Hyponatremia is a medical condition characterized by insufficient sodium levels in the bloodstream. Sodium, a crucial electrolyte, plays a vital role in managing the water distribution within and around your body’s cells, ensuring proper muscle and nerve functionality, and maintaining stable blood pressure.
Having hyponatremia means your body’s sodium and water levels are imbalanced – specifically, there’s either an excess of water diluting the sodium in your bloodstream or a deficiency in sodium. Normal sodium levels range from 135 to 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L), and dropping below 135 mEq/L signifies hyponatremia. This imbalance can gradually set in, often without initial symptoms, or it can occur swiftly and severely, demanding immediate attention.
- Weakness
- Headache
- Fatigue or Low Energy
- Nausea
- Muscle Cramps or Spasms
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Overactive Reflexes
- Loss of Consciousness
- Seizures and comas [1]
Weakness
Individuals may feel unusually weak, struggling to perform everyday tasks that require basic physical effort. This weakness is not just physical but can also be a sign of the broader impact low sodium levels have on body function. Muscles require an optimal balance of electrolytes to contract and operate efficiently, and a sodium deficit disrupts this balance, leading to diminished strength. [2]
