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WHAT IS HYPONATREMIA?

Hyponatremia occurs when somebody's blood sodium levels are abnormally low.

Sodium regulates the amount of water in and around people's cells.

Hyponatremia causes the sodium in people's bodies to dilute, which leads to a rise in water levels and swollen cells.

Symptoms may include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Headache
  • Confusion
  • Lose of energy and dizziness
  • Muscle weakness, cramps or spasms
  • Seizures 
  • Coma 

Causes can include drinking too much water, particularly during endurance events when sodium is lost through sweat.

Other causes may include taking certain medications, like antidepressants, as well as heart failure, extreme vomiting or taking the recreational drug Ecstasy.

Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause, if possible. 

In non-serious cases this may include people altering their diets to include less water.

Severe cases may require IV fluids to slowly raise sodium levels in people's blood.

Source: Mayo Clinic  

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