Constant thirst and frequent urination. Why you want to drink a lot of water: reasons

The tissues of the human body contain water and a variety of salts (more precisely, ions). The main ions that determine the salt composition of blood plasma and tissue fluid are sodium and potassium, and chlorides are among the anions. Its osmotic pressure depends on the concentration of salts in the internal environment of the body, which ensures the shape of the cells and their normal vital activity. The ratio of salts and water is called the water-electrolyte balance. When it is disturbed, thirst arises.

It becomes clear that thirst can be caused by the following groups of reasons:

Decreased water intake in the body.
Increased excretion of water from the body (including with salts - osmotic diuresis).
Increasing the intake of salts in the body.
Decreased excretion of salts from the body.
Also, one should not forget that the center of thirst is located in the brain, and in some of its diseases, this symptom may also appear.

Decreased water intake in the body

Often thirst is caused by a lack of fluid intake. It depends on the age, gender of people, their weight. It is believed that on average a person needs to drink at least one and a half liters of pure water per day. Therefore, the first thing to do when thirst appears is to increase the amount of water you drink at least a little, and monitor your well-being.

It is necessary to especially monitor the amount of water drunk in the elderly, malnourished patients, children and in the hot season.

Increasing the excretion of water from the body

Strong thirst causes the use of large volumes of beer.

Water is excreted from the human body in the following ways:

through the kidneys;
through the lungs and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract;
through the skin;
through the intestines.

Loss of water through the kidneys

Increased urination can be observed when taking diuretic drugs. Many of them contribute to the excretion of salts through the kidneys, which “pull” water along with them. Many medicinal plants also have a diuretic effect. Therefore, it is necessary to review the medicines, herbal remedies and dietary supplements that a person takes.

Increased urination and, as a result, thirst causes the use of large volumes of liquid,.

If a person is worried about constant intense thirst, accompanied by the release of large amounts of light urine (up to several liters per day), the most likely cause of this condition is diabetes insipidus. This is an endocrine disease, accompanied by a violation of water retention in the kidneys. This disease is treated by an endocrinologist.

Primary and secondary wrinkled kidney, acute and chronic, are the most common kidney diseases that cause increased urination and, as a result, thirst. These diseases have a diverse clinical picture, therefore, if they are suspected, you should consult a therapist and pass a minimum set of tests to determine kidney function (general and biochemical blood tests, general urinalysis, Zimnitsky urinalysis).

Separately, it is necessary to mention the so-called osmotic diuresis. When salts or other osmotically active substances (for example, glucose) are excreted from the body through the kidneys, according to the laws of physics, water is “pulled out” behind them. Increased excretion of fluid causes thirst. The main example of such a state is . Thirst at the beginning of this disease is accompanied by the release of a large amount of urine. Suspecting diabetes will help The first tests for suspected diabetes should be the level of glucose in the blood and urine, a glucose tolerance test.

Hyperparathyroidism can also cause thirst. This is an endocrine disease associated with dysfunction of the parathyroid glands. In this disease, calcium is primarily washed out of the bone tissue and excreted in the urine. Calcium is osmotically active and "pulls" water with it. Weakness, fatigue, pain in the legs will help to suspect hyperparathyroidism. Tooth loss is a common early symptom of hyperparathyroidism.

Constant nausea, frequent vomiting, weight loss are also characteristic of this disease. It is necessary to contact an endocrinologist for an in-depth examination.

Loss of water through the respiratory tract

Constant mouth breathing contributes to the emergence of thirst. It can occur with hypertrophic rhinitis, in children, night snoring. In such conditions, it is better to contact an ENT doctor.

Loss of fluid through the respiratory tract increases with rapid breathing (fever, oxygen starvation, respiratory failure due to lung disease, bronchitis, pneumonia). In case of complaints of shortness of breath, it is also necessary to contact a therapist to study the respiratory and cardiovascular systems (X-ray of the lungs and an electrocardiogram are included in the minimum set of studies).

Loss of water through the skin

Violations of the central regulation

The thirst center is located in the hypothalamus. It can be affected by strokes and other focal lesions and brain injuries. In addition, violations of the central regulation of thirst can be observed in some mental disorders.

Based on what has been said

Constant thirst is a reason to take a blood test for sugar.

