Table of contents:
- Why do we need salt?
- How much salt in the blood is considered too low?
- The cause of the salt level is too low
- Symptoms and effects of hyponatremia
- How can you prevent hyponatremia?
Salt that has a salty taste is known as a flavor enhancer in food. But in fact, salt is one part of the nutrients stored in the blood. Although it is necessary in moderation at a level that is not too much, a person who has too low a blood salt level will experience various bodily functions and, in serious circumstances, can cause death.
Why do we need salt?
Sodium salt (Na) is an electrolyte as well as a mineral that is mostly (85%) found in blood and lymph fluid. Body salt intake is generally obtained from foods cooked using table salt and other products that contain it baking soda.
Sodium in the blood is useful for helping water levels and electrolyte balance in the body. However, sodium balance is also influenced by the performance of the adrenal glands, which regulate salt storage time and salt removal through sweat.
The decrease in sodium in the blood is influenced by several factors, one of which is impaired function of the adrenal glands, as well as several disorders such as heart failure and malnutrition, which causes sodium in the blood to be too low or what is known as hyponatremia.
How much salt in the blood is considered too low?
The doctor will check whether you have hyponatremia, aka the level of salt (sodium) in the blood is too low, by doing a blood test. This is intended to determine the serum sodium concentration, which normally ranges from 135 - 145 mmol / L. A person is said to have hyponatremia if he has a salt level in the blood that is lower than this limit.
The condition of the severity of the hyponatremia is also reclassified based on the sodium concentration in the blood:
- Light weight: 130 - 134 mmol / L
- Medium: 125 - 129 mmol / L
- Serious: <125 mmol / L
The cause of the salt level is too low
Hyponatremia is a disorder as well as a symptom of other diseases. Hyponatremia caused by decreased sodium can be triggered by several things, including:
- Discharge along with sodium when vomiting and diarrhea
- Take antidepressants and pain relievers that cause sodium to pass more with urine and sweat
- Take a diuretic
- Consuming too much water causes the sodium concentration to be too small
- Dehydration
- Take ecstasy
While some medical conditions or diseases that cause hyponatremia include:
- Thyroid disorders or hypothyroidism
- Adrenal gland disorders especially in Addison's disease
- Heart disease, especially congestive heart failure, which causes fluid buildup
- Kidney disorders that inhibit the function of water excretion
- Primary polydipsies that cause thirst and drinking excess water
- Type one diabetes
- The presence of tumor and cancer development
- Cirrhosis of the liver
Symptoms and effects of hyponatremia
Individuals who experience hyponatremia may experience no symptoms or significant disturbances, if the decrease in sodium levels in the blood occurs slowly and does not approach the serious limit. The development of hyponatremia can occur slowly or last a few days, and cause some mild symptoms such as:
- Feeling limp
- Muscle fatigue especially when doing work with muscle strength
- Headache
- Sudden muscle cramps and pain
- Experiencing confusion and difficulty thinking
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Emotional
Acute hyponatremia is a serious condition, because the decrease in blood sodium occurs too quickly or lasts in about 48 hours. When this happens, the brain will find it difficult to regulate fluid and salt levels, and at the same time the brain loses sodium. Low levels of sodium in the blood that flows to the brain cause several serious complications, including:
- Loss of consciousness, hallucinations, or coma
- Brain damage due to brain enlargement and intracarnial pressure
- Dead
How can you prevent hyponatremia?
The existence of the main disease that causes hyponatremia needs to be overcome first by maintaining the balance of salt and water content in the individual. This can be done by doing one or more of the following:
- Regulate water consumption - required if the sodium concentration test results show mild hyponatremia by preventing the consumption of too much water in a short time.
- Set the dosage of diuretic drugs - needed to regulate fluid discharge and balance sodium concentrations.
- Administration of intravenous fluids - aims to replace lost salt and fluids such as in individuals who experience dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea.
- Sodium retraining medicine - is a type of drug that encourages the excretion of excess fluid through the urine but keeps sodium salt in the body.
- Dialysis - Also known as dialysis treatment which is performed if the kidneys cannot function normally, so that a person has to remove excess fluid through this method.
In addition, maintaining adequate fluids also needs to be done to prevent hyponatremia. This can be done by fulfilling the need for drinking water during and after exercising so that you are not too thirsty and drink too much water. Consumption of electrolyte drinks can also be an option to restore optimal salt concentration and body fluid levels.
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