According to CDC estimates, 45 million people experienced influenza symptoms during last year’s flu season.

Of those people, 21 million needed ER visits and 810,000 were hospitalized.

On top of that, there were over 60,000 deaths related to influenza last year. And one of the leading causes of these deaths was dehydration.

Put simply, dehydration is what happens when our bodies lose too much fluid (or don’t take enough in). And it’s a common problem that many of us fall victim to without even realizing it.

So why is this important? Because anyone experiencing flu symptoms is at an even higher risk of experiencing dehydration-related complications.

Common causes of dehydration:

• flu and other illnesses
• fever
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• frequent urination
• high blood sugar levels
• sweating
• burns
• insufficient water intake

Signs of dehydration

Some signs of dehydration can be confused with a need for rest or food to regain energy.

Common signs of dehydration include:

• dry mouth
• headache
• lethargy & sluggishness
• muscle weakness
• low urine output
• shallow breathing
• headache
• low blood pressure
• dry skin
• sunken eyes
• increased heart rate
• fever

Prolonged or chronic dehydration can even cause impaired renal function, kidney stones, hypertension, UTI’s, intestinal problems, and mental functioning issues.

How IV Hydration Can Help

Dehydration typically causes you to feel tired and sluggish, and increases your risk of developing other chronic issues. If you experience dehydration from flu symptoms and are unable to hydrate yourself, visit us to get the IV hydration your body needs!

The fluid that’s lost is made up of both water and essential electrolytes. Intravenous fluid replacement sends the hydration straight into the bloodstream, so the body can absorb it quickly and send it right where it’s needed.

In most cases of fluid loss, intravenous normal saline is the best way to do this.

Normal saline is made up of sodium and chlorine, dissolved in water. It helps the body conquer dehydration in two important ways: replenishing fluid levels, and balancing important electrolytes that are lost when the body is dehydrated. Because it is an isotonic solution, it is able to correct fluid imbalances from dehydration by staying within the bloodstream, without leaking out into the surrounding tissue.

At The Functional Medicine MD, we offer intravenous normal saline to help with the effects of dehydration due to diarrhea, vomiting, and flu symptoms.

Avoid long ER wait times and take advantage of our special deal: $100 per 1L bag of normal saline. Walk-in or schedule your free consultation today!