Dehydration is no laughing matter. Even when getting enough fluids in one’s system, that bad boy can come along and whack you upside the body.
I know about it all too well.
One night, I came home from working out at the gym. Yes, it was hot in there yet nothing too unordinary about it. Just “normal heat” inside…if “heat” is ever normal.
Usually, I’m able to relax and get some food or take a shower after working out.
That was not even happening for me. My body’s muscles tightened up, and stayed tight for the next 2-3 hours. It was one of the strangest feelings I’ve ever had. I tried eating a little bit of food and that didn’t help me calm down. I sat down and even lay down for a bit.
No deal.
After having this going on for a bit, my sanity point was busted. I grabbed my keys, put on a T-shirt and jeans, and headed over to a local 24-hour emergency clinic. As I was signing all of the paperwork, my body started shaking so badly. It was just simply too much for me to handle.
They gave me two saline solutions and ran blood and urine sample tests. All of them came back pretty clear, outside of showing a low level of potassium and a higher-than-normal level of sodium.
Yes, it took some bucks to get my body back calmed down…but I was able to drive back home and get some sleep. In the days following my dehydration event, I simply took it easy, drank electrolytes (which might have been the real problem), and stayed cool.
Why raise up the issue of dehydration? Well, it’s something everyone deals with when around elevated heat conditions. Medical professionals probably see their fair share of individuals – especially senior citizens – having to deal with it.
It’s important to have a plan of attack when dealing with dehydration issues.
Here are a few suggestions from WebMD.com:
– Drink plenty of water before, while, and after you are active. This is very important when it’s hot out and when you do intense exercise. You can drink water or rehydration drinks.
– Encourage your child to drink extra fluids or suck on flavored ice pops, such as Popsicles.
– Avoid high-protein diets.
– Avoid alcohol, including beer and wine.
– Do not take salt tablets.
Make sure you are equipped to deal with the heat, no matter whether you are working or exercising outside or hitting the gym.