Low Sodium Symptoms

Medically known as hyponatremia, low sodium levels in the blood, lead to an undesirable rise of the body's water and swelling of the cells of the body. Factors which have been identified to cause a drop in the sodium levels in the blood include certain medical conditions such as Addison's disease (a glandular disorder caused by failure of function of the cortex of the adrenal gland and marked by anemia and prostration with brownish skin), hypothyroidism, diuretics (any substance that tends to increase the flow of urine, which causes the body to get rid of excess water), syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone, primary polydipsia [excessive thirst (as in cases of diabetes or kidney dysfunction)], vomiting or diarrhea, cirrhosis (a chronic disease interfering with the normal functioning of the liver; the major cause is chronic alcoholism), kidney problems and congestive heart failure.

Apart from these medical conditions, other causes of low sodium in the blood include a low-sodium and high-water diet, dehydration, medications such as antidepressants and pain medications and intake of excessive water during exercise.

Symptoms that Indicate Low Sodium Levels

Hyponatremia may begin with nausea or vomiting. The affected person may get confused or disoriented, as low levels of sodium somehow disrupt the proper functioning of the brain. Headache, lethargy and fatigue are the common symptoms that are observed and so are loss of appetite and irritability. The patient might become somewhat restless and may suffer from seizures, muscle weakness, spasms and cramps. Other symptoms to be expected include reduced consciousness and even onset of coma. As you can infer, some of these symptoms mimic those of other disorders and so it is unlikely that you might suspect a disorder of low sodium level in the blood. So, as soon as you observes such symptoms, visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Treatment

Mild cases of low sodium in blood can be treated with following some simple recommendations from the doctor, which would be to increase the level of sodium in the blood. For instance, if the condition has occurred due to diuretics or excessive water intake, then the treatment would consist of cutting back on fluids for sometime and adjusting the diuretics.

However, cases which are severe, generally require more aggressive treatment procedures. In order to raise the sodium levels in the blood, the patient may be treated with an intravenous administration of sodium solution and might be required to stay overnight at the hospital. Doctors also prescribe medications for managing the low sodium symptoms, which have been mentioned above. As mentioned, if Addison's disease is found to have caused hyponatremia, then the patient might be put on a hormone therapy in order to counter the condition.

Steps to be taken in order to prevent the occurrence of hyponatremia, would be to keep from favoring the causes of the condition. For example, instead to taking water during high-intensity exercises such as marathons, triathlons and the like, one must go for sports beverages that contain electrolytes. This would cut the risk of hyponatremia.