Beware! Excessive thirst could be a signal of serious health problem

Thirst is your body’s way of telling you that it’s running low on water, which it needs to work well. It’s normal to feel thirsty when it’s hot or after you’ve powered through an intense workout. But if you’re constantly refilling your cup without relief, it could signal another health problem.

By: Satata Karmakar | | Published: December 29, 2020 12:24 pm

Excessive thirst: This is what your body is trying to tell you

Excessive thirst or dipsesis is a condition that causes extreme fluid loss while depleting the water from your body, thereby causing excessive thirst. You can lose large amounts of water from your body through excessive urination, diarrhoea, vomiting, and sweating. If you have noticed that you have been feeling excessively thirsty off late, here are some of the most common ailments that might be causing these symptoms. Also Read - Diabetes: Beneficial gut bacteria can play a key role in treating the condition

Possible Causes of Excessive Thirst

#Diabetes

When your blood sugar levels are abnormal, as in the case of diabetes, your kidneys are unable to deal with the sugar overload. When this occurs, sugar enters into the urine while also removing an excessive amount of body water too. This causes the body to remain in a state of water depletion which causes excessive thirst in people suffering from the condition. Therefore, one of the main causes of excessive thirst would have to be an undiagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. A high number of children and adults have been diagnosed with this condition worldwide. You may also like to read about Home remedies for diabetes mellitus. Also Read - Sweating too much? Diabetes and other underlying health problems your body is trying to tell you

#Dehydration

There are a number of illnesses that can cause dehydration, a condition that leads to the depletion of water from the body. Some of the leading illnesses include food poisoning as well as other diarrheal illnesses, heat exhaustion, infections that cause fever and burns. When the water from your body starts to deplete, you may experience symptoms like dry mouth, fatigue, and extreme thirst. Also, in the case of severe dehydration, nausea and vomiting will also take place causing fluid displacement. If one is not able to take in liquids through his or her mouth, intravenous fluids may be required. It should be noted that a severe case of dehydration can have life-threatening results. When a massive loss of total body water occurs, dehydration more often than not leads to death. Also Read - Type 2 diabetes: Are you experiencing diarrhea? The lesser-known sign of the condition

#Excessive Thirst Can Lead To Anxiety

Is it possible for anxiety to cause excessive thirst? Well, it sure can. When you are anxious about something, it may lead to a dry mouth which may in fact feel like thirst. Anxiety can take away water from your mouth and send it to other areas in your body. It could also increase acids in your stomach which could then lead to saliva loss. If you are feeling anxious, it could make you feel sick too.

#Excessive Sweating

It may be obvious but excessive sweating especially in extremely hot and humid conditions can cause thirst. It should be interesting to note that miners in hot climates may be required to drink more than 10 litres of water a day during their work hours. Excessive drinking which causes excessive sweating, diarrhea, or even vomiting is not necessarily associated with excessive urination, as is the case with other causes of polydipsia.

#Digestion

Digestion can also lead to a person experiencing excessive thirst. This is the case especially after a heavy meal during the day or night. Also, oily and spicy food can cause such a feeling. This occurs because our bodily fluids are used to digest the food, thereby depleting fluid from the body. This is the main reason why you would feel thirsty after a heavy meal. However, it is not good to drink water straight after a meal because it saturates the food in your system and stores it as fat.

#Excessive Thirst Can Make You Anaemic

Anemia means your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells. Some people are born with it, while others get it later in life. There are a lot of things that can cause it, including diseases, a poor diet, or heavy bleeding.

Mild anemia probably won’t make you thirsty, but you might find yourself craving more water if the condition gets severe.

How Can You Quench Your Thirst?

The answer depends on what is making you so thirsty. Drinking more water is a good place to start. But if you can’t satisfy your craving for it, try these home remedies:

#Amla or Indian gooseberry and honey

Take 3 tsp of Indian gooseberry powder and 2 tsp of honey and mix well. Take this mixture at least thrice a day.

#Fennel seed powder

Take around 5tsps of fennel seed powder and add around 250 ml of water to it. Let it soak for close to an hour before straining the liquid and drinking it in small sips. This is effective when malaria causes thirst problems.

#Black pepper powder

Take 1 tsp of black pepper powder and add to it 4 cups of water which should be boiled. Mix well before allowing the mixture to cool. Drink a few sips whenever you feel thirsty.

Published : December 29, 2020 12:24 pm

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