Best IV Fluids For Dehydration In Adults
November 09, 2022
Dehydration happens to the best of us, and its symptoms are fairly easy to recognize. Dry mouth, dizziness, and feeling faint are some symptoms that make up dehydration.
With busy lifestyles, nights spent socializing, and free time at the gym or outdoors, you must prioritize staying hydrated, especially during the summer.
Drinking water might be your first thought when it comes to hydration, but all of us need a boost sometimes, and IV hydration is one of the best ways to get hydrated.
The I.V. Doc knows all about hydration, so we’ve crafted this article to help you navigate the best IV fluids for dehydration in adults. Keep reading for a comprehensive overview that will have you feeling hydrated and headed in the right direction towards a healthier you.
What Is Dehydration, and What Causes It?
Many factors can contribute to dehydration, and if you’re an adult, it’s like you’ve experienced dehydration after a night out with friends. A hangover is usually accompanied by dehydration, which is part of what causes that pounding headache, dizziness, and even nausea.
If you’re a non-drinker or don’t experience hangovers, you may have been dehydrated in other scenarios. If you don’t intake enough fluids after an intense workout, spend significant time outside in the heat, or just aren’t getting enough water, you may experience dehydration.
Lastly, adults are likely to experience dehydration when they generally aren’t feeling well; whether you have a virus, food poisoning, or trouble finding balance after jet lag, dehydration is unlikely to assist in a speedy and healthful recovery.
Why Dehydration Can Be Dangerous
Before reviewing what IV fluids are best for easing the issue of dehydration, it’s essential to understand the risks that come with dehydration. Here is a run-down of mild, moderate, and severe symptoms of dehydration to help you figure out which stage of dehydration you might be at and which is the best treatment to meet your needs.
Mild Dehydration
This is the first stage of dehydration, usually marked by a dry mouth, head and neck tension, fatigue, and dizziness. Mild dehydration can happen to several people, perhaps after a long day in the, after working out and not hydrating enough, or simply after a long day at work. If you don’t prioritize drinking regularly throughout the day, you may experience signs of mild dehydration.
If you are thirsty, that’s your body's way of signaling that you are already dehydrated. The most important thing you can do if you're thirsty is drink water.
Prioritize fresh, clear water or beverages without added sugars to hydrate your body quickly.
Moderate Dehydration
After mild dehydration comes moderate dehydration: this stage can include all the symptoms of mild dehydration with the added difficulties of a new cluster of symptoms. You might experience mental confusion in addition to fatigue. You might experience muscle cramps and flushed, warm skin.
Constipation and dark-colored urine are two of the symptoms that mark mild to moderate dehydration. Your cognitive abilities may be impacted as you feel dizzy, lightheaded, irritable or anxious. You might be experiencing moderate dehydration due to an illness, hangover, or not drinking enough water after sweating from exercise or a day in the sun.
If you suspect you’re moderately dehydrated, prioritize getting much-needed fluids back into your body as quickly as possible. In addition, since your body is already dehydrated, you might need extra support in the form of electrolytes and nutrients that your body has lost.
At The I.V. Doc, our intravenous therapy Hydration Treatments can help with mild to severe dehydration, particularly when you cannot keep fluids down due to sickness or nausea, or you just need that extra support in getting hydrated quickly.
Severe Dehydration
If you are severely dehydrated, it’s critical to note that this can be life-threatening. The most extreme type of dehydration, severe dehydration, results from your body not having enough fluid to maintain the normal functioning of your body's system.
Not only can too little fluid impact your body's ability to function properly, but it can seriously impact your cognitive ability. Cognitive impairment results from dehydration because insufficient fluid shrinks your brain's blood vessels. Shrunken blood vessels result in slower functioning of your brain in addition to memory impairment and mental confusion.
If you believe you are severely dehydrated, contact your medical team in addition to prioritizing addressing your dehydration as soon as possible.
Our Rescue IV Hydration therapy has three medications that combat nausea, head and neck tension, and swelling, in addition to providing your body with 1000ml of lactated ringers or saline solution. This is our most high-impact hydration therapy available for those hangovers that knock you off your feet or dehydration due to sickness or jet lag.
Why IV Fluids for Dehydration?
We’ve discussed what dehydration is and what its stages look like. Now let’s examine why IV fluid is such an effective way to get – and stay– hydrated. Unlike orally consuming liquids, intravenous hydration means that your body receives critical nutrients and fluids directly into your bloodstream.
Electrolytes can travel directly into your bloodstream, meaning that your body will be able to absorb them and get hydrated much more quickly than if you were to drink an electrolyte-packed beverage that then had to be digested through your gastrointestinal system.
Additionally, IV fluids don’t contain any of the added sugars that electrolyte-filled beverages often contain. So, which IV fluids should you use for rehydration? IV fluids are made of crystalloid solutions, which allow water to move through your cells.
There are different kinds of crystalloids, which we break down below.
Hypertonic Crystalloids
Hypertonic IV fluids have higher concentrations of dissolved solutes than your blood, which encourages a process of fluids moving from your cells to other parts of your body. Hypertonic IV fluids are often used when your body isn’t getting enough sodium.
Hypotonic Crystalloids
These IV solutions have lower concentrations of dissolved solutes than your normal blood and therefore encourage a process of water and nutrients flowing into your cells. Hypotonic IV fluids can be used to treat dehydration and isotonic IV fluids.
Isotonic Crystalloids
Isotonic IV fluids, the most common type of IV fluid, contain lactated ringers and normal saline solution, which mimic the regular concentration of dissolved particles in your blood.
An equal flow of water in and out of the cell is achieved in Isotonic IV fluids, which means that this type of IV treatment is perfect for electrolyte imbalances and dehydration due to fluid loss.
At The I.V. Doc, we offer a wide selection of isotonic IV fluids and use lactated ringers, saline solution, and several critical electrolytes and nutrients your body needs to rehydrate.
Our Cleanse IV treatment comes with 1000ml of lactated ringers and electrolytes, which supports your body in getting rehydrated and rebalanced through hydration.
Are There Any Risks with IV Fluids?
IV fluid support is effective because it carries fluid and nutrients directly to your bloodstream. Though you might think that oral hydration might work better, think again.
If you are experiencing dehydration, IV fluids will deliver what your body needs most to your cells as quickly as possible. The more dehydrated your body is, the longer it may take to feel the effects of rehydration, but for the most part, our treatments can help make you feel better as soon as possible.
The Bottom Line
We can’t understate the importance of hydration. At The I.V. Doc, we understand how important it is to recover quickly from sickness, a hangover, jet lag, or dehydration from lack of fluids and get back to your daily routine.
Whether you are mild or moderately dehydrated, we have IV treatments filled with medications that can help you address the uncomfortable symptoms that come with dehydration, including nausea, inflammation, headaches, and dizziness.
If you are experiencing symptoms of severe dehydration, it’s essential to contact your medical team to address the next steps. If you cannot get out of bed due to sickness or severe dehydration, our team at The I.V. Doc will come to you in the comfort and privacy of your home or office to provide you with much-needed hydration.
The I.V. Doc has an intravenous treatment for every need – whether you are dehydrated due to a hangover of jet lag or simply want to rehydrate to start feeling better after a long week. When you stay hydrated, you are helping to keep your body functioning at its best and take the proper steps to become healthier and more whole.
Sources:
Dehydration - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
The importance of hydration | News | Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
15.3 Intravenous Solutions Nursing Fundamentals | WTC