FAQ: What is the difference between water intoxication, hyponatraemia and overhydration?
These 3 are interrelated concepts, representing slightly different aspects of fluid balance in the body.
1) Water intoxication is a condition resulting from excessive water consumption, leading to dilution of blood electrolytes, especially sodium
2) Hyponatraemia is a medical condition where sodium levels in the blood are abnormally low, often due to excessive fluid intake that exceeds renal excretion or other factors – such as certain medical conditions (like congestive heart failure), hormonal imbalances, or medications.
3) Overhydration is a general term that describes excess fluid intake in a short period, relative to the body’s needs, and the inability of kidneys to excrete excess fluid which can leading to the dilution of electrolytes, especially sodium.
Mild symptoms:
Mild nausea, headache, frequent urination, bloating or swelling (especially in hands and feet), irritability or mood changes.
Severe symptoms of all 3 are similar:
Nausea, headache, confusion, muscle weakness, and potentially severe outcomes like seizures or coma, brain swelling or death.
What to do?
Stop drinking water immediately. Seek medical attention.
They will administer intravenous (IV) saline solutions to restore sodium balance while monitoring serum sodium. Correction must be done gradually under medical supervision is to prevent serious complications, such as osmotic demyelination syndrome, which is a neurological condition that occurs when trying to correct low sodium levels too quickly. Let the medical team take care of you!