Symptoms, treatment, and prevention of dehydration on the trail

With summer in full swing, temperatures are rising, remembering to stay well-hydrated when you are hiking is really important. Dehydration can be dangerous (and in extreme cases, deadly) if warning signs are ignored, but what are some of the symptoms to look for? We’ve put together a list of signs to watch for when you are on your next hike in the hot, summer heat.

Early or mild signs of dehydration:

• Dry or “sticky” mouth
• Thirst
• Headache
• Muscle fatigue
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Reduced urination/dark urine

Moderate or more advanced signs of dehydration:

• Extreme dry mouth
• Loss of appetite
• Significantly reduced urination (half the normal amount for a regular 24-hour period)/very dark urine
• Crying without tears
• Lack of sweat, even during intense exercise
• Increased heart rate
• Increased body temperature
• Cold hands and feet

Signs of severe dehydration (a medical emergency):

• Behavioral changes (increased fear, anxiety, embarrassment)
• Muscle cramps
• Tingling limbs (pins and needles)
• Racing pulse
• Vomiting
• No urination
• Confusion
• Fever
• Shriveled, dry skin
• In extreme cases, loss of consciousness
• Difficulty breathing
• Seizures

The symptoms of dehydration can vary from person to person, so these are just a few of the most common signs. Unfortunately, many of the symptoms of dehydration mimic those of other conditions (such as altitude sickness), making diagnosis difficult. Dehydration can be caused by a variety of factors, such as environmental (like altitude), aside from decreased fluid intake. And to make matters more complicated, it doesn’t have to be hot for you to become dehydrated.

So how do you treat dehydration? The obvious answer is to rehydrate, however, there is more to it than just drinking more water. Your body also needs to replenish the lost electrolytes. The best solution is to rehydrate with a sports drink as it will help your body replenish lost fluids and electrolytes at the same time. Take small sips, to slowly replenish the body with water (chugging water will overwhelm a weakened body).

The best treatment for dehydration is prevention of it in the first place. If you know you will be going on a long hike or backpacking trip, start hydrating accordingly at least a day in advance. Frequent and diluted urination is a good sign you are well hydrated. Only you can determine how much water is enough, but a (pretty obvious) general rule to stick by is that you will need more water to maintain hydration when you are hiking than when you are just lounging around the house or at work. Here are a few things that we like to do to make sure we stay adequately hydrated on the trail:

• We always carry a hydration bladder (2-3 liters, depending on distance and duration of the trip) filled with water in our–it makes taking a quick sip of water much easier than having to stop, open your pack, and pull out a water bottle.
• On longer or more intense day hikes, we’ll carry an additional water bottle (1-liter) with a sports drink like Gatorade or Vitalyte to replenish electrolytes.
• For multi-day backpacking trips where I am filtering water as I go, I’ll drop a flavored, sugarless electrolyte tablet (Nuun or Camelbak Elixir) into my hydration bladder. This has the added benefit of masking any flavors from the water treatment, whether it be chlorine or iodine.

Read more about dehydration. (Mayo Clinic)

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