ELI5: fluid and electrolyte imbalance

What is fluid and electrolyte imbalance?

Your body is like a plant that needs the right amount of water and special minerals (called electrolytes like salt and potassium) to work properly [1][4]. When you have too much or too little of these minerals, or too much or too little fluid, your body gets out of balance [1].

Why does it happen?

Your body loses fluids and minerals when you sweat, go to the bathroom, or get sick [1][4]. Sometimes your kidneys don't work right and can't control these minerals properly [4]. You can also lose too much fluid from exercising hard or being in a hot environment [5].

What does it feel like?

When your body is out of balance, you might feel tired, dizzy, confused, or have muscle cramps [4]. Your heart might beat funny, and in serious cases, your organs can stop working the right way [2].

How do you fix it?

Doctors figure out what's wrong and give you the right amount of fluids and minerals through drinking, eating, or IV medicine [1][4]. Finding the problem early is really important because if it's not fixed, it can cause serious harm [2][3].