Read about blood electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate) and the effects of electrolyte imbalances like kidney failure, low blood pressure, hypokalemia, and hyperkalemia.

Electrolytes essential minerals your body needs to stay hydrated and carry out vital functions. Here are the top foods that can help you replenish electrolytes.

Electrolytes are essential in regulating critical bodily functions. Learn about the 8 roles of electrolytes, and the effect of low electrolytes on the body.

Replenishing your body with electrolytes can help prevent dehydration, muscle cramping, and fatigue. Here are 5 health electrolyte drink options.

Diarrhea is watery, loose stools that occur more than three times in 1 day. Acute diarrhea lasts for about 2-3 days. Chronic diarrhea lasts for 3 weeks or more. Symptoms include abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and bloody stool. The treatment for diarrhea depends on the cause.

Reasons for fatigue after surgery are numerous. Postsurgical fatigue results from sleep deficit, depression, anxiety, medications, anemia, blood loss, and loss of electrolytes and minerals. Exercise, physical stress, aging, and the overall health of a person affect postsurgical fatigue.

Cholera is an infectious disease that can cause signs and symptoms like severe watery diarrhea and dehydration. Ingestion of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae causes cholera.

Find out if cholera is contagious, and learn when to seek medical care for a cholera infection. Cholera causes severe bouts of watery diarrhea and vomiting.

Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid destruction of skeletal muscle. Some causes include medications (statins), extreme exercise, drugs or alcohol, electrolyte imbalances, viruses, infection, severe hypothyroidism, Haff disease, and more.

Laxatives are often used to relieve constipation. Examples of types of laxatives include bulk-forming, stool softeners, lubricants, stimulants, saline, enemas, and suppositories. Side effects include allergies to ingredients in the medicine; interactions with other medications; liver, spleen, and lymph gland inflammation; and over-thinning of blood.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening complication that affects people with type 1 diabetes. Learn about symptoms, complications, treatment, and prevention.

Heat rash or prickly heat is caused when the sweat glands on the skin are blocked, and then they cannot produce enough sweat to cool the skin. Symptoms of heat rash are red bumps on the skin and an itchy or prickly feeling on the skin. Heat rash treatments include OTC creams and sprays. If the sweat glands become infected, antibiotics may be necessary.

Read about muscle spasms, their causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Symptoms and signs include acute pain at the site of the muscle contractions (twitches or fasciculations).

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of many conditions including motion sickness, pregnancy, emotional stress, gallbladder disease, and other illnesses. Learn about causes, treatment, and when to be concerned.

Learn about the differences between stomach flu and food poisoning, which often have very similar symptoms but different causes and treatments.

Learn about the types of colitis, an inflammation of the inner lining of the colon causing rectal bleeding, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and abdominal spasms. A variety of diseases and infections (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, microscopic colitis, C. difficile) cause colitis.

Kidney (Renal) failure (acute or chronic) occurs when the kidneys no longer function well and the end stage of kidney failure. Some people have symptoms of kidney failure while others do not; however whey they do occur they include shortness of breath, generalized swelling, and congestive heart failure. Causes of acute and chronic kidney failure include medications, cancer, and cirrhosis. Kidney failure can be treated with medications, lifestyle changes, dialysis, and kidney transplant. There is no cure for kidney failure.

Use this list of common medical abbreviations and terminology used by doctors, medical specialists, RNs, PAs, and other health-care professionals to help you read and decipher the information on your prescriptions and doctors' medical notes.

Hyponatremia or low sodium levels in the blood can result in signs and symptoms like headache, confusion, seizures, weakness, restlessness, and muscle spasms. Kidney or congestive heart failure, hypothyroidism, cirrhosis, medications, or strenuous exercise without electrolyte replacement can cause hyponatremia. Treatment for hyponatremia are diet changes and electrolyte replacement with an IV.

