What is the Sodium Test?

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Sodium Test used for?

A Sodium test is a part of a broader group of tests known as an electrolyte panel. This electrolyte panel is a broad blood test that measures sodium levels in your blood and the levels of other electrolytic salts like potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. Your physician may recommend a sodium test for a variety of reasons. 

How to understand the test results of the Sodium Test?

The sodium test results are given in the unit of milliequivalents per litre (mEq/L). If you find that your sodium levels are between 135 and 145 mEq/L, then you can rest assured that your results are within the normal range. However, anything less than 135 mEq/L and more than 145 mEq/L is considered abnormal. 

Why do I need a Sodium Test?

You may need to get a Sodium test done if your doctor suspects either hypernatremia or hyponatremia (which means too much or too little sodium in the blood, respectively). If you have symptoms like increased thirst, it could indicate hypernatremia, but it can only be confirmed with a sodium test or a broader electrolyte panel test. 

What happens during the Sodium Test?

Since this test is like any other blood test, you will have to undergo the withdrawal of a small sample of blood from a vein in your arm. A doctor, nurse, or any other trained medical practitioner will pierce a thin needle in a vein in your arm. This may hurt momentarily, but there are no side effects following it.

What happens when your sodium level is too high?

Excess sodium in the body is never good, and if your test results indicate that you have hypernatremia, then you may experience symptoms like increased thirst. In more severe cases of hypernatremia, you might experience mental confusion, muscle twitching, seizures, coma, and even death. However, the most common symptom is brain dysfunction. 

What happens if your sodium is low?

Just like hypernatremia, hyponatremia (or low sodium levels) can be equally harmful. In this case, you may experience symptoms like nausea, headache, mental confusion, extreme fatigue, restlessness, muscle spasms or cramps, and even seizures and coma. This condition can be caused by certain types of medication like antidepressants and diuretics, or even underlying heart, liver, and kidney problems.

What does a positive sodium test result mean?

A positive sodium test that uses clinical methods to determine the results means you may have issues related to your kidneys, like inflammation or reduced functioning of the adrenal glands in the kidney. Hence, a positive sodium test confirms hypernatremia, which can sometimes be the leading cause of diarrhoea, and should be treated at the earliest.

How do you fix low sodium?

If your test results come out negative, it usually means you have hyponatremia (or low sodium levels). This can be treated by consuming fewer fluids, adjusting the dosage of diuretic medicines, and even going for intravenous sodium infusions like Normal Saline (NS). However, it may be due to other underlying causes, which should be treated as soon as possible. 

What is a good sodium score?

When looking at the results of your sodium test, you should know that a good sodium score is anything between 135 and 145 millimoles per litre (mmol/L). This is also known as 135 and 145 milliequivalents per litre (mEq/L). Anything outside this range is considered to be either too low or too high.

What is normal sodium for adults?

Typically, the normal sodium level for an adult male or female is 140 mEq/L (or mmol/L). While this is the average sodium level for all adults (male or female), the lower limit is 135 mEq/L, and the upper limit is 145 mEq/L. If you like to know more or want to get a sodium test done, you can book an appointment or even opt for a free second opinion. 

Book an appointment or Get a free second opinion from our experts at Yashoda Hospitals today.