Are you thirsty all the time, even if you drink a lot of water? After meals? At night too? Professor Michel Jadoul, Head of the Nephrology Department at the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc warns that such symptoms may be linked to polydipsia and more serious underlying problems.
The hot summer that we have just experienced has probably led to most of us taking on more liquids than normal to remain hydrated. But when the feeling of extreme thirstiness continues beyond the point when we are usually sated, even in warm weather, there may be cause for concern.
Polydipsia in itself is a symptom of other health problems. It can be one of the initial symptoms of diabetes, kidney failure and Conn’s syndrome among others.
The main reason for thirst is that we have lost water in excessive quantities due to sweating and need to rehydrate. But it can also be because of kidney problems or a malfunction of the endocrine gland. Some medications, specifically those prescribed for psychiatric disorders, can also make your mouth dry and cause excessive thirst.
How do I know if I am drinking a lot and therefore may be experiencing polydipsia? This depends on what we normally drink in a day. Some drink one litre of water per day, others two or even three. There are only two ways to quantify and assess the loss of these liquids. Measure what you swallow and what you evacuate. If it's more or less the same, it's in the norm. In your "calculation", do not forget about the evacuation of liquid through sweating and breathing, which is equivalent to half a litre of water per day.
You can also quantify what you swallow as a quantity of water, but this is not always obvious. Many foods that we consume have a lot of water and are therefore not very evaluable such as a yogurt, that contains two-thirds of water, or fruit.
What should I do if I am concerned? It is best to contact your doctor or a specialist if your calculations put your intake way above what is considered normal.
In regard to physical problems, identifying the cause of water loss is easy for kidney nephrologists. There are blood and urine tests during which the patient is given a thirst test. Doctors will be able to analyse if the kidney is able to concentrate all the urine and see if the sodium level remains "normal".
For psychological causes, the tests last one, or even half a day and consist of depriving the patient of water with a blood test every hour. If the day before, the patient urinated profusely, it is because he had consumed a large amount of water. With this test, doctors are able to judge whether the kidneys and glands are working well or not and establish a diagnosis.
The treatment of polydipsia depends on its origin and evolution, and it requires:
- Neurology care in case of brain disorders;
- Psychiatric follow-up, in case of psychological disorders;
- Drug treatment in the case of diabetes;
- Management in nephrology for renal concerns;
- An injection of an antidiuretic hormone if there is a pituitary tumour
