Sodium is an essential electrolyte for the body. The mineral helps regulate your blood pressure and fluid levels in the body. Muscles and nerves also need sodium to function properly. Medical conditions such as diarrhea, burns, cirrhosis of the liver and congestive heart failure might cause an unsafe drop in sodium levels. Your physician can order a blood test to check sodium levels. When sodium levels in your body drop below normal -- a condition called hyponatremia -- you might feel symptoms such as confusion, fatigue and a headache. Raising blood sodium levels is essential to help prevent serious complications, such as seizures or death.
Step 1
Visit your physician to determine the cause of the low sodium levels. Some medications, such as diuretics used to treat kidney disease or high blood pressure, might decrease sodium levels. Medications might cause the kidneys to remove more sodium than necessary from the body. Changing medications or adjusting the dosage might help increase sodium levels.
Step 2
Reduce fluid intake. Drinking excessive amounts of fluids, such as water, might cause sodium levels to decrease. Restricting the amount of fluids you drink might increase sodium levels in the blood. Mild cases of hyponatremia might respond to restricting water intake to one quart daily, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Step 3
Go to the hospital to get intravenous fluids administered. Receiving sodium directly from intravenous fluids helps increase the concentration of sodium in the blood. This treatment is common if diarrhea, excessive sweating or vomiting cause your low sodium levels. This treatment might require close monitoring in a hospital setting until sodium levels return to normal.
Step 4
Get a prescription for a medication used to raise sodium levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a medication called tolvaptan to treat hyponatremia. Tolvaptan treats low sodium when caused by conditions such as liver cirrhosis and congestive heart failure. Take the medication exactly as directed by your physician. These tablets might require a hospital admission to closely monitor your sodium levels and your response to the medication. Possible side effects of the medication include raising blood sodium too quickly. A fast increase in sodium levels might lead to a condition called osmotic demyelination syndrome. Symptoms of this condition include confusion, drowsiness, seizure, mood swings and death, according to the FDA. Common side effects of tolvaptan include increased urination, thirst, dry mouth and high blood sugar levels.
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