DehydrationSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when your body does not have as much water and fluids as it needs.
Dehydration can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on how much of your body's fluid is lost or not replaced. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening emergency.
Vomiting - dehydration; Diarrhea - dehydration; Diabetes - dehydration; Stomach flu - dehydration; Gastroenteritis - dehydration; Excessive sweating - dehydration
You can become dehydrated if you lose too much fluid, do not drink enough water or fluids, or both.
Your body may lose a lot of fluid from:
- Sweating too much, for example, from exercising in hot weather
- Fever
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Urinating too much (uncontrolled diabetes or some medicines, like diuretics, can cause you to urinate a lot)
You might not drink enough fluids because:
- You do not feel like eating or drinking because you are sick
- You are nauseated
- You have a sore throat or mouth sores
Older adults and people with certain diseases, such as diabetes, are also at higher risk for dehydration.
Signs of mild to moderate dehydration include:
- Thirst
- Dry or sticky mouth
- Not urinating much
- Darker yellow urine
- Dry, cool skin
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
Signs of severe dehydration include:
- Not urinating, or very dark yellow or amber-colored urine
- Dry, shriveled skin
- Irritability or confusion
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Sunken eyes
- Listlessness
- Shock (not enough blood flow through the body)
- Unconsciousness or delirium
To treat dehydration:
- Try sipping water or sucking on ice cubes.
- Try drinking water or sports drinks that contain electrolytes.
- Do not take salt tablets. They can cause serious complications.
- Ask your provider what you should eat if you have diarrhea.
For more severe dehydration or heat emergency, you may need to stay in a hospital and receive fluid through a vein (IV). Your provider will also treat the cause of the dehydration.
Dehydration caused by a stomach or intestinal virus should get better on its own after a few days.
OSF HealthCare - Medical Group (Primary Care)
Shawn Bailey is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Granville, Illinois. Dr. Bailey is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dehydration. He is also highly rated in 27 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Dehydration, Hypothyroidism, Urinary Tract Infection in Children, and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Dr. Bailey is board certified in Medical Education , Residency, Family Medicine, and Internship, Family Medicine . Dr. Bailey is currently accepting new patients.
Stephen Freedman practices practicing medicine in Toronto, Canada. Mr. Freedman is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Dehydration. He is also highly rated in 16 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Dehydration, Diarrhea, Viral Gastroenteritis, and Concussion.
University Of Colorado Denver
Richard Johnson is a Nephrologist practicing medicine in Aurora, Colorado. Dr. Johnson is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dehydration. He is also highly rated in 10 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Dehydration, Minimal Change Disease, Diabetic Nephropathy, Adenosine Monophosphate Deaminase Deficiency, and Kidney Transplant. Dr. Johnson is currently accepting new patients.
If you notice signs of dehydration and treat it quickly, you should recover completely.
Untreated severe dehydration may cause:
- Death
- Permanent brain damage
- Seizures
You should call 911 or the local emergency number if:
- The person loses consciousness at any time.
- There is any other change in the person's alertness (for example, confusion or seizures).
- The person has a fever over 102°F (38.8°C).
- You notice symptoms of heatstroke (such as rapid pulse or rapid breathing).
- The person's condition does not improve or gets worse despite treatment.
To prevent dehydration:
- Drink plenty of fluids every day, even when you are well. Drink more when the weather is hot or you are exercising.
- If anyone in your family is ill, pay attention to how much they are able to drink. Pay close attention to children and older adults.
- Anyone with a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea should drink plenty of fluids. Do not wait for signs of dehydration.
- If you think you or someone in your family may become dehydrated, call your provider. Do this before the person becomes dehydrated.
Summary: This multicenter, cluster-randomized, unblinded quality-improvement study evaluates whether home-based clinical assessment by municipal acute care teams can safely reduce hospital admissions among nursing home residents experiencing acute illness or clinical deterioration during out-of-hours periods. Participating nursing homes in the Capital Region of Denmark will be randomized to either usual ca...
Summary: Children who undergo surgery are usually asked to stop eating and drinking for several hours before anesthesia to reduce the risk of stomach contents entering the lungs. However, long fasting times may cause discomfort, dehydration, low blood sugar, and increased anxiety in children. Recent guidelines suggest that clear liquids can safely be allowed closer to the time of surgery, and some enhanced...
Published Date: July 01, 2025
Published By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Kenefick RW, Cheuvront SN, Leon LR, O'Brien KK. Dehydration and rehydration. In: Auerbach PS, Cushing TA, Harris NS, eds. Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 89.
Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al. Electrolyte and acid-base disorders. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22ndt ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 73.
Padlipsky P, White W. Pediatric infectious diarrheal disease and dehydration. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 167.