Therapy
Severe sodium deficiency requires treatment with intravenous medications. The medical term for a low sodium level is hyponatremia, states Mayo Clinic. If too much fluid builds up in the body, the excess fluid dilutes the sodium in the bloodstream, resulting in a low sodium level.
Self-care
However, it can occasionally last for a longer time period, even lasting for several years. Low sodium levels can cause changes in your blood pressure, urine volume, urine concentration, and neurological condition. Your doctor will routinely check your neurological abilities and blood pressure on any medical visit.
Nutrition
To confirm low blood sodium, your doctor will order blood tests and urine tests. Hyponatremia treatment is aimed at addressing the underlying cause, if possible. If you have moderate, chronic hyponatremia due to your diet, diuretics or drinking too much water, your doctor may recommend temporarily cutting back on fluids.
What are the treatments for severe sodium deficiency?
Once the sodium level drops, our cells expand from the abundance of water present in the blood. This can cause mild symptoms of nausea and headaches and eventually lead to rapid brain swelling and death. A normal sodium level is between 135 to 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L).
How long does low sodium last?
How is low blood sodium diagnosed in hyponatremia?
What happens when sodium levels drop in the blood?
How long does it take to correct low sodium levels?
If you have severe hyponatremia, you may need sodium to be replaced with intravenous (IV) fluids. 7 The IV fluid will contain water, sodium, and other key electrolytes. The medical team will restore the sodium level over the course of several hours or days, depending on the severity of your condition.
Can a person recover from low sodium levels?
Hyponatremia can result from multiple diseases that often are affecting the lungs, liver or brain, heart problems like congestive heart failure, or medications. Most people recover fully with their doctor's help.
How long do the effects of low sodium last?
In chronic hyponatremia, sodium levels drop gradually over 48 hours or longer — and symptoms and complications are typically more moderate. In acute hyponatremia, sodium levels drop rapidly — resulting in potentially dangerous effects, such as rapid brain swelling, which can result in a coma and death.
How long do you stay in hospital for low sodium?
Patients with hyponatremia had a hospital stay of 7.6 days compared with 5.6 days for those with normonatremia, a significant difference between the groups.
How do hospitals treat low sodium?
Options include: Intravenous fluids. Your doctor may recommend IV sodium solution to slowly raise the sodium levels in your blood. This requires a stay in the hospital for frequent monitoring of sodium levels as too rapid of a correction is dangerous.
How do you treat low sodium in elderly?
Hyponatremia treatments may include changing a medication that affects your sodium level, treating the underlying disease, changing the amount of water you drink or changing the amount of salt in your diet.
Can low sodium cause permanent damage?
Hyponatremia is a very common electrolyte disorder, especially in the elderly. The consequences of hyponatremia, in particular when acute, on the brain may be clinically evident and severe, including permanent disability or death.
Which organ is most affected by hyponatremia?
Hyponatremia occurs when your blood sodium level goes below 135 mEq/L. When the sodium level in your blood is too low, extra water goes into your cells and makes them swell. This swelling can be dangerous especially in the brain, since the brain cannot expand past the skull.
What medications increase sodium levels?
Drug Induced HypernatraemiaDiuretics.Sodium bicarbonate.Sodium chloride.Corticosteroids.Anabolic steroids.Adrenocorticotrophic steroids.Androgens.Oestrogens.
What is a critical level of sodium?
In many hospital laboratories 160 mEq/L is chosen as the upper critical value. The evidence of this study suggests that sodium in the range of 155-160 mEq/L is associated with high risk of death and that 155 mEq/L rather than 160 mEq/L might be more suitable as the upper critical level.
What sodium level is an emergency?
Severe hyponatremia occurs when levels drop below 125 meq/l. Health issues arising from extremely low sodium levels may be fatal.
What Causes Low Sodium in Blood?
Hyponatremia causes can be linked to direct and indirect factors. As our blood sodium levels drop, it is important to take note of recent lifestyle...
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hyponatremia
There are several symptoms that indicate the sodium levels in your blood have dropped too low. Initial stages of low levels may not present any sym...
How to Increase Sodium Levels
Hyponatremia treatment starts with increasing sodium levels in the blood as determined by the cause. Under a doctor’s care, or as an existing hospi...
What happens when sodium levels drop?
This can cause mild symptoms of nausea and headaches and eventually lead to rapid brain swelling and death. A normal sodium level is between 135 to 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Hyponatremia is present when levels drop below 135 mEq/L.
How to increase sodium levels in blood?
How to Increase Sodium Levels. Hyponatremia treatment starts with increasing sodium levels in the blood as determined by the cause. Under a doctor’s care, or as an existing hospital patient, you may receive a prescribed dose of diuretics, a sodium solution through intravenous injection or pill form, for the symptoms.
What does it mean when your sodium is low?
Low sodium in blood is medically referred to as hyponatremia and can lead to serious consequences if left untreated. As we need sodium for proper functioning, it is important to understand what causes low levels ...
Why is sodium important?
As we need sodium for proper functioning, it is important to understand what causes low levels and to be aware of hyponatremia symptoms. We need sodium to help maintain blood pressure, regulate fluids, and aid in the function of our nerves and muscles.
How much sodium is in a V8?
An eight-ounce glass of the popular V8 brand may contain up to 500 milligrams of sodium, so be mindful of your daily intake. You can balance sodium levels with a low-sodium vegetable juice if in need of a smaller boost. 2. Maintain Adrenal Glands Production.
What causes sodium to drop?
Our adrenal glands produce hormones to help balance the water, sodium, and potassium levels. Low functioning adrenal glands and an underactive thyroid will cause sodium levels to drop.
How much sodium is in a sports drink?
Not just for athletes, sports drinks can help to replenish sodium levels, especially after a strenuous workout or run. The best sports drinks will have 100 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, and 28 milligrams of potassium in an eight-ounce serving.
How long does it take for salt to go down?
It can take weeks or months for you to experience the effects of low salt in your diet—and these effects can be corrected by just one day of normal salt intake. However, when sodium levels rapidly decline, which can happen due to certain medical issues, you may experience serious health effects that can worsen rapidly.
What are the symptoms of low sodium?
Symptoms of low sodium may include: 2 . Headaches. Nausea and vomiting. Fatigue.
What is cerebral salt wasting?
Cerebral Salt Wasting Syndrome (CSWS): This syndrome, caused by brain damage and head trauma, causes sodium loss. 8 This may result in brain swelling, resulting in seizures and loss of consciousness. As the name suggests, cerebral salt wasting is actually caused by the body ridding itself of salt.
What medications can cause low sodium levels?
7 For example, diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, antidepressants, and antipsychotics can cause low sodium.
What causes low sodium levels?
There are a few medical illnesses that can result in low sodium levels, including hormonal issues and brain injuries. Typically, hormonal issues develop slowly, and the sodium level can be corrected gradually before it causes any serious problems.
Why is my sodium level low?
Causes. Low sodium can result from lifestyle factors and medical conditions. There are several hormonal issues that can cause low sodium. Lifestyle issues, related to sodium or fluid intake or to excessive sweating can affect sodium levels as well.
What happens if you eat too much salt?
Your body needs dietary iodine to make thyroid hormones. When you have low sodium due to dietary restriction, you are likely to have symptoms of hypothyroidism too.
How to treat low sodium?
It may include: cutting back on fluid intake. adjusting the dosage of diuretics. taking medications for symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and seizures. treating underlying conditions.
How to prevent low sodium levels?
Prevention of low blood sodium. Keeping your water and electrolyte levels in balance can help prevent low blood sodium. If you’re an athlete, it’s important to drink the right amount of water during exercise. You should also consider drinking rehydration beverages like Gatorade or Powerade.
What does it mean when your sodium is low?
The results of this test will help your doctor determine the cause of your low blood sodium: If your blood sodium levels are low but your urine sodium levels are high, your body is losing too much sodium. Low sodium levels in both your blood and your urine mean your body isn’t taking in enough sodium. There may also be too much water in your body.
What is the sodium level in your blood?
In other words, there’s either too much water or not enough sodium in your blood. Normally, your sodium level should be between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter.
Why is sodium important?
Sodium is an essential electrolyte that helps maintain the balance of water in and around your cells. It’s important for proper muscle and nerve function. It also helps maintain stable blood pressure levels. Insufficient sodium in your blood is also known as hyponatremia. It occurs when water and sodium are out of balance.
What happens if your sodium levels drop?
If they drop very quickly, your symptoms may be more severe. Losing sodium quickly is a medical emergency. It can cause loss of consciousness, seizures, and coma. Common symptoms of low blood sodium include: weakness. fatigue or low energy.
What is the best way to check for low sodium?
A blood test can help your doctor check for low sodium levels. Even if you don’t have symptoms of low blood sodium, your doctor may order a basic metabolic panel. This tests the amounts of electrolytes and minerals in your blood. A basic metabolic panel is often part of a routine physical.
How long does it take for sodium to drop?
In chronic hyponatremia, sodium levels drop gradually over 48 hours or longer — and symptoms and complications are typically more moderate. In acute hyponatremia, sodium levels drop rapidly — resulting in potentially dangerous effects, such as rapid brain swelling, which can result in a coma and death.
What happens when the sodium in your blood is abnormally low?
Hyponatremia occurs when the concentration of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. Sodium is an electrolyte, and it helps regulate the amount of water that's in and around your cells.
What is the normal sodium level?
A normal blood sodium level is between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Hyponatremia occurs when the sodium in your blood falls below 135 mEq/L. Many possible conditions and lifestyle factors can lead to hyponatremia, including: Certain medications. Some medications, such as some water pills (diuretics), ...
How to prevent low sodium?
Getting treatment for conditions that contribute to hyponatremia, such as adrenal gland insufficiency, can help prevent low blood sodium. Educate yourself. If you have a medical condition that increases your risk of hyponatremia or you take diuretic medications, be aware of the signs and symptoms of low blood sodium.
Why does my body lose sodium?
Chronic, severe vomiting or diarrhea and other causes of dehydration. This causes your body to lose electrolytes, such as sodium, and also increases ADH levels. Drinking too much water. Drinking excessive amounts of water can cause low sodium by overwhelming the kidneys' ability to excrete water.
What causes sodium to be lowered?
Heart, kidney and liver problems. Congestive heart failure and certain diseases affecting the kidneys or liver can cause fluids to accumulate in your body, which dilutes the sodium in your body, lowering the overall level. Syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH).
What causes low sodium levels in the body?
Adrenal gland insufficiency (Addison's disease) affects your adrenal glands' ability to produce hormones that help maintain your body's balance of sodium, potassium and water. Low levels of thyroid hormone also can cause a low blood-sodium level. The recreational drug Ecstasy.
How to restore sodium levels?
Those who have mild to moderate hyponatremia resulting from lifestyle factors or medication may be able to increase sodium to normal levels by: drinking less fluids (often less than 1 quart per day) adjusting medication dose or switching medications.
How to get sodium levels back to normal?
adjusting medication dose or switching medications. Individuals with severe symptoms often require hospitalization and an intravenous (IV) sodium treatment to get their sodium levels back to normal. They may also require drugs to treat seizures or other hyponatremia symptoms.
What is hyponatremia in the body?
Diagnosis. Treatment. Prevention. Takeaway. Hyponatremia occurs when sodium levels in the blood are too low. Symptoms include lethargy, confusion, and fatigue. It can result from underlying conditions, such as kidney failure, or other factors, such as drinking too much water or taking certain medications. Sodium is an electrolyte that plays an ...
What causes sodium levels to fall?
Other medical conditions and factors that can cause sodium levels to fall include: syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (SIADH) People with SIADH produce excessive levels of the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), which can lower sodium levels.
What is the definition of low sodium?
Sodium is an electrolyte that plays an essential role in regulating the levels of water and other substances in the body. The definition of a low sodium level is below 135 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) .
