| Dehydration is a life threateningcrisis faced by | | | | critical to your survival. Feelings of weakness and |
| many placed in a survival situation. In order | | | | thirstare some of the earlier symptoms. Your skin |
| toprevent, treat, or otherwise deal with | | | | will become less elasticand mucous membranes |
| dehydration one must know therisk factors, the | | | | will be dry(ex. inside your mouth and nose). You |
| symptoms, and the interventions that must be | | | | will have sunken eyeballs that are feeling dry and |
| taken. There are many people who have died in | | | | scratchybecause of the lack of moisture required |
| the wilderness as a result ofdehydration. Granted | | | | to produce tears. Yourpulse will become weak and |
| sometimes dehydration may not can be | | | | rapid. There may be a drop in bloodpressure |
| preventedbut having all the knowledge you | | | | when you change from a lying to a sitting or |
| possibly can will ensure your bestchance of | | | | standingposition. You can also feel the veins in |
| preventing and/or surviving it. | | | | your arm or neck that youcan normally feel to |
| The risk factors for dehydration aredivided into | | | | see if they are flat or unpalpable. You may |
| two categories. First you have the risk factors | | | | nothave all of these symptom but if you fall |
| thatare attributed to being unable to retain fluids. | | | | under the risk factorslisted above and have even |
| Vomiting, diarrhea,excessive sweating, | | | | one of the symptoms listed it may benecessary |
| polyuria(excessive urination), and woundlosses(ex. | | | | for you to consider the fact that dehydration |
| Internal and external bleeding) would all fall under | | | | may beimminent and the answer to the following |
| thiscategory. So as you can seeing being in an | | | | question what are yougoing to do to about it. |
| extremely hot environmentis not the only survival | | | | These are just the fundamentals ofdehydration. |
| situation where dehydration is a risk, whichis a | | | | The risk of dehydration transforms into a larger |
| misconception that many people hold. You could | | | | andmuch quicker reality for many people. The |
| be next to ariver and drink contaminated water | | | | people I am referring toare people who already |
| and get diarrhea, resulting indehydration. The | | | | suffering from an existing medical conditionthat |
| second category of risk factors are those | | | | affects the circulatory system and how their |
| relatedto insufficient intake of fluids. Examples of | | | | homeostatic mechanisms that control the fluid and |
| these are inability toaccess fluids, impaired | | | | electrolytes. A few examplesof diseases or |
| swallowing(such as a swollen throat), andconfusion. | | | | medical disorders that fall under this |
| Confusion may be a result of someone panicking | | | | classificationare low blood pressure, diabetes, |
| and beingtemporarily out of their sane mind. | | | | ulcers, Gastrointestinal bleeding,gastrointestinal |
| These risk factors are the onesyou will more than | | | | disorder(ex. Irritable bowel syndrome), and |
| likely experience during an extremely | | | | sicklecell anemia. |
| hotenvironment. | | | | Copyright ©by Joshua C. Henson. All rights |
| Recognizing the symptoms of dehydrationis very | | | | reserved. |