Extreme thirst (polydipsia) is a sudden, uncontrollable desire to drink water, often accompanied by dry mouth. The disorder occurs with physiological and pathological dehydration, fever of any origin, diseases of the endocrine system and kidneys. To determine the causes of polydipsia, tests for the content of hormones and toxins, ultrasound, X-ray imaging methods, and a comprehensive neurological examination are prescribed. To reduce unpleasant symptoms, competent etiotropic and pathogenetic therapy of the underlying disease is necessary.
A strong desire to drink is more often observed in summer, because when the air temperature rises, a large amount of liquid evaporates from the surface of the skin and is lost due to rapid breathing. A combination of intense thirst, dryness in the mouth and a feeling of sticking of the tongue to the palate is typical. Discomfort disappears after drinking 1-2 glasses of water. Other causes can also provoke painful polydipsia: heavy physical exertion, abuse of salty or spicy foods. If thirst is accompanied by dizziness, weakness, faintness, you should visit a doctor.
The symptom is characteristic of the second period of fever, which is manifested by a steady increase in body temperature. A person constantly wants water, while the lips dry up and crack, dryness of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity is noted. The patient drinks a lot, perhaps periodic increased sweating. The skin is red and hot to the touch. With a strong fever up to 40 ° C and severe dehydration, the patient may refuse to drink, which is an unfavorable sign. With persistent hyperthermia, urgent medical attention is required.
A large loss of blood provokes dehydration, which is accompanied by the appearance of severe thirst and dry mouth. Polydipsia is observed with external bleeding due to damage to large vessels. The cause can also be internal bleeding in open and closed injuries. Patients are in serious condition, they feel a sharp weakness, darkening in the eyes, ringing in the ears. Immediately there is a desire to drink, due to the drying of the mucous membranes of the mouth, speech becomes quiet, cracks and crusts form on the lips. Sometimes a person drinks several glasses, and the feeling of thirst does not decrease.
Any pathological conditions leading to the accumulation of toxic metabolites in the bloodstream cause constant thirst, which is associated with the effect of these substances on the vegetative centers of the medulla oblongata. The most typical symptom for alcohol intoxication - in the morning after drinking a large amount of alcohol, there is a strong desire to drink, often only 2-3 glasses of water can quench your thirst. There is a severe headache, which is aggravated by sharp sound or light stimuli.
A similar clinical picture develops as a result of endogenous intoxication due to massive purulent processes. Possible causes of polydipsia are extensive croupous pneumonia, large abscesses, and widespread inflammation of the soft tissues. Strong thirst disturbs during the entire period of illness, combined with general weakness and profuse sweating, pale skin. The patient complains of dryness in the oral cavity, which makes it difficult for him to chew and swallow food, and talk.
intense thirst
Excruciating thirst is due to the reaction of brain receptors to an increase in blood osmolarity. According to patients, they are constantly thirsty, the amount of water consumed per day reaches 5-6 liters. In addition to polydipsia, an increased appetite and profuse frequent urination develop, which constitutes the classic triad of diabetes mellitus. In some patients, a feeling of intense thirst may gradually increase, and the volume of liquid drunk reaches 1 liter. The combination of such manifestations with a sharp deterioration in the general condition is typical for hyperosmolar coma.
The strongest polydipsia, in which the patient is able to drink up to a liter of water at a time, occurs with diabetes insipidus - damage to the hypothalamus with insufficient secretion of vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone). The symptom is accompanied by diabetes: patients visit the toilet several times an hour, with each urination a large amount of light, odorless urine is released. Pathologically increased desire to drink is characteristic of hyperparathyroidism, and is due to excessive accumulation of calcium ions in the plasma. Also, symptoms can be caused by hyperthyroidism.
The kidneys regulate the amount of urine, ensure the excretion of toxic metabolic products and help maintain normal water balance. In diseases, these functions are disrupted, which provokes the development of very strong thirst. At the same time, the level of urine does not correspond to the volume of fluid consumed, since edema often appears. A combination of polydipsia with dry skin and oral mucosa is characteristic, sometimes intense pruritus is disturbing. Thirst can be caused by the following reasons:
Excessive excretion of water from the body can be caused by various reasons: repeated vomiting and diarrhea with intestinal infections, extensive burns, severe shortness of breath with pulmonary diseases. All these conditions lead to dehydration, in which excruciating thirst is felt - depending on the degree of water imbalance, a person can drink from 2-3 to 7 liters of water per day. Polydipsia is combined with dry mouth, decreased skin turgor, with severe dehydration, eyeballs recede, and the skin looks like tissue paper.
An acute desire to drink in people who have suffered head injuries is usually associated either with transient changes in the work of the thirst center in the brain, or with damage to the hypothalamus and the development of central diabetes insipidus. More often, polydipsia occurs immediately after TBI or during the first day, the amount of water drunk increases to 3-4 liters. Delayed onset of symptoms is a poor prognostic sign. Strong thirst is accompanied by other symptoms: temporary disturbances of consciousness, dizziness and instability in an upright position, excruciating nausea and vomiting.
To find out the causes of severe thirst, a consultation with a therapist is required. The doctor organizes the initial examination of the patient, taking into account the results obtained, directs him to narrow-profile specialists. The plan of diagnostic measures includes instrumental research methods, specialized laboratory tests. The most informative are:
If exogenous intoxication is suspected, the examination is supplemented with a study of hair or saliva for toxins, measuring the concentration of alcohol in the blood. To assess the degree of dehydration and blood loss, a general and biochemical blood test, a coagulogram are done. If there are signs of an infectious disease, a bacteriological analysis of feces, urine, and other biological fluids is provided to identify the pathogen.
To prevent dehydration in the hot season, you need to reduce the time spent in the sun, consume about 2-2.5 liters of fluid per day. It is advisable to exclude or limit alcohol intake as much as possible. It is recommended to give up spicy and salty foods, especially at night. If severe thirst is observed constantly or the symptom is combined with a progressive deterioration in the condition, it is important to contact a specialist as soon as possible to determine the cause of polydipsia.
Avoid eating salty and spicy foods
The optimal drinking regimen is selected after determining the origin of strong thirst. If endocrine disorders or massive blood loss are detected, fluid intake is not limited; in case of kidney pathology, it is necessary to strictly control fluid intake in order to prevent edema and heart overload. With repeated diarrhea or vomiting, rehydration is carried out using parenteral administration of infusion saline solutions. To treat the cause of polydipsia, the following are used:
The "gold standard" for the treatment of hyperparathyroidism is the surgical removal of pathologically altered glands - parathyroidectomy. With extensive purulent lesions or large cysts of the kidneys, they are surgically excised within healthy tissues, an alternative method of treating abscesses is percutaneous puncture and aspiration of pus. To stop bleeding from a hollow organ, endoscopic coagulation of the damaged vessel or intraoperative ligation of bleeding arteries is performed.