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Dehydration Headaches: Symptoms, Causes and Remedies

Dehydration headaches can be painful and debilitating. Learn about the symptoms, causes, and remedies for this common condition in this informative post.

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A dehydration-related headache happens when the body does not have sufficient fluids to hydrate and provide moisture to the body's organs. Usually, headache symptoms can occur when the body feels tired, dizzy, or confused. The other signs of dehydration can be headaches that come along with these symptoms. However, headaches are common due to fever, infections, or any pain in the body. Therefore, it is essential to consider dehydration while diagnosing the causes of headaches. Today's blog will examine Dehydration Headaches: Symptoms, Causes, and Remedies.

Are headaches from dehydration common?

headaches from dehydration common
  • Healthcare providers can get a request to treat a headache occasionally, and these can be the most common types of pain.
  • Though several conditions like disorders and diseases can cause them, it is quite possible to get headaches from dehydration.
  • Lack of liquids can lead to dehydration which can cause headaches, and babies or younger children and adults of the age group 60 and above have a higher risk of dehydration.
  • People with kidney problems or diabetes can also have an increased risk of dehydration.
Also, Read Find Relief For Tension Headaches: Tips and Tricks For Prevention

What are the Causes of Dehydration Headaches?

Some of the common causes that can result in getting headaches from dehydration can be-
  • Diarrhea and vomiting
  • Lack of water intake
  • Drinking too much alcohol and caffeine
  • Heavy sweating from exercises and physical activities or heat. Exercising in higher altitudes can also increase the risk of dehydration.
  • Some medications like diuretics or water pills can treat heart failure; for other conditions, water pills can help the body get rid of excess fluid and salts.
Also, Read How to Cure a Headache with only food?

What does a headache from dehydration feel like?

  1. A headache from dehydration can range from mild to severe, and you can also feel the pain over the head or in just one spot, such as the back and front or the side of the head.
  2. The pain is usually like a dull ache but can also be sharp. You can feel like throbbing, pounding headaches or pain might be constant.
  3. The pain can worsen when you bend over, shake, or move your head around.

What are the symptoms of headaches from dehydration?

A list of the dehydration headaches symptoms is:

  • Having darker urine and decreased need to urinate: You can see that the colour of your urine will get darker when you are dehydrated. A dark color for a longer duration of time can suggest severe dehydration.
  • Dizziness and confusion: Sometimes, there can be difficulty in understanding what is going on around you all the time. It can be associated with problems like driving and arranging work etc.
  • Dry mouth: You can feel that the mouth is parched even after drinking water.
  • Loss of appetite: Water is generally required to function the digestive system, so if you have dehydration, there are chances of loss of appetite.
  • Fainting: When you do not have enough water in the body, it can be associated with the feeling of dizziness, and sometimes excessive dehydration can also result in fainting.
  • Intense Thirst: intense thirst and the need to drink more and more water when you have headaches caused by dehydration.

Remedies for managing headaches from dehydration-

Headaches from dehydration can improve in a few hours with an in-home treatment, which can help relieve the pain from the headaches. Some of these remedies that can help are- 1. Fluids: Taking sips of any liquid that have water can help. Taking ORS solution can also help reduce the chance, so you can try sucking in ice cubes. If you are used to doing that, it can also help prevent dry mouth, which is seen in many cases of dehydration. 2. Electrolytic drinks and water:Electrolytic drinks have a loss of vitamins and minerals aligned with water that can replace the fluids lost due to dehydration. 3. Resting: Take some breaks from physical activities, like in the heat or the sun. Relaxing in a cool shady place can help your body to rest and prevent dehydration. 4. Painkillers: Over-the-counter painkillers can help relieve headaches, and some medicines can help with dehydration. 5. Applying ice or a cold compress: Applying some ice in a wrapped cloth can help reduce the pain in the head. That can also be done with the help of an ice pack. People can find hydration can help manage headaches, and some may require IV fluids at the hospital if they have severe dehydration. Thus, it will be better to get in touch with the doctor to help relieve the headaches in cases of severe dehydration. Also, Read Suffering from Headache (Shirashul) - Ayurvedic Treatment

How to prevent headaches from dehydration?

To prevent dehydration from causing headaches, taking care of your water intake is essential. You can do so in the following manner-
  1. Drinking water is the most critical factor that can help with dehydration cases. Take a 3 liter of water and keep it by your working tables, and then set timers on your phone to take a sip of water throughout the day. That will help rescue the need to go to the kitchen and remember to drink water.
  2. Replacing the fluids that you lose: We all know that sweating can result in dehydration thus, but it becomes essential to replace the fluid we lost during the workout session. If you are prone to sweating profusely, it can be best to have an oral solution that can help get enough water into the system.
  3. Resting: Taking a break when you need to relax can help the body feel less tired and dizzy. If you are working outdoors, it is more important to check if you are drinking enough water and rest often to find a way to stay cool in the hot weather.
Most of the headaches from dehydration can get better after drinking water and resting or taking it easy for some time, as long-term dehydration can cause lasting and severe medical problems like kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

So, if you take suitable advice and prevent dehydration headache cure, you will definitely get relief.

In addition, people who are not hydrated can have a higher risk of heat exhaustion and other heat illnesses. Dehydration can trigger migraine headaches; thus, it is essential to drink plenty of liquids to prevent this. Dehydration migraine is a type of headache that can be caused by a lack of fluids in the body. Also, Read 5 Surprising Reasons you have a Headache

Conclusion-

Dehydration can be caused if you have fewer fluids than the body requires to work with little effort. Therefore, it is essential to understand that you should drink enough water daily to prevent dehydration. Dehydration headaches are caused when the body has severe dehydration, and it feels like the throbbing in the front end of the head. There are effective ways of reducing dehydration headaches. Some of these include sipping water continuously from a bottle and eating fruits and vegetables with a higher water content. Sometimes, severe dehydration can also result in hospitalization because it can cause dizziness, confusion, and inability to perform work. Thus, it is essential to take care of your water intake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can dehydration causes headaches?

Yes, dehydration can cause headaches. When the body is dehydrated, it can affect the balance of electrolytes and fluids in the body, which can cause blood vessels in the brain to narrow and reduce oxygen flow to the brain, resulting in a headache.

How does it feel to have headaches from dehydration?

People with headaches from dehydration can feel like the front of their heads is squeezed hard.

How do I know if my headache is from dehydration?

If you have less water and drink too much alcohol or caffeine, your headaches can result from dehydration.

What is the easiest way to cure Dehydration Headaches?

Drinking sips of water and resting correctly is the best way to cure dehydration headaches.

How to treat headaches from dehydration?

You can treat headaches from dehydration by applying a cold compress to the head.

Where does a dehydration headache hurt?

Dehydration headaches can cause pain at the front, back, side, or all over the head. The pain can be dull or intense, and moving the head may cause more pain.

What should I eat if I have a headache or dehydration?

You can eat fruits and vegetables that have a higher concentration of water.

Categorized into General Health