Do you sometimes feel like you're just tired, dizzy, or have tingling sensations in your limbs? We often think of these as normal fatigue or not drinking enough water, but sometimes the underlying cause is a small change in our blood. Today, we're going to talk about one such condition, a condition called alkalosis, in which the alkalinity of our blood increases.
What is this pH value in our blood?
Simply put, pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a liquid is. You probably drink acidic things every day. Things like coffee, some soft drinks, and lemon juice are all acidic. Even our saliva is somewhat acidic.
But things that are highly alkaline are often harmful to us. Things like seawater and cleaning chemicals are highly alkaline, and they are dangerous to ingest.
The pH of our blood should be in the middle, at a neutral level. This balance is essential for all body functions to function properly. If the acidity of the blood increases, we call it acidosis. If the alkalinity increases, we call it alkalosis.
What are the causes of alkalosis?
There are two main categories of causes for this condition. Accordingly, alkalosis is divided into two types.
1. Metabolic Alkalosis
This is caused by the removal of too much acid from our bodies or the accumulation of too much bicarbonate, a basic chemical in the blood. Our kidneys are the main organs that control this pH balance in the body.
- Excessive vomiting: Imagine someone vomiting a lot. Then a large amount of hydrochloric acid in their stomach is released from the body. This can upset the acid-base balance of the blood, making the blood slightly more alkaline.
- Other medical conditions: Certain medical conditions such as heart disease, liver disease, or kidney disease can also cause changes in blood pH.
2. Respiratory Alkalosis
This is due to a decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our blood. CO2 is a gas that helps maintain the acidity of our blood.
- Hyperventilation: The main reason for this is that we breathe too quickly and deeply. This can happen when a person is scared, anxious, or overexerted. This causes our body to release more carbon dioxide and increases the alkalinity of our blood.
- Other reasons:
- Fever
- Living at high altitudes
- Decreased oxygen levels in the blood
- Lung-related diseases
- Liver diseases
What are the symptoms of this alkalosis condition?
Even a small imbalance in the pH of your blood can make you feel uncomfortable, irritable, and sick. Sometimes, this condition can be present without any symptoms.
| Symptoms of Alkalosis | |
|---|---|
| Commonly seen symptoms | |
| Confusion | Tremors |
| Feeling faint | Muscle spasms or tetany |
| Nausea and vomiting | Numbness in the face, hands, or feet |
| Severe symptoms that require immediate attention | |
| Heart arrhythmia | Seizures |
| Coma | |
Alkalosis is usually not serious in a person with healthy kidneys. However, if the muscles are twitching painfully (severe tetany), you should definitely see a doctor . If severe symptoms occur, you should immediately go to a hospital's emergency department (ETU).
How does a doctor find this?
When you see a doctor, the first step in diagnosing an illness is a physical examination.
1. Asking about symptoms: First, your doctor will examine you and ask you about your symptoms.
2. Emergency treatment: If you have an emergency condition, such as rapid breathing (hyperventilation), it will be treated before other tests.
3. Blood tests: Next, a blood test will be done. This can quickly determine if you have a pH imbalance and alkalosis in your blood. This test mainly looks for:
- Blood gases
- Acid-base balance
- Electrolyte levels
4. Urine tests: If necessary, a urine test can be done to further confirm the exact cause of this.
How is alkalosis treated?
The most important thing in treating alkalosis is to treat the underlying cause of the condition, not just the symptoms.
After treating the basic symptoms, the doctor will look for the cause of the disease and begin appropriate long-term treatment.
- Treatment for Metabolic Alkalosis: The treatment for this is to provide the body with adequate water and electrolytes. These can be given through drinks containing sodium and potassium, or saline if necessary.
- Treatment for Respiratory Alkalosis: The key here is to normalize breathing. If you are hyperventilating, calming down and breathing slowly can help restore oxygen levels. Sometimes breathing into a paper bag is also recommended to help control this process.
Can this situation be avoided?
Prevention methods depend on the cause of your alkalosis. You are at higher risk if you have certain conditions, such as kidney disease. Also, dehydration increases your risk of developing metabolic alkalosis.
If you are at risk, your doctor will create a prevention plan for you.
For example, some medications called 'diuretics' or 'water pills' or some medications for gastritis (antacids) can cause this condition. If there is a risk, your doctor may change the medication or adjust the dosage. Therefore, never stop or start any medication on your own without consulting a doctor.
Take-Home Message
- Alkalosis is when the alkalinity of our blood increases above normal levels.
- There are two main types of this: Metabolic Alkalosis, which is caused by causes such as excessive vomiting, and Respiratory Alkalosis, which is caused by causes such as rapid breathing.
- Symptoms such as dizziness, numbness in the limbs, and muscle twitching may occur.
- If you have these symptoms, especially if they persist, please see a doctor without self-medicating.
- During treatment, it is very important to control the symptoms as well as treat the underlying condition that caused them.
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