Dehydration and chronic pain: Insight for patients with arthritis and post-surgery pain
Just like it’s essential to eat a healthy diet to keep your body functioning well, many of us already know that dehydration can cause pain in our muscles and joints.But now, there’s scientific evidence that dehydration might directly impact the way we neurologically “perceive” or “experience” pain. Nearly 50 million or one in five (20.4%) adults suffered from chronic pain in the United States, according to data collected by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2016. More than 8% of adults in the U.S. reported having high-impact chronic pain - and its prevalence advanced significantly with age.
Dehydration and Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a long-term health issue that can result in a significant loss of productivity and inhibits an active lifestyle for millions of Americans. And if you have an autoimmune condition like arthritis or suffer from chronic pain due to a sustained injury, then chances are that you’ve been prescribed a variety of pain medications from your doctor. Well, these medications may not work as well if you are already dehydrated. That’s according to Dr. Toby Mündel, a senior lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, at the College of Health at Massey University in New Zealand. A study by the college found that dehydration can impact the amount of pain we “experience,” and the findings are especially relevant to people who have arthritis, gout, and joint-related injuries. Researchers at the college found that when participants refrained from fluids for 24 hours, they experienced higher levels of pain sensations compared with when the same participants were well hydrated. The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Mündel, says the findings are essential for patients who suffer from conditions that cause chronic pain such as arthritis, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, and migraines, and also people who are recovering from surgery. “If you have any condition where the sensation of pain is heightened, including clinical conditions like arthritis, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, or migraines for example, or you’re preparing for or recovering from surgery where food and fluids are sometimes restricted if dehydration were to increase your level of pain, that wouldn’t be good,” Mündel stated in a recent article published by Massey University. Mündel says that the findings are also relevant because they offer medical professionals insight into why conventional treatments such as painkillers and other treatments may be less effective on patients who may be dehydrated.
Simply Drinking More Water Isn’t Enough
While maintaining proper levels of hydration helps to reduce pain sensations, merely drinking more water and fluids may not be the best way to rehydrate your body. Trying to rehydrate your body using plain water isn’t enough, because your body isn’t able to absorb fluids and electrolytes quickly enough. And since proper hydration is about balancing the delivery of electrolytes and water into the body’s cells, there needs to be an effective delivery system to make sure your cells absorb liquids and electrolytes fast and efficiently. That’s why Hydrus is formulated using nanosome technology, or tiny lipid-like particles that make it easier for your cells and absorb electrolytes and water. Nanosomes are especially good at targeting our cerebral ventricles, eyes, mouth, and joints, which is why people who use Hydrus find results fast usually within one to two days. If you suffer from chronic pain, then take the Hydrus challenge now!