With constant thirst, you need:

Normalize the amount of fluid you drink.
Eliminate foods, medicines, drinks and supplements that can cause thirst.
Contact a local physician.
Pass general blood and urine tests, a biochemical blood test, undergo an x-ray of the lungs and an ECG.
In case of deviations in the analyzes, undergo an in-depth examination.
If no deviations are found, it is advisable to contact an endocrinologist and examine the hormonal background.

Thirst - This is a phenomenon that indicates the need to replenish water reserves in the body. Thirst is observed in a healthy person after heavy physical exertion, in extreme heat, after eating very spicy and salty foods. However, if the feeling that you are thirsty does not leave all the time, then such a symptom can be quite serious and indicate the development of serious diseases.

How does thirst manifest itself?

When thirsty, a person feels an irresistible desire to drink liquid. Thirst is one of the main biological motivations that ensures the normal functioning of the body. The feeling of thirst helps to maintain a balance between the content of salts and water in the body.

The main manifestation of thirst is severe dryness in the mouth and throat, which is explained by decreased secretion of saliva due to lack of water in the body. In this case, it is about true thirst . Sometimes the same symptoms develop after eating very dry food, after a long conversation, smoking. This is false thirst , which can be eliminated by simply moisturizing the oral cavity. If we are talking about true thirst, then moisturizing only slightly softens, but does not eliminate the desire to drink.

To prevent the occurrence of thirst, it is necessary to replenish the fluid supply in the body in a timely manner. To do this, you should know how to calculate the need for water. To date, it is generally accepted that the daily need for water for a healthy adult is about 30-40 g per 1 kg of his weight. Applying this rule, you can easily calculate what is the body's need for water per day for a person with a certain weight. But when making such calculations, it should be taken into account that a number of other factors also affect a person's need for water. If a person sweats frequently due to an active lifestyle, they will need additional fluids. Another factor influencing the occurrence of thirst is air temperature. On hot days or in a room that is too hot, you need to drink a lot more. Increase fluid loss stressful situations , some diseases , pregnancy and . Doctors say that in the form of clean drinking water, a person should normally consume about 1.2 liters of liquid daily. Another part of the water enters the body with a variety of foods.

Why does thirst arise?

Why you want to drink is explained very simply. Thirst occurs as the human body regularly loses moisture. Moisture is lost both during physical and mental stress. Thirst can also overcome with a feeling of strong excitement. But if we are talking about constant thirst, then a person feels a desire to drink constantly, and how much liquid he drank before does not matter. Pathological thirst is called polydipsia .

In medicine, a number of reasons are determined that determine the occurrence of constant thirst in a person. First of all, you want to drink a lot if the body lacks moisture or salt. This phenomenon may be the result severe vomiting , and etc.

Most often, the human body does not have enough fluid on hot days. If the human body receives too little water, then in order to avoid dehydration, the body begins to work in the moisture conservation mode. The skin dries up, the mucous membranes dry up, the eyes sink. Urination becomes very infrequent as the body tries to conserve moisture. Therefore, at high temperatures, with diarrhea, vomiting, profuse sweating, you need to drink plenty of fluids. When the water balance in the body is restored, thirst disappears.

Thirst can be triggered by eating too much alcohol, salty foods, caffeinated food. Often women want to drink plenty of water when pregnancy especially during the warm period of the year. Thirst is also caused by a number of medications. May be thirsty when taking diuretic drugs , tetracycline series , lithium , phenothiazine .

Sometimes a person himself does not understand why he wants to drink a lot. In this case, we can talk about the development of some serious diseases.

Indomitable thirst can very often indicate development in a person. Parents should be especially attentive to such a symptom in a baby. If a child wants to drink often, and he also has it, then this may indicate the onset of diabetes. In this case, thirst is observed due to the fact that there is a violation of the hormonal balance in the body, which, in turn, entails a violation of water-salt metabolism.

A constant feeling of thirst may also indicate an increased function parathyroid glands . With such a disease, a person complains of other symptoms - weakness in the muscles is felt, weight loss is observed, severe fatigue. White urine is excreted, as it is stained by calcium leached from the bones.

In most cases, thirst accompanies kidney disease - glomerulonephritis , etc. When the kidneys are damaged, they cannot retain the required amount of water in the body, and therefore the need for fluid increases significantly. In this case, thirst may be accompanied by swelling, as the amount of urine released decreases.

It happens that thirst is a consequence neurosurgical operations or brain injury. This may lead to the development diabetes insipidus . Despite the fact that a person drinks a lot of liquid throughout the day, thirst is not quenched.

