Here are seven medical conditions that could be the real underlying issue.
1. Dizziness, Confusion, or Headache May Signal Heatstroke or Dehydration
“Many of the samesymptoms of dehydration arise when an individual is experiencing heatstroke,” says cardiologist Garth Graham, MD, MPH, director and global head of healthcare and public health at Google. Those overlapping symptoms include dizziness, confusion, and headache. (1,2) But pay attention to other indicators of heatstroke: a body temperature of at least 104 degrees F, nausea, and a racing heart rate. Dehydration and heatstroke also share some causes, such as hot weather and strenuous activity, and, to add to the confusion, being dehydrated sometimes leads to heatstroke. (2)
“Being able to tell them apart is vital,” Dr. Graham says. That’s because the seriousness of the conditions varies significantly. You don’t usually need to seek medical attention for mild dehydration because you can rehydrate on your own, but heatstroke can be deadly and is “not a health issue to be light about,” Graham says. You’ll want to call 911 if you or someone nearby appears to be suffering from heatstroke. As you wait for help to arrive, move to a cool place and do whatever you need to do to cool down, whether by dumping cold water on your body or removing excess clothing. (2)
2. Dehydration Causes Confusion, but Stroke Can, Too
Severe dehydration can lead to confusion, but confusion may also be a sign of a stroke, says SeanHashmi, MD, a board-certified internist, nephrologist, and obesity medicine specialist practicing at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. So how can you tell what’s really going on? Look out for symptoms unique to stroke patients. Someone having a stroke may slur his or her words, experience numbness on one side of the body, or have trouble walking. (3) When in doubt, call on a doctor for an expert opinion. “Whenever there’s a change in how a person normally behaves — and this is incredibly important among people who are older — you want to make sure you get that person evaluated so we’re not just writing it off as dehydration and, God forbid, missing something like a stroke,” Dr. Hashmi says.
3. Concussion and Dehydration Can Cause Serious Headaches
Picture this: A teenager has been playing football all afternoon in hot weather and tumbles down in a tackle. He starts experiencing headaches, which could indicate a concussion — or simply dehydration. Dana Cohen, MD, an integrative medicine doctor based in New York City and the author of Quench:Beat Fatigue, Drop Weight, and Heal Your Body Through the New Science of Optimum Hydration, says it’s important for the child to be hydrated before a doctor evaluates him. “When a doctor is trying to diagnose a concussion in a kid, which has symptoms including dizziness and headache, it’s hardly ever taken into account that dehydration has very similar symptoms,” Dr. Cohen says. “You may be misdiagnosed with a concussion early on when you were just dehydrated.” Or vice versa: A coach might assume the teen is dehydrated when in fact he may have a concussion, which requires emergency care if accompanied by vomiting, changes in behavior and coordination, or a loss of consciousness that lasts longer than 30 seconds. (4)
