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Dehydration Diagnosis

Dehydration: Diagnosis


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1. Mental status

Usually meant for infants and children, this test evaluates whether the individual suffering from dehydration is alert and awake. Kids usually start crying, and experience severe bowel pains and nausea. A physician usually checks for such symptoms in adults as well. However, since the same symptoms may act as precursors for other diseases, he might further suggest a blood test to determine the number of red blood cells (the normal limit is 45 percent) to ascertain the extent of dehydration.

2. Body temperature

This is one of the most used techniques used by medical practitioners the world over to ascertain the stage of the disease. If the body temperature is found to be a few degrees more than what it is normally, that is 98.4 deg F, it may be seen as a sign of dehydration. Furthermore, the doctor may also prescribe a urinalysis. This is done by taking a urine sample of the patient and checking its concentration to ascertain the stage of dehydration the patient is currently in, as fever acts as a precursor to many diseases. Usually, a dehydrated patient has a dark yellow colored urine sample and a body temperature of 105-108 deg F.

3. Vital signs

These include readings of a patientโ€™s pulse rate and blood pressure. A dehydrated patient might exhibit an increased pulse rate and an even lower blood pressure level. Often some medications, such as beta blocker medications, prescribed by physicians tend to block adrenaline receptors in the body. Hence, it is advisable to take a second opinion from another doctor before subscribing to any drug.

4. Skin elasticity test

Some physicians may suggest a skin test to see if sweat is present in the skin and to check the degree of elasticity of the skin. This is because if the skin loses its water content, it becomes less elastic in nature, thereby proving that the patient is dehydrated and needs immediate medical attention. A doctor usually checks skin elasticity by pinching the patient’s skin. If it is less tensile in nature and ceases to fold on being pinched, it is often perceived as a symptom of dehydration.

5. Dryness in the mouth

During dehydration, the mouth usually is rendered dry and the tongue lacks fluids and, hence, becomes an important indicator for the disease. However, a doctor may still advise a tongue sensing test to ascertain how much the disease has spread. A tongue which is not wet enough and is almost dry despite the presence of saliva is usually seen as a symptom of dehydration.

6. Urinalysis

Physicians and registered medical practitioners often prescribe a urine examination to determine the urine concentration. Usually, it is a well known fact in medical circles that the more concentrated a patientโ€™s urine is, the more dehydrated he is. In this test, the doctor seeks to check if the urine color of the patient is dark yellow, which would denote that the water quantity in the patient’s body is very low, that is it has gone below the normal limit of 50-70 percent. A dehydrated patient finds it very hard to urinate, experiencing pain while urinating due to the dryness in the urinary tract.

7. Electrolyte test

The main objective of having a blood test done is to ascertain the level of electrolytes present in the blood stream. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium and chloride which, if found less in number, may be defined as the main underlying causes of dehydration and also help in ascertaining the severity of the illness. A normal human has a blood sodium level of 135 mml per liter, whereas a dehydrated patient has a level in excess of 145 mml per liter.

8. Red blood cell count

This is another blood test prescribed to check the number of red blood cells (RBC) present in a patientโ€™s blood stream. If the number of red blood cells and level of hemoglobin is higher, it could be because of the extreme water loss as the blood becomes concentrated, thereby proving that the patient is dehydrated. A normal patient has an RBC count of 45%, whereas a dehydrated patient has an RBC count of 55 percent.

9. Body weight measurement

Very young patients are often prescribed routine body mass checks to ascertain the level of water in the body, thereby determining how much level of water has been lost if the patient is dehydrated. The scale of measurement is a very rough one and differs from infants to children to adults. It is therefore advisable to have a heavy intake of fluids. It helps in keeping the water level in the human body in check and therefore, avoid any symptoms which would lead to a patient being dehydrated.

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