Proper hydration is important for everyone, but it can be quite challenging in patients with dysphagia. A swallowing disorder can make it hard for someone to drink enough liquids, leading to dehydration and other complications. To avoid dehydration Neka dva Key BENEFITS of Hydration — Proper Tips and Ptactices Do you struggle with how much water should patients drink?
Maintaining Electrolyte Balance:
Electrolytes are minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and chloride that perform a broad array of physiologic activities essential for life in human health including muscle contractions, nerve signaling, and fluid balance. Failure to swallow enough fluids can lead to electrolyte imbalances, which might cause symptoms ranging from leg cramps and tiredness to life-threatening conditions.
Drinking plenty of water keeps electrolytes in range to help your swallowing muscles, which are important for you to swallow properly, and helps many other processes in the body. People with dysphagia may need thickened fluids or specific hydration solutions to help.
Preventing Low Blood Pressure:
Low blood pressure can cause dehydration which results in dizziness, feeling light-headed, or even fainting. In these individuals, swallowing disorders may also make the complication of dehydration worse as it is hard for them to drink (Robey & Schaefer, 2016) and they tend to have low blood pressure.
Staying hydrated is necessary to regulate blood pressure and provide sufficient blood flow to your all-important organs. This is of special concern to people with swallowing disorders as even mild dehydration can lead to serious health issues. Back to top prevention caregivers and healthcare providers may need to carefully monitor fluid intake to prevent these complications.
Preventing Kidney Issues and Urinary Tract Infections:
Adequate fluids enable the kidneys to filter waste products from the blood and prevent the eventual development of kidney stones or chronic kidney disease. Dehydration also results in a higher rate of urinary tract infections (UTIs), which can then lead to itching, stinging, burning, and, ultimately another difficulty.
The inability to drink enough water can increase the risk of kidney issues like this for people with swallowing problems. When they are on modified fluids, or IV fluids for hydration their kidneys become less problematic and it helps to cut down on UTIs.
Conclusion:
We all have heard that the body needs hydration but at times for those with swallowing disorders, it can be life-saving. Stay hydrated for many reasons such as keeping electrolyte levels balanced, preventing low blood pressure, and avoiding kidney problems. Caregivers and healthcare individuals need to provide water in a manner that allows for safe, timely, and effective drinking by patients with dysphagia. By focusing on hydration you can support better quality of life for those struggling to swallow.
