drinking fluids when sick

drinking fluids when sick

on Shah agrees that this is a real possibility—but says those cases are few and far between, and should be discussed between doctors and patients at the time of diagnosis. When you get a virus or infection, your first instinct may be to drink lots of water or hot tea; after all, we’ve all heard the advice to stay hydrated when you’re sick. Yes, staying hydrated while sick is important. Carol DerSarkissian In their case report, Lee and Noronha point out that some illnesses can drive up levels of antidiuretic hormones, which reduce the body’s excretion of water—and could, theoretically, lead to dangerously diluted sodium in the blood. When should you get a flu shot if you're pregnant? If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911. Your body needs extra hydration when you’re trying to get well. In fact, there’s little proof that drinking lots of water during any type of illness is particularly helpful. Once doctors realized what was happening, the woman admitted to drinking several liters of water that day in an attempt to help treat her UTI. “It makes you feel better, but there is no clear indication that it directly protects you against complications.” See additional information. When you're sick, it's easy to get dehydrated. Even when you’re well, drinking too many fluids can overwhelm your kidneys and liver, making it harder for them to get rid of toxins. When you're sick, you hear it over and over: "Get plenty of fluids.” And it’s true. When you're sick, you hear it over and over: "Get plenty of fluids.” And it’s true. "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Focus on maintaining your normal fluid intake and replacing what’s been lost, but don’t go overboard and drink multiple gallons of anything.”, To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. “On top of that, your metabolism may be sped up and your body’s at an increased level of activity,” she says. “You may require additional hydration to keep your fluid levels balanced.”. Stay away from booze, coffee, and caffeine when you're looking for things to sip, though.Â, Reviewed by Not getting enough fluids can affect the body’s ability to fight infection, she says, and people who are ill may not notice subtle signs of dehydration including dry lips, dry skin, headaches, fatigue, and decreased urination. When you're sick, it's easy to get dehydrated. If you’ve heard of hyponatremia before, it was likely in the context of endurance athletes, like marathoners and Ironman triathletes, who are working out and sweating—and drinking water—for several hours on end. ), “People should practice moderation and use their judgment,” she says. How can I treat my flu symptoms if I'm pregnant? It’s common to lose more fluids than normal when you’re sick, says Shah—from vomiting, diarrhea, or (if you have a fever) sweating, for example. This tool does not provide medical advice. The woman improved after doctors restricted her fluid intake over the next 24 hours, but she was lucky: Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, is a medical emergency: People whose sodium levels drop below 125 mmol/L (like this woman’s had) have about a 30 percent chance of dying. All that liquid helps loosen up the mucus in your nose and head. Are there natural flu treatments for pregnant women. For these types of conditions, the physicians say that maybe guzzling water shouldn’t be recommended. © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. The woman, a 59-year-old with a recurring urinary tract infection, was admitted to the hospital after becoming shaky, vomiting several times, and developing significant speech difficulties. This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com. For most people, she says, aiming for eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day is a “good standard” whether you’re sick or not, and increasing that amount slightly while you’re not feeling well or fighting an infection probably isn’t a bad idea. Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter, Medically They may also not feel up to eating or drinking as much as they normally do. “Using that language gives people the wrong idea of what hydration is doing for them.”. Drinking more water may also alleviate some of your symptoms and prevent a trip to the ER. Your body needs extra hydration when you’re trying to get well. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Lee and Noronha do note that it’s extremely uncommon to develop water intoxication in a non-exercise setting, especially when a person has normal kidney function. Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you. All rights reserved. You need to drink plenty of water when you're sick to stay hydrated. “I think it’s an interesting report for sure, but I think that it falls on the more extreme end of the spectrum,” Shah tells RealSimple.com. All rights reserved. ©2005-2019 WebMD LLC. When you get a virus or infection, your first instinct may be to drink lots of water or hot tea; after all, we’ve all heard the advice to stay hydrated when you’re sick. Offers may be subject to change without notice. The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. additional information. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate. Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Keep these tips in mind when you’re picking what to sip. This will help to strengthen the immune system, optimize the body’s natural operations and prevent illness. But drinking too much can be dangerous. And that over-the-counter cold medicine you're taking to dry up your head can dry the rest of you out, too. But this isn’t the first time the condition has been blamed on that old advice to drink fluids while sick: The authors of the case report also mention another case in which a woman died from hyponatremia after drinking an excessive amount of water during an episode of stomach flu. How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. For example, they wrote, one large medical review found “no evidence for or against increased oral fluid intake in acute respiratory infection.”. A fever draws moisture out of your body. “It’s more to rebalance your electrolytes and blood volume, rather than to directly affect the infection or treat the problem itself,” she says. RELATED: Is Celery Juice Actually Healthy? Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts. 1/16/2020, UpToDate: “Patient information: The common cold in adults (Beyond the Basics).”. See Mayo Clinic: “Cold remedies: What works, what doesn't, what can't hurt. And Anar Shah, M.D., an emergency medicine doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, agrees that it’s something most healthy people will never have to worry about. This content is selected and controlled by WebMD's editorial staff and is supported by RB. “We always caution anyone healthy and people who are sick to keep up fluid intake and keep mucus membranes moist,” William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, explained to the Associated Press. | Livestrong.com All products and services featured are selected by our editors. A sore throat can make it less than fun to swallow. However, she adds, the concept of “flushing out an illness” isn’t accurate. Instead, you may want to drink a little more than the often recommended eight glasses of fluid throughout the day (and pay attention to your body). All rights reserved. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder. Tests revealed that she had hyponatremia, a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in a person’s blood is too low, due to excessive fluid consumption. A fever draws moisture out of your body. January 16, 2020, Medically Drs. (The eight-glasses-a-day advice isn’t exact science, but many experts still say it’s a good goal to aim for.

Telemann Sonata In F Major Flute Pdf, Zephyrhills Zip Code, Formula Fusion Review, Coconut Oil For Babies Hair, Concrete Noun And Abstract Noun, Business Communication Examples, Kielbasa Crockpot Recipes With Pineapple,