Table of Contents
What happens when your body retains water?
Water retention occurs when excess fluids build up inside your body. It is also known as fluid retention or edema. Water retention occurs in the circulatory system or within tissues and cavities. It can cause swelling in the hands, feet, ankles and legs.
Where does the body store excess water?
Extra water is typically stored all over your body in the tissue or between blood vessels, and tends to pool in the extremities (fingers, toes and lower legs).
How do you tell if you are retaining water?
Symptoms of fluid retention can include:
- swelling of affected body parts (feet, ankles and hands are commonly affected)
- aching of affected body parts.
- stiff joints.
- rapid weight gain over a few days or weeks.
- unexplained weight fluctuations.
- when pressed, the skin may hold the indent for a few seconds (pitting oedema)
Does water weight leave your body?
Water levels can make a person’s weight fluctuate by as much as 2 to 4 pounds in a single day. Severe water retention can be a symptom of heart or kidney disease. More often, it is temporary and goes away on its own or with some simple lifestyle changes.
Why does your body retain water after dehydration?
These actions, however, prevent your body from its normal functions of excreting waste products and regulating your body temperature. When you drink 8 ounces of water while you are dehydrated, your body retains this water to help restore fluid balance and maintain normal physiological functions.
What are the symptoms of water retention in the body?
Water, or fluid, retention occurs when there is a problem with one or more of the body’s mechanisms for maintaining fluid levels. The main symptoms are swelling and discomfort.
How does the body retain fluid in the body?
Other physical processes also come into play. When the kidneys detect the diminished blood flow, they activate hormones that prompt the body to retain fluid and sodium in an effort to boost the volume of blood in circulation. The good news is that you can tell if you’re beginning to retain fluid merely by getting on the scale.
What happens when your body holds on to too much water?
Your body is mostly water. It’s in your blood, muscles, organs, and even your bones. You need it, but sometimes your body holds on to too much of it. This is water retention, and it causes puffiness and swelling. It can be triggered by many different things.