Nervous thirst often develops when stressful situations. In most cases, this phenomenon is typical for women. In addition to thirst, female representatives in this state often experience tearfulness, irritability, whims, a woman constantly wants to drink and sleep.

Another important reason for constant thirst in a person may be drug addiction. This point should be taken into account by parents, observing the behavior of their children, if they are often and strongly thirsty.

In addition to the above diseases, constant thirst may indicate hyperglycemia , liver diseases , infections , burns . In cardiac pathologies, thirst is due to the fact that the heart cannot provide the necessary level of blood supply.

How to overcome thirst?

If a person really wants to drink all the time, then, first of all, care should be taken to exclude the presence of serious diseases. It is possible to determine the reasons why you are often thirsty after a high-quality and complete diagnosis. Therefore, if you suspect the development diabetes and other diseases that may be accompanied by intense thirst, it is imperative to visit a doctor and tell him in detail about the symptoms. First of all, it is desirable to have consultation with an endocrinologist. The specialist will prescribe general and biochemical studies. The presence of elevated blood sugar levels indicates the development of diabetes mellitus. But if diabetes or other serious diseases are detected at an early stage, then serious consequences can be much easier to prevent.

At diabetes the patient is prescribed those medications that will lower the level of sugar in the blood. With strict adherence to the treatment regimen, you can reduce unpleasant symptoms and avoid the manifestation of constant thirst.

But if thirst pesters for no apparent reason, it is necessary to reconsider some habits. First of all, do not quench your thirst carbonated sweet drinks, beer, others liquor. Mineral water- also not the best option for quenching thirst, as it contains a large amount of salts.

The diet should be less canned, smoked, fatty and too salty foods. It is especially important to adhere to this rule on hot days. In the summer, vegetables, fruits, steamed food will help to avoid the constant desire to drink. It is undesirable to quench your thirst with cold water, as the body will absorb water at room temperature much better. Very good to quench your thirst on hot days chilled unsweetened tea, mint decoction, raspberries and other berries or herbs. You can also add some lemon juice to the water.

If thirst is provoked medicines, you must inform your doctor about this, who can prescribe substitutes for such drugs or change the treatment regimen.

If thirst is a consequence of stress, you should not constantly drink large amounts of water. It is enough to periodically wet your lips, rinse your mouth with water. To overcome the stress that causes the desire to drink, herbal preparations can help -, valerian .

When a person begins to wake up due to thirst, the question is inevitable - why do you feel thirsty at night. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, but this symptom is not always harmless. Of course, a hearty dinner just before bedtime, and even with an abundance of spicy and salty foods, will inevitably cause thirst. But if thirst begins to haunt every night, this is a reason to turn to a specialist.

Some people wake up thirsty at night

It is impossible to independently determine the cause of dry mouth at night. Causes include pregnancy, taking certain medications, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. But in some cases, thirst at night is a symptom of a serious illness. In any case, such a symptom cannot be ignored - a doctor's consultation will help to solve the problem in a timely manner.

Causes of Night Thirst

Thirst at night, the causes of which are varied, is often ignored by a person. This is unacceptable, since most often it is associated with serious pathologies from the internal organs. In addition to overeating at night, which in itself is harmful, the following reasons can cause thirst:

the use of strong tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages;
taking diuretics;
radiotherapy;
rhinitis;
a sharp jump in blood glucose;
inflammatory diseases of the urinary system;
viral infection;
the emergence of neoplasms in the body;
acute / chronic poisoning, causing intoxication of the body.

Night thirst can occur for a variety of reasons.

A constant desire to drink water in the evening or at night may also indicate diseases of the cardiovascular system, indicating obstructed blood flow and oxygen delivery to cells. In addition, thirst can be a sign of diabetes / diabetes insipidus, as well as a lack of calcium.

How to know when it's time to see a doctor

If there are no objective causes of night thirst (overeating, alcohol), and the symptom manifests itself daily, medical attention is needed. The doctor will conduct a subjective (detailed medical history) and an objective examination. A urine test is mandatory to determine the discharge volume, the amount of calcium, sodium and potassium. The second mandatory study is a complete blood count. Further examination depends on the specific symptoms that bother the patient and may include:

Ultrasound of the kidneys or abdominal cavity;
FGDS;
survey radiography of the kidneys and urinary tract;
biochemical blood test for hormones;
blood for tumor markers, CT, MRI - if a malignant neoplasm is suspected.

As a rule, consultations of narrow specialists are required - only a complete examination will give an answer to the question of why you want to drink water at night.

