid low blood salt.
- Educate yourself. If you have a medical condition that increases your risk of hyponatremia or you take diuretic medications, know the symptoms and signs of low blood sodium. Always talk with your doctor about the risks of a new medication.
- Take safety measures during high-intensity activities. Athletes should drink just as much fluid as they lose due to sweating during a race. Thirst is generally a great overview of how much water or other fluids you need.
- Think about drinking sports beverages during demanding activities. Ask your doctor about changing water with sports beverages which contain electrolytes when taking part in endurance events such as marathons, triathlons and other demanding activities.
- Drink water in small amounts. Drinking water is essential for your health, so make certain you drink enough fluids. However do not exaggerate it. Thirst and the color of your urine are usually the best signs of how much water you require. If you’re not thirsty and your urine is pale yellow, you are likely getting enough water.
Good luck! Have a nice weekend.
