Every cell in the body needs Water to survive. Drinking too much or too little of the fluid can cause some serious problems. The body's fluid balance is not only affected by the water that is absorbed through food and drink and released in urine and sweat, but also by the concentration of sodium, an electrolyte.
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in a liquid such as blood. In the body, sodium is found primarily in the fluid outside of cells and plays an important role in the movement of water in and out.
Two different disorders, known as hyponatremia and hypernatremia, can result from changes in the body's water balance and blood sodium levels.
Hyponatremia and hypernatremia are mainly disorders of water metabolism. In hyponatremia, too much water in the body can lead to a low sodium concentration. In hypernatremia, a deficit of water in the body can lead to a high concentration of sodium in the blood.
Hyponatremia
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Hyponatremia is a low concentration of sodium in the blood because of excessive water retention, Mount said. In this electrolyte abnormality, there is too much water in the body and this dilutes the sodium levels in the bloodstream.
When blood sodium levels are too low, extra water enters the body's cells causing them to swell. This swelling can be especially dangerous for brain cells. It can result in neurological symptoms such as headache, confusion, irritability, seizures or even coma.
hypernatremia
In hypernatremia, the body contains little water in relation to the amount of sodium. This causes sodium levels to become abnormally high in the blood. Water moves from the tissues of the body to the blood in an attempt to equalize the concentration between the two.
Water can be lost from brain cells, causing them to shrink, which can be dangerous. Too much sodium in the blood is a common problem in older adults. Especially those who have been hospitalized or are in long-term care facilities.
The disorder can also affect much younger people. Babies can have hypernatremia if they have severe diarrhea, for example. Fluid levels are corrected slowly to avoid the risk of cerebral edema. This is a dangerous condition where there is swelling of the brain.
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