Feeling thirsty is our body's way of telling us simply that it lacks fluids, which it needs to work properly. It's very normal to feel thirsty often when it's hot or if you're in the middle of a physical workout, but if you always feel like your mouth is dry and thirsty for water so that even a glass or two doesn't help quench your thirst, it could be a sign of a health problem. So how will you know if your constant feeling of thirst indicates such a problem? Here are some conditions that you should check and diagnose if necessary, which can cause an increased feeling of thirst.
1. Simply dehydration
Dehydration is the most straightforward cause of increased thirst. It occurs when your body doesn't have enough water to carry out its normal functions. Several factors can lead to dehydration, including insufficient fluid intake, diarrhea, vomiting, or excessive sweating.
Signs of Dehydration:
- Dark Urine: Dark-colored urine is a clear sign that your body is conserving water, indicating dehydration.
- Frequent Urination: Needing to urinate often can also be a sign, as your body tries to expel waste products more efficiently.
- Dry Skin: When dehydrated, your skin may lose elasticity and become dry.
- Dry Mouth: A persistent dry mouth can be an immediate indicator of dehydration.
- Feeling Tired and Exhausted: Lack of fluids can make you feel tired and lethargic.
- Headaches: Dehydration can lead to headaches as the body struggles to maintain essential functions.
2. Diabetes
Unquenchable thirst can be a symptom of diabetes. In this condition, the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or doesn't use it effectively, causing glucose (sugar) to build up in the blood. Excess glucose is expelled through urine, drawing fluids from the body and leading to frequent urination and increased thirst.
Symptoms of Diabetes:
- Blurred Vision: High blood sugar levels can cause the lenses of the eyes to swell, leading to blurred vision.
- Feeling Tired and Exhausted: Despite eating, the body can't use glucose properly, leading to fatigue.
- Constant Hunger: The body's cells are starved for energy despite the high blood sugar levels, causing persistent hunger.
- Slow-Healing Cuts and Bruises: High glucose levels can impair the body's ability to heal wounds.
- Frequent Urination: The kidneys work overtime to filter out the excess sugar, leading to more frequent urination.
3. Diabetes insipidus
Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition that shares a name with diabetes mellitus but is not related. Unlike diabetes mellitus, which involves issues with insulin and blood sugar levels, diabetes insipidus is characterized by a problem with the regulation of water in the body. It occurs when the body doesn't produce enough antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or when the kidneys do not respond properly to ADH. This hormone, also known as vasopressin, plays a crucial role in managing the body's fluid balance by signaling the kidneys to conserve water.
Other signs that can indicate this problem are
- Frequent Urination: Without enough ADH, the kidneys remove too much fluid from the body, causing frequent urination.
- Dehydration: The excessive loss of water can quickly lead to dehydration, even if you drink a lot of fluids.
- Persistent Thirst: The body continuously signals for more fluid intake due to the rapid loss of water.
4. Dry Mouth
When your mouth is very dry, it can make you feel thirsty, but most likely the problem is not your fluid intake, but the glands in the oral cavity producing less saliva. This can happen as a side effect of a drug you are taking or due to anti-cancer treatments, but also due to diseases such as schögren's syndrome, damage to the nerves in the head and neck or even smoking tobacco and marijuana.
If your glands do not produce enough saliva, you will also experience other symptoms, such as:
- Bad Breath
- Changes in the sense of taste
- Gum irritations
- Lipstick that sticks to the teeth
- Sticky and thick saliva
- Difficulty chewing
5. Anemia
In a state of anemia, your body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Some people are born with it, while others may develop it at some point in life. The causes of anemia are many and varied, and among them we can name various diseases, poor nutrition and even heavy bleeding. Mild anemia probably won't make you feel too thirsty, but you will feel like your body needs more water if the problem gets worse.
Other symptoms of anemia are:
- Dizziness
- Exhaustion and general weakness
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Rapid heartbeat
- Hyperhidrosis
6. Hypercalcemia
Hypercalcemia describes a condition where there is too much calcium in the blood. This can be a serious condition, as calcium plays many crucial roles in the body, including in bone health, muscle function, nerve signaling, and heart health. Various factors can lead to hypercalcemia, and understanding these can help in diagnosing and managing the condition. Causes run from overactivity of the parathyroid glands, cancer, granulomatous diseases (tuberculosis) as well as medications and vitamin D overdose, among others.
Apart from increased thirst, other symptoms of hypercalcemia include:
- Need to urinate often
- Abdominal sensations
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Bone pain and weak muscles
- Feelings of confusion, exhaustion and even depression
- In rare cases, cardiac problems such as rapid heart rate and arrhythmias
How to quench the thirst?
As you understand, the answer to this question of course depends on the type of problem that caused the feeling of thirst. Either way, it's recommended to drink more water than you're used to, especially to treat dehydration, but if that doesn't help, it's a good idea to see a doctor and see what's causing it. If it's hard for you to stick to drinking water in general, here are some recipes for flavored water that you can make for yourself and that will encourage you to drink more. Try our article about getting more water in your system.
