Sodium is vital to retain adequate water within the body’s cells, help keep blood pressure levels stable, and to support nerves and muscles so they function properly. When sodium levels are unbalanced, a condition known as hyponatremia, symptoms of fatigue, confusion, nausea, vomiting, weakness and muscle cramps develop. Low sodium can result from taking certain medications, vomiting or diarrhea, kidney disease, liver disease, dehydration, heart problems, polydipsia and hypothyroidism.

Risk factors for low sodium include advanced age, intense athleticism, eating a low sodium diet, living in a warm area, and heart failure. If left untreated, severe hyponatremia can cause seizures, coma and even death. Luckily, there are many early warning symptoms of low sodium to look out for, such as:

1. Nausea and vomiting
This is one of the top symptoms of low sodium levels. Feeling nauseated and vomiting is no fun for anyone and can leave you feeling helpless. To manage this symptom, people with low sodium can take anti nausea medication. When treated, intravenous fluids containing sodium solution are slowly given to patients to raise the sodium levels gradually in the blood, and this symptom will subside.

2. Headache
Usually felt in the head and neck area. There are different types of headaches like cluster, tension and migraine to name a few. This can interfere with one’s life and greatly. As bad as they are, headaches are a common symptom that many people experience with low sodium. Painkillers and lots of rest are the best way to treat this symptom, as well as introducing sodium gradually to top up levels.

3. Restlessness and irritability
Altered mood is common to patients suffering from hyponatremia, in addition to confusion, which may cause anger and fear.

4. Confusion
This is another unfortunate symptom of low sodium. A person who is confused may have trouble remembering their own identity, or things that have happened in the past or present. They may even experience full memory loss.

5. Loss of energy or fatigue
Feeling lethargic or fatigued is often seen in people with hyponatremia. When sodium levels are unbalanced, certain bodily functions will suffer as well. The muscles won’t function properly during a severe sodium imbalance and this can contribute to extreme lethargy.

6. Seizures
Seizures are the result of neurons in the brain miscommunicating with each other. This causes the body to jolt and creates mental changes, confusion and loss of consciousness. Hyponatremia may also cause the brain to swell. When sodium levels are too low, water begins to build up around the brain and may cause a seizure.

7. Coma
In severe cases of hyponatremia people may fall into a coma. When a patient suffers a coma they are unconscious and cannot respond or react to anything.

8. Muscle weakness
Lack of muscle strength is another symptom of low sodium, which goes hand in hand with the symptom of fatigue. Because sodium levels are so low in people with hyponatremia it throws the balance of the whole body off causing muscle fatigue.

9. Spasms or cramps
When sodium levels drop down to dangerous levels it could cause the muscles to twitch or cramp up.

10. Loss of appetite
When a person is extremely low in sodium, confusion may set in and the patient may forget essential tasks, such as eating. Loss of appetite is also the body’s response to illness as it’s put in fight or flight mode.