What Causes Polydipsia?
Polydipsia is the condition of being excessively thirsty and it is usually the result of a health problem. Some causes of polydipsia are easily fixed, but some are chronic. Patients with polydipsia will often drink too much water. This might seem like a good thing; after all, water is one of the healthiest things one can drink. However, drinking too much water can lead to further problems such as hyponatremia, which is a low concentration of sodium in the body. Polydipsia can also be annoying to deal with. As such, it is important for patients to find out the cause of their polydipsia in order to treat any underlying conditions they might have.
Dehydration
Of all the causes of polydipsia, dehydration is the easiest to identify. It is essentially caused by simply not drinking enough liquids. Individuals can also get dehydrated after sweating excessively, competing in sports events, or having an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea. In the case of illness, patients get dehydrated because it is difficult for them to keep liquids down. Someone who is mildly dehydrated can likely fix the problem by simply drinking more water. Symptoms include polydipsia, muscle cramps, and headaches. Someone who is severely dehydrated needs to go to the hospital. Symptoms of this severity of dehydration include dizziness, a fast heart rate, and passing out.
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Polyuria
Polyuria is the condition of urinating a lot more than normal. This condition is usually diagnosed if a patient is peeing more than two and a half liters of urine per day. It is often an early symptom of diabetes, and it can also indicate other diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome, sickle cell anemia, and several different kidney conditions. However, some medications can also cause polyuria. As a medication side effect, this is not necessarily a cause for concern, but it does not hurt to tell a doctor about side effects if they are bothersome. If patients feel they are urinating more than usual and cannot identify a cause, it is extremely important to go to the doctor. There may be nothing wrong, but tests should be done to check on kidney function and to rule out diabetes.
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Diabetes Mellitus Or Insipidus
Polydipsia is often a symptom of diabetes mellitus or insipidus. Diabetes mellitus is a very common disease and millions of Americans have it. There are actually two different types of diabetes mellitus: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the pancreas, mistaking it for a foreign substance, and prevents the pancreas from making insulin. Type 2 diabetes is a lot more common than type 1. Type 2 is usually diagnosed in adults, while type 1 is more commonly found in children. Both types of diabetes mellitus have polydipsia as a symptom, and so does diabetes insipidus. Diabetes insipidus is a much less common illness than diabetes mellitus. In diabetes insipidus, the body has a difficult time regulating fluid in the body. This is caused by a lack of anti-diuretic hormone. As a result, one of the main symptoms of this type of diabetes is excessive thirst.
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Consuming Lots Of Vitamin D Or Salt
Consuming lots of vitamin D or salt can sometimes lead to polydipsia as well. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps keep the bones and immune system healthy. However, it is possible to have too much of it. Hypervitaminosis D is a condition caused by having so much vitamin D in the body that it becomes toxic. Polydipsia is one of the symptoms of this, along with hypertension and nausea.
Consuming too much salt can also make an individual excessively thirsty. This is because when the blood concentration of salt gets too high, the body sends signals to the brain that the blood needs to be diluted, leading to feelings of thirst. Excessive thirst can occur if someone eats too much salty food, and because of this, along with many other reasons, it is a good idea to avoid consuming too much sodium.
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Certain Medications
Certain medications can result in polydipsia as a side effect. Some medications cause the patient to have an extremely dry mouth, which causes the patient to feel very thirsty. Other medications may cause imbalances in the electrolytes in the body, which causes the patient to need more water. Excessive sweating can also be a side effect that leads to dehydration. If individuals notice they feel extremely thirsty after starting a new medication, they should discuss it with their doctor. There may be alternative medications, or the doctor may be able to provide some advice about how to relieve thirst without drinking excessive amounts of water. If a patient's polydipsia is caused by a dry mouth, for example, they might find relief by sucking on hard candies. If individuals are getting dehydrated, an electrolyte drink might help more than just some water.