Signs and Symptoms of Water Poisoning
Although mild-to-moderate hyponatremia is usually asymptomatic (causes no noticeable symptoms), water intoxication is a different matter. The most common symptoms of water poisoning can include:
Headaches, confusion and disorientation.
Nausea and vomiting.
Mental health disorder and psychotic symptoms such as
psychosis, delusions, inappropriate behavior, delusions and hallucinations.
Sometimes these symptoms can also contribute to water poisoning because the
person is not aware of what is happening to them and does not seek help.
Muscle weakness, cramps, spasms, pain and fatigue.
Difficult breathing.
Frequent urination.
Changes in blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.
Severe drowsiness, seizures, respiratory arrest, brainstem
hernia, and coma.
Because water intoxication interferes with normal
neurological functions and nerve signaling, in the early stages it can manifest
as a psychotic disorder that doctors may not recognize. For example, if someone
is brought to the emergency room for water poisoning, health professionals may
confuse the patient's symptoms with fever, seizures, or a mental disorder such
as chronic paranoid schizophrenia.
Water poisoning is not limited to adults; it can also occur
in babies, especially those under 9 months of age, and in children. Symptoms of
water poisoning in infants or children may include: crying, changes in
behavior, vomiting, contractions or tremors, irregular breathing and, in severe
cases, seizures, coma, brain damage and death.
Water Poisoning Hazards
Why is it really dangerous to drink too much water?
Some of the negative health effects associated with water
poisoning include:
The dangerously low sodium levels are due to water releasing
too much sodium from the body. Serum sodium concentration may fall below
110-120 mmol / L when the normal serum reference range is around 132-144 mmol /
L. In severe cases, sodium levels may fall to 90-105 mmol / L , which can cause
a range of serious symptoms and potentially death.
The kidneys are under great stress due to hyperhydration as
they are responsible for regulating fluid levels. When you consume too much
water in a short period of time, your kidneys struggle to balance the
electrolytes in your blood, causing your body to become
"overhydrated."
Experiencing neurological impairment due to the movement of
water in brain cells in response to a drop in extracellular osmolality.
Hyponatremia causes swelling of cells, and in the brain this swelling increases
intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral edema. Unlike most other cells in the
body, brain cells have very little room for swelling and expansion within the
skull, so even mild swelling can be dangerous. Swollen brain cells can cause
central nervous system dysfunction, leading to seizures, brain damage, coma, or
death.
Damage to heart valves, including left ventricular
hypertrophy.
Accumulation of fluid in the stomach and abdominal organs.
Increased blood cortisol levels due to the body's strong
stress response.
Can water poisoning cause death - and if so, how much water
does it take to kill it?
Although fluid intake is very important, there is still a
fatal overdose of water. In severe cases, untreated hyponatremia can lead to
seizures, coma, and death. That's why experts say early detection is critical
to preventing severe hyponatremia. The severity of water poisoning depends on
how much and how quickly the water was consumed, as well as the rate at which
the sodium concentration in the blood drops. For symptoms of water intoxication
to appear, a person needs to drink more than five cups of water per hour.
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