Dehydration
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Dehydration
Kanasia Cross
SCI 241
October 10, 2010
Professor Pasquinelli
Dehydration
Water in the body provides many functions. For instance, water bathes the cells of the body and lubricates and cleanses internal and external body surfaces. Additionally, water is an excellent solvent; glucose, amino acids, minerals, and many other substances needed by body cells dissolve in water. Furthermore, water is important in the regulation of body temperature. Nevertheless, water cannot be stored in the body and is continuously lost, mostly through evaporation and urinary losses, so a steady supply must be consumed or the body may experience dehydration (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2006).
Dehydration is the excessive loss of water resulting in depletion of body fluids. For instance, dehydration occurs when the amount of liquid a person loses is more than the amount they gain. Additionally, there are many things that can cause dehydration; the most common are vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, malnutrition, and plain old failure to replenish liquids lost from sweating and urination. However, symptoms of dehydration usually begin with thirst and progress to more alarming manifestations as the need for water becomes direr. The initial signs and symptoms of mild dehydration in adults appear when the body has lost about 2% of its total body fluid. The signs and symptoms of mild dehydration include (but not limited to): thirst, loss of appetite, dry skin, dark urine, dry mouth, fatigue or weakness, chills, and head rush. On the other hand, if the dehydration is allowed to continue unabated, when the total fluid loss reaches 5%, this is considered to be moderate dehydration. The initial signs and symptoms of moderate dehydration include (but are limited to): increased heart rate, increased respiration, decreased sweating, decreased urination, increased body temperature, extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, and tingling of the limbs. However, when the body...
Kanasia Cross
SCI 241
October 10, 2010
Professor Pasquinelli
Dehydration
Water in the body provides many functions. For instance, water bathes the cells of the body and lubricates and cleanses internal and external body surfaces. Additionally, water is an excellent solvent; glucose, amino acids, minerals, and many other substances needed by body cells dissolve in water. Furthermore, water is important in the regulation of body temperature. Nevertheless, water cannot be stored in the body and is continuously lost, mostly through evaporation and urinary losses, so a steady supply must be consumed or the body may experience dehydration (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2006).
Dehydration is the excessive loss of water resulting in depletion of body fluids. For instance, dehydration occurs when the amount of liquid a person loses is more than the amount they gain. Additionally, there are many things that can cause dehydration; the most common are vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, malnutrition, and plain old failure to replenish liquids lost from sweating and urination. However, symptoms of dehydration usually begin with thirst and progress to more alarming manifestations as the need for water becomes direr. The initial signs and symptoms of mild dehydration in adults appear when the body has lost about 2% of its total body fluid. The signs and symptoms of mild dehydration include (but not limited to): thirst, loss of appetite, dry skin, dark urine, dry mouth, fatigue or weakness, chills, and head rush. On the other hand, if the dehydration is allowed to continue unabated, when the total fluid loss reaches 5%, this is considered to be moderate dehydration. The initial signs and symptoms of moderate dehydration include (but are limited to): increased heart rate, increased respiration, decreased sweating, decreased urination, increased body temperature, extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, and tingling of the limbs. However, when the body...