What is the best way to quench your thirst at night?

Thirst at night is not easy to quench. Plain clean water is not suitable for these purposes. If thirst is caused by dryness of the mucosa, you can try drinking sparkling mineral water. Water with the addition of lemon juice helps quite well - instant refreshment of the mucosa is provided. If you are thirsty on a regular basis, you can cook compotes, drink juices and fruit drinks - the main condition is that the drinks are not sweet.

Lemon water perfectly quenches thirst

Quickly quench your thirst, regardless of its cause, kvass will help - but only if it is natural, fresh and without sugar. Green tea occupies a special place among drinks. It perfectly quenches even the strongest thirst and has a slight diuretic effect, removing excess fluid from the body and cleansing it. It is especially useful if thirst is caused by intoxication - alcohol or viral.

Constant thirst as a symptom of the disease

Often, the constant desire to drink water at night is one of the symptoms of a serious pathology from the internal organs. Several of the most common diseases with such a symptom should be attributed.

Primary aldosteronism. Pathology is more often diagnosed in women, and is a benign neoplasm that develops in the adrenal glands. In addition to thirst, the disease is accompanied by severe hypertension.

The adrenal glands are located above the top of the kidneys

secondary aldosteronism. It develops against the background of neoplasms, accompanied by damage to the vessels of the adrenal glands. In addition to an irresistible desire to drink, there is a high temperature and difficulty urinating.
Diabetes insipidus. Normally, a person produces a sufficient amount of antidiuretic hormone, designed to control the concentration of salts in the blood plasma. Insufficient amount of it leads to increased urination - this is one of the reasons why there is thirst at night. The exact reasons for the development of this pathology have not yet been established.
Diabetes. High blood glucose inevitably makes you want to drink a lot. The amount of fluid consumed by diabetics can be 3-5 or more liters per day. In parallel, metabolic processes are disturbed and immunity is reduced.
Hyperparathyroidism. A disease associated with an imbalance in the content of a trace element such as calcium. Along with a sharply increased urination, there is a strong thirst, including at night.
Cholera algid. It develops against the background of many intestinal infections, accompanied by indomitable vomiting and diarrhea, leading to persistent dehydration.
Stones in the kidneys. The calculi formed in the kidneys cause difficulty in the outflow of urine and disrupt the entire urinary system.
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The desire to constantly drink causes coronary disease, arterial hypertension, defects. This is due to impaired blood circulation in the body and persistent hypoxia of tissues that do not receive the proper amount of oxygen and nutrients.

If you are thirsty at night, limit your salt intake.

Suffering from nocturnal thirst, it is worth reviewing the diet. By eating less salt, fatty and spicy foods in the evening, you can almost certainly get rid of excruciating thirst not only at night, but also after waking up.

Is it possible to deal with the problem on your own

Not always night thirst is an alarming symptom. Of course, when a child constantly asks to drink, he needs to be shown to the doctor. The same applies to the elderly. If this symptom periodically worries an adult and healthy person, you can try to take independent measures. First of all, you need to pay attention to how much water you drink during the day.

The norm is considered to be 2-2.5 liters of fluid per day. But keep in mind that in the hot season you need to drink more, since a large amount of water is lost with sweat. In this case, you do not need to count sweet (carbonated) drinks - only pure water counts. Toward evening, you should also give up black tea or coffee - they have a slight diuretic effect, helping to remove fluid from the body.

In winter, with the onset of the heating season, the air in city apartments becomes very dry. Because of this, the mucous membrane of the oropharynx quickly dries up at night, causing a desire to drink. You can humidify the air in the apartment with the help of special humidifiers, placing several vessels with water in the room, or simply covering the heating radiators with a damp cloth.

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The feeling of constant thirst, as well as dry mouth, are very common complaints of patients observed in various diseases. The reasons for the appearance of such symptoms can be quite diverse, while they indicate both the presence of serious diseases, and quite harmless and non-dangerous violations. It is important to correctly interpret these symptoms, as they can be of significant diagnostic value.

Possible reasons

There are many reasons for the appearance of thirst and dryness in the mouth, since many factors lead to a violation of the processes of natural moistening of the oral mucosa. As a rule, in a global sense, the appearance of an uncomfortable sensation of constant dryness and thirst in the mouth is caused either by a violation of the composition of saliva (quantitative or qualitative), or by the fact that the process of natural normal perception is disturbed in the oral cavