When to go to hospital for 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.

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 u
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