Can Severe Dehydration Really Make You Pass Out?
Tim McGraw is on the mend after severe dehydration caused him to collapse onstage during a show in Ireland over the weekend. McGraw, 50, had just finished his song “Humble and Kind” at the Country to Country festival when he fell to his knees.
About 20 minutes later his wife, country singer and tour partner Faith Hill, came onstage to tell concertgoers that he would not be finishing his set, CNN reports. A publicist for McGraw later confirmed to Rolling Stone that the singer “was suffering from dehydration in Dublin this evening at the C2C show. He was attended to by local medical staff on-site and will be fine. He and Faith thank everyone for their love and support and look forward to seeing their Irish fans again soon."
It seems extreme, but it turns out there are a few very good reasons why being dehydrated can make you pass out.
When you use or lose more fluid than you take in, your body won't have enough fluid to function normally.
The most obvious cause of dehydration is simply not drinking enough water, and if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or particularly active you'll need even more than usual. But certain medications (such as blood thinners that make you need to pee more frequently) or having a cold or flu with a fever can also increase your risk for dehydration partly because you're sweating more and partly because you may just not feel up to putting anything in your stomach.
Having severe and acute diarrhea or vomiting can cause dehydration because you lose a lot of fluids in a short amount of time, the Mayo Clinic says. Also, if you have uncontrolled diabetes or underlying kidney disease, you're at a higher risk for dehydration.
Being mildly dehydrated will definitely make you thirsty. But severe dehydration can make you feel dizzy and even faint.
When you’re moderately or severely dehydrated, your blood volume decreases, which causes your blood pressure to drop. Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and organs in your body, including your brain. So if you're not getting as much blood and oxygen as normal thanks to dehydration, you might pass out due to your brain's lack of oxygen, Susan Besser, M.D., a primary care physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, tells SELF.
The way your heart works contributes as well. As your circulating blood volume drops, your heart will compensate by trying to pump that blood more quickly, Brett Etchebarne, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Michigan State University, tells SELF. But “it is much easier for the heart to pump blood when you are lying flat and it doesn't have to work against gravity,” Dr. Etchebarne says. So, if you don’t have enough fluids, your heart may struggle to keep up with your body's fluid needs, making it harder to stay upright.
In some cases you might notice a few warning signs before you actually black out, like feeling weak, confused, or dizzy or having muscle cramps, a rapid heartbeat, or very dark pee, Janyce M. Sanford, M.D., professor and chair of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Emergency Medicine, tells SELF. You might also have a headache and just feel lousy, Dr. Besser says. But in other cases, you won't necessarily notice any symptoms before passing out.
If you pass out and you suspect that it was due to dehydration, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor.
Any time you lose consciousness and you're not sure why, it's important to seek medical attention to figure it out, and Dr. Sanford recommends heading to the ER. There, doctors will check your vitals and, if they determine that dehydration is the culprit, they may try to rehydrate you with water, a drink with electrolytes, or clear broth. That's usually sufficient for most people who don't have underlying medical conditions, Dr. Etchebarne says. Most cases like this won't leave you with any permanent damage, but severe dehydration that's left untreated or happens again and again can put you at risk for heat stroke if you're doing vigorous physical activity, or it can cause seizures if your electrolytes get too low.
Of course, the best way to avoid dehydration is to stay hydrated, Dr. Etchebarne says. Everyone's fluid needs are different, but on average, women need to consume about 11.5 cups of fluids per day, according to the Mayo Clinic. This number includes all fluid intake, including liquids you get from drinks like coffee and foods you eat. If you’re sick and struggling to keep things down, Dr. Sanford recommends taking small, frequent sips of fluid rather than trying to gulp down a whole glass at once.
But as soon as you feel any symptoms of dehydration, take it easy and start hydrating—even if you're in the middle of a concert.
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