Pulmonary embolism is a blood clot in the lung that causes signs and symptoms of chest pain, cough, and shortness of breath. Learn about PE causes, treatment options, diagnosis, death, and survival rate.

Symptoms and signs of norovirus infection include vomiting, watery diarrhea, and stomach pain. Read about treatment, diagnosis, outbreak prevention, causes, contagious, transmission, prognosis, and complications. How long does it last?

Low potassium or hypokalemia is a decrease in blood potassium levels, which is caused by colon polyps, vomiting, diarrhea, medications, and laxatives. Foods in the diet are how the body absorbs potassium. Symptoms of low potassium in the blood include palpitations, muscle cramps, and muscle aches. Treatment for low potassium is low potassium through diet IV.

Rickets is caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. Get additional facts about symptoms and signs, treatment, causes, history, diagnosis, prognosis, and prevention.

What do the numbers and ranges mean on a blood pressure chart? Low blood pressure or hypotension is a condition in which blood pressure becomes so low that the blood flow to the organs in the body, which causes symptoms like dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting, and chest pain. Common causes are heart disease, medications, and dehydration. Treatment for hypotension depends upon the patient's health.

Ascites is accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity, often caused by liver disease or cirrhosis, cancers, or heart failure. Learn about symptoms, types, and treatment.

Fatigue is a symptom of another disease or condition. A person who has fatigue feels weak, is constantly tired, and lacks energy. There may be other associated symptoms related to the underlying cause of the chronic fatigue. Treatment of fatigue depends upon the cause.

Heat cramps can occur when exercising or working in a hot, humid environment. Learn about causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

When you experience heart palpitations, you feel like your heart is racing or pounding. Anxiety, panic disorders, overeating, pregnancy, and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) can cause palpitations. Most palpitations are not serious, however, palpitations caused by a heart condition like atrial fibrillation or AFib can be serious and require medical treatment.

The cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is unknown. The risk of SIDS peaks in infants 2-4 months of age. Get information about prevention and coping with infant loss.

Natural or home remedies for headaches include drinking coconut water, caffeine, essential oils, herbs, and vitamins. Avoid certain foods that trigger headaches, like foods high in salt, alcohol, shellfish, preserved foods, and foods rich in tyramine-rich nutrients.

total hip replacement involves removal of diseased cartilage and bone with prosthetic parts. Read about surgery complications (infection, prosthesis failure, fractured hip, limited mobility), post-op rehab, and precautions.

Read about dehydration in children, adults, symptoms, and signs (thirst, dry mouth, dark urine), causes (vomiting, diarrhea). Causes of dehydration are diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, and diseases or conditions like diabetes or severe skin burns.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a condition that is related to migraine headache. Symptoms of CVS include severe nausea and vomiting. Triggers of CVS include emotional stress and infections. In addition to the patient's primary-care physician or pediatrician, gastroenterologists are usually consulted.

E. coli (E. Coli 0157:H7) is a contagious bacterium that causes symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea (that may be bloody). This bacterial infection results from eating raw or undercooked meat or unpasteurized dairy products (raw milk or cheeses).

Get information on the Ebola hemorrhagic fever vaccine, symptoms, treatment, causes, and history. Learn about transmission of the Ebola virus, and read about infection prevention efforts.

Stomach flu or gastroenteritis infection signs and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that lasts for about 7-14 days. The stomach flu is spread from person to person, usually via fecal to oral route from poor hand-washing or hygiene techniques. Norovirus is the most common cause of stomach flu.

Fainting (syncope, passing out) can be caused by a variety of situations, for example, pregnancy, medications, diabetes, anemia, heart conditions, age, and electrolyte imbalances. Learn about vasovagal syncope, signs, testing, treatments, and prevention.

Constipation is something that everyone has once in awhile. Medications, bowel habits, foods you eat, and laxatives all can cause occasional constipation. Home remedies and over-the-counter products generally treat occasional constipation. If you have constipation on a frequent basis, contact your doctor.