{"id":8805,"date":"2019-07-26T06:08:29","date_gmt":"2019-07-26T06:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=8805"},"modified":"2021-04-21T18:32:08","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T18:32:08","slug":"15-most-common-causes-of-polydipsia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-most-common-causes-of-polydipsia\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Most Common Causes of Polydipsia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A person who is experiencing extreme thirst may not realize that there is a medical term for this condition. Extreme thirstiness is referred to as polydipsia. Polydipsia is not a disease itself but is rather a symptom of certain types of health issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to note that a person who has recently exercised, been exposed to very hot conditions, or who has eaten salty food, and feels extremely thirsty does not necessarily have polydipsia as they will typically be able to easily quench their thirst by simply drinking more fluids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polydipsia is a thirst that lasts for days and possibly weeks or longer. How long this condition lasts depends on what the underlying cause for it is. The symptom could be a sign that there is something wrong in the body and anyone who is experiencing an extreme thirst that they simply cannot quench, should seek medical attention. Here are some of the common causes of Polydipsia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Urinary Conditions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are several conditions such as urinary tract infections, bladder infections, kidney diseases, and others that may cause a person to urinate frequently. When a person is urinating frequently the body may feel a need to constantly replace the fluids that are being lost during urination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, there are some natural physical processes such as sweating, taking drugs, or eating a diet that is high in salt that can cause a person to lose a lot of fluids. As the body is losing fluids it can cause a person to become extremely thirsty because the body inherently wants to remain hydrated and keep fluids moving throughout the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are suffering from some type of infection <\/a>that is causing you to urinate frequently, you may develop polydipsia, which means that you may have a thirst that is not quenchable no matter how much you continue to drink.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Diabetes Mellitus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the very first symptoms that a person may experience if they have developed diabetes mellitus is polydipsia. The reason for this is because diabetes <\/a>mellitus makes it more difficult for the body to use and process blood sugars or glucose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the body cannot digest blood sugars properly, the level of the blood sugars can become very high. When the sugars in the blood get very high, it may cause a person to feel very thirsty as a result. If you are experiencing polydipsia and you have not been diagnosed with diabetes or any other ailment that could be the result of this symptom, it is important to make sure that you see your doctor have your blood sugar levels checked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a good chance that you may be suffering from diabetes if you have developed polydipsia and have some of the other symptoms associated with the disease including frequent urination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Diabetic Ketoacidosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A person who has been diagnosed with diabetes may begin to feel thirstier than usual. If this occurs they should make sure that they do a check of their blood sugar level. When a person suffers from diabetes, glucose <\/a>cannot enter through the cells in order to provide energy. When this happens, the body may begin to break down fat to use for energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this occurs, a toxic by-product is known as ketones are created. When ketones build up within the blood, the blood can become too acidic. When this occurs there is a change in the pH, which can cause a person to develop diabetic ketoacidosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is not treated promptly, it can cause a person to become very ill and may even be potentially fatal. Extreme thirst and a need to urinate frequently are two of the earliest symptoms of ketoacidosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Diabetes Insipidus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diabetes insipidus is a condition that is quite rare. It affects one in 25,000 people. This is a different health condition than diabetes mellitus as it does not involve any problems with insulin. There are several types of diabetes insipidus and each of these types has a different cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, each type does involve an issue with vasopressin. Vasopressin is an antidiuretic hormone that helps to control the removal of fluids through the kidneys. A person who is suffering from diabetes insipidus may pass large amounts of urine that are clear and odorless. A person with this ailment could pass anywhere from 3 to 20 quarts of urine <\/a>each day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of this frequent passing of urine, a person may develop polydipsia as the body is trying to replace the fluids that have been lost. If you are experiencing the symptoms of diabetes insipidus, seek medical attention right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Dehydration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common cause of polydipsia is simply dehydration<\/a>. Dehydration may be caused by any number of things including excessive sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea. Any issue that causes a person to lose fluids can lead to a person becoming dehydrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a person becomes dehydrated they will typically feel very thirsty and want to quench that thirst in any way possible. However, if the person is feeling ill, it may be difficult to keep any type of fluid down  Severe dehydration can have devastating effects on the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to make sure that you are always taking in enough fluids as your body needs fluids in order to survive. If you are feeling dizzy or lightheaded, or if you are very thirsty and can not keep anything down, seek medical attention right away as this could be a sign that your body is starting to shut down and you need fluids as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Mental Health Conditions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a study completed in the year 2013, researchers looked at the excessive thirst of people who attended an outpatient clinic for the treatment of mental health conditions. Of those that were a part of the study, it was found that 15.7% of them suffered from excessive thirst or polydipsia<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This thirst was not caused by any type of identifiable cause or the use of medication. Of the subgroup 13 of the people suffering from schizophrenia and one of the individuals suffered from bipolar disorder. Some of the reasons that these people gave for drinking excessively included trying to cope with feelings of emptiness, habit, and because drinking water helps to cleanse the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study completed in 2017 found that the symptoms of polydipsia had features commonly found in those who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder in that a person is often not aware that the amount of fluids that they are consuming is excessive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Neurological Disorders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some researchers believe that there may be a neurobiological link between some mental health <\/a>conditions and drinking too much. These researches have suggested that a person who suffers from a traumatic brain injury may develop polydipsia. When there is a psychological reason that a person is drinking too much, the risk of developing water intoxication is present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are currently more research studies being done in order to learn more about the effects of psychological or neurological disorders and their link to developing polydipsia. People who suffer from neurological disorders should make sure that they discuss all of their symptoms with a medical professional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes excessive fluid intake or having the feeling of needing to drink all the time because of an unquenchable thirst. Drinking too much can lead to further complications and is a symptom that needs to be addressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Medications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are some types of medications <\/a>that a person may take that can cause them to become extremely thirsty or to develop polydipsia where they simply cannot seem to quench their thirst. Corticosteroids are one type of medication that may lead to polydipsia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another type of commonly prescribed medication that can cause polydipsia is diuretics. Diuretics are designed to make a person urinate more frequently. When a person is urinating more frequently, it can cause them to want to drink more in order to replenish the fluids that are lost during urination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consuming too much vitamin D or salt in drinks and foods may also cause a person to develop polydipsia. If you have recently started a new medication and you have noticed that you are thirstier than normal, it is important to discuss these symptoms with your doctor. It could be caused by the medication or there could be another underlying cause for the symptom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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