How do you feel when you have low sodium?
Sodium is an electrolyte that plays an essential role in regulating levels of water and other substances in the body. When sodium levels in the blood become too low, it leads to hyponatremia, causing symptoms that include lethargy, confusion, and fatigue.
How do you fix hyponatremia?
Treatment
- Intravenous fluids. Your doctor may recommend IV sodium solution to slowly raise the sodium levels in your blood.
- Medications. You may take medications to manage the signs and symptoms of hyponatremia, such as headaches, nausea and seizures.
How long does it take to recover from hyponatremia?
If you have severe hyponatremia, you may need sodium to be replaced with intravenous (IV) fluids. 7 The IV fluid will contain water, sodium, and other key electrolytes. The medical team will restore the sodium level over the course of several hours or days, depending on the severity of your condition.
Will eating salt help hyponatremia?
Recap. Mild cases of hyponatremia may be treated with increased dietary salt intake. Severe cases may require intravenous (IV) sodium replacement delivered over hours or days.
Can hyponatremia go away on its own?
Acute hyponatremia is less common, and the goal is to return the sodium levels to normal to prevent cerebral edema and brain death. In most patients, if the source of excess water intake is eliminated, the body’s kidneys can correct the sodium abnormalities on its own.
How long does it take to correct hyponatremia?
The rate of sodium correction should be 6 to 12 mEq per L in the first 24 hours and 18 mEq per L or less in 48 hours. An increase of 4 to 6 mEq per L is usually sufficient to reduce symptoms of acute hyponatremia.
Can eating salt help hyponatremia?
In elderly patients with a diet poor in protein and sodium, hyponatremia may be worsened by their low solute intake. The kidney’s need to excrete solutes aids in water excretion. An increase in dietary protein and salt can help improve water excretion.
What can cause hyponatremia?
What causes hyponatremia? A low sodium level in your blood may be caused by too much water or fluid in the body. This “watering down” effect makes the amount of sodium seem low. Low blood sodium can also be due to losing sodium from the body or losing both sodium and fluid from the body. Hyponatremia can be the result of illnesses and medications.
What are the problems associated with hyponatremia?
Muscle cramps or weakness
How to diagnose hyponatremia?
– Normal blood volume – Normal kidney, adrenal and thyroid function – Raised urine sodium – Urine osmolality of less than 100 – The patient is not taking any medication that could cause hyponatremia such as diuretics
When to treat hyponatremia?
So if someone with a fever drinks more water than necessary, water intoxication – or hyponatremia, a potentially fatal medical condition in which a patient’s blood sodium levels are too low – could follow. One study found that nearly a quarter of