Low sodium concentration in blood is nowadays very common, especially in India. Sodium is essential in controlling the water levels within the body.
Cause of low sodium (hyponatremia) in blood.
Loss of sodium through the kidney –after diuretic therapy
Vomiting and diarrhoea causes sodium loss
Excessive intake of water
Hypothyroidism
Liver cirrhosis
Congestive heart failure
Chronic renal failure
Symptoms of hyponatremia
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Mental confusion
Muscle cramps
Seizure
Coma
Drinking too much water during strenuous exercise will cause hyponatremia. During this kind of exercise through sweat sodium is lost. And drinking too much water in this condition will dilute the sodium.
During water loss in the body-dehydration- drinking too little fluid also causes the hyponatremia.
Old age- due to other coexisting diseases or due to certain medication, the patient cannot take sufficient amount fluid, or excess fluid is lost from the body. This will alter the sodium balance within the body.
The normal level of sodium is 135 to 145 milliequivalents per liter. So if the level goes beyond 135mEq/L hyponatremia results.
Investigations
Blood examination of sodium level.
Urine electrolyte analysis
Treatment
The treatment depends upon the rate of development and severity, and also depending up on the underlying cause.
If the low sodium level develops rapidly, there is a chance of brain damage, and it is more dangerous. In such cases administration of 3% sodium chloride solution is the emergency treatment, especially if the patient develops convulsions.
Homeopathic treatment.
The first line of treatment is correcting the level of sodium through a calculated administration as intravenously.
Then the duty of the physician is to identify the cause of the disease. Here the homeopathic physician has to assess what is to be cured in the disease and what is to be cured in the patient. For that a detailed report of his disease pathology and also his mental and physical peculiarities are collected. Thus a similar remedy is administered, which will correct the cause of the disease. Since homeopathic medicines are safe and easily tolerated by the patient, along with conventional treatment, homeopathic medicines can also be prescribed.
