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Thirst - excessive

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Illustrations

Insulin production and diabetes
Insulin production and diabetes

Alternative names    Return to top

Increased thirst; Polydipsia; Excessive thirst

Definition    Return to top

Excessive thirst is an abnormal feeling of constantly needing to consume fluids.

Considerations    Return to top

Drinking lots of water is usually healthy. However, the urge to drink excessively beyond a certain limit may reflect an underlying disease, either physical or emotional. Excessive thirst may be a symptom of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and can be an important clue in detecting diabetes.

Excessive thirst is a fairly common symptom and is often the reaction to fluid loss during exercise or intake of salty foods.

Common Causes    Return to top

Home Care    Return to top

Because thirst is usually the body's way of replacing water loss, it is usually advisable to drink plenty of liquids.

For compulsive thirst, seek psychological help.

For thirst caused by diabetes, follow prescribed therapy to properly control blood sugar levels.

Call your health care provider if    Return to top

What to expect at your health care provider's office    Return to top

The health care provider will obtain your medical history and will perform a physical examination.

Medical history questions documenting excessive thirst in detail may include the following:

A psychological evaluation may be recommended if compulsive thirst (of psychologic origin) is suspected. Fluid intake and output will be closely monitored.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include the following:

Update Date: 5/4/2003

Updated by: Bridget Martell, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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