Hypernatremia can be very serious, especially in small children. However, more moderate cases can require medical care. Usually, when a person starts to get dehydrated and feel thirsty, they are sensing a mild case of hypernatremia and reversing it by drinking water or an electrolyte-containing sports drink. Most cases of hypernatremia are mild and easily corrected by fixing dehydration. Hypernatremia is usually a symptom of dehydration. If your brain detects that your body has elevated sodium levels, it can regulate the amount by increasing how much is removed from your bloodstream by your kidneys and can also make you drink water by making you feel thirsty. In healthy people, the brain automatically balances the amount of water and sodium in your body by controlling intake and output - getting thirsty or urinating. Doctors define hypernatremia as a measurement of over 145 milliequivalents per liter - a normal level is considered between 136-145 milliequivalents per liter. This can happen when too much water is lost or too much sodium is gained (or accumulated) in the body. Hypernatremia occurs when the balance of water and sodium in your blood is off: there's too much sodium or not enough water. Your kidneys help regulate how much sodium is in your body - most of it is removed through urine, and a small amount comes out in your sweat. This means that sodium not only helps balance the amount of water that is on the inside or outside of your cells, but it's also critical for how your muscles and nerves work. It helps to regulate your blood volume, your blood pressure, the pH of your body, and the electrical conductivity of your cells. Sodium is an important nutrient in your body. However, when there's too much, it is an imbalance in your body's electrolytes and can cause serious problems. Sodium is one of the body's electrolytes - found mostly in your blood - that is important for many bodily functions. Hypernatremia is the medical term to describe too much sodium in your blood.
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