What are the signs of dehydration in adults?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Early: thirst, dark scant urine, dry mouth, headache and fatigue, the routine end of a hot day. Advancing: dizziness on standing, racing heart, confusion, and skin that tents when pinched; in older adults, new confusion is often the loudest sign.
During illness, oral rehydration solution replaces what vomiting and diarrhea actually take, salts as well as water, and beats plain water and sports drinks.
Inability to keep any fluid down for a day, barely any urine, or confusion tips into needing medical care, faster in the very young, very old, diabetic or kidney-impaired.
For vomiting or diarrhea
Rehydration salts replace fluid better than water or sports drinks. Keep a few sachets at home; nobody wants to shop for them while sick.
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Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.