What are the factors that increase the risk of hyponatremia?
Some medications may increase the risk of hyponatremia. Certain factors increase the risk of developing hyponatremia, including: age. having specific conditions, such as SIADH or kidney, heart, or liver disease. taking certain diuretics, antidepressants, or pain medications. taking ecstasy.
How to diagnose low sodium levels?
To diagnose low sodium levels, a doctor will take a medical history, perform a physical examination, and order a blood test. If the blood test shows low sodium levels, the doctor will typically need to perform additional tests to determine the cause.
What causes low sodium levels in the body?
Dehydration causes low sodium levels by resulting in the loss of electrolytes from the body. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing hormones that regulate the amount of sodium and fluid in the body, reports Mayo Clinic.
What is the medical term for low sodium?
Severe sodium deficiency requires treatment with intravenous medications. The medical term for a low sodium level is hyponatremia, states Mayo Clinic. If too much fluid builds up in the body, the excess fluid dilutes the sodium in the bloodstream, resulting in a low sodium level. Dehydration causes low sodium levels by resulting in the loss ...
Why is sodium low?
Low sodium levels are linked to dehydration, kidney failure, hypothyroidism, Addison's disease, and other problems with the kidneys and adrenal glands. Reducing fluid intake is sometimes enough to restore sodium levels to normal, notes Mayo Clinic.
What causes low sodium levels in Addison's disease?
In people with Addison's disease, the adrenal glands do not produce the right amounts of these hormones, resulting in fluid buildup. Too much anti-diuretic hormone also results in fluid buildup, leading to low sodium levels. Anti-diuretic hormone prompts the body to retain water instead of excreting it.
Why is my sodium level low?
Low sodium levels in the blood can result from taking certain medications, including diuretics and antidepressant medications , according to the Mayo Clinic. If that is case, your health care provider may recommend stopping your medication or adjusting your dosage. Hyponatremia can also be caused by a range of health problems, including thyroid, ...
What is hyponatremia in blood?
Image Credit: PredragImages/iStock/GettyImages. Hyponatremia is a condition in which the level of sodium in your blood is too low. Untreated, it can cause neurological symptoms, brain damage and even death. Video of the Day. Kale Pesto.
What is severe hyponatremia?
Severe, acute hyponatremia is a life-threatening emergency that usually requires treatment and monitoring in the hospital. Patients may be given a sodium solution intravenously — through a needle in a vein — and their water intake will be restricted in order to raise their blood sodium concentration and restore normal sodium levels. Advertisement.
Is hyponatremia considered acute?
Hyponatremia is considered acute if the sodium level in the blood drops quickly, according to the Mayo Clinic. Acute hyponatremia can cause serious neurological damage or death.
Symptoms of Hyponatremia
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment Options
Specialist to consult
Summary
- Your doctor will start by asking about your medical history and doing a physical examination. However, because the signs and symptoms of hyponatremia occur in many conditions, it's impossible to diagnose the condition based on a physical exam alone. To confirm low blood sodium, your doctor will order blood tests and urine tests.
A Word from Verywell
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
- Low sodium can result from lifestyle factors and medical conditions that affect the balance of water and/or sodium in the body.
Risk Factors
- Hyponatremia is diagnosed with a physical exam, laboratory tests, and a review of your medical history. Central to the diagnosis is a blood test that measures the concentration of sodium in your blood. The levels are measured in milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) and classified as follow: 1. Normal: 135 to 145 mEq/L 2. Hyponatremia: Under 135 mEq/L 3. Severe hyponatremia: Under 12…
Complications
- The treatment of hyponatremia can be simple at times and challenging at others. The treatment is often based on the slow and careful replacement of sodium in the body, as well as the management of the underlying cause of hyponatremia.
Prevention
- Hyponatremia is abnormally low levels of sodium in the blood. Oftentimes a person with hyponatremia will have no symptoms if sodium levels are mildly decreased. When sodium levels drop significantly, hyponatremia can cause headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and difficulty concentrating. Severe cases can lead to seizures or coma. Hyponatremia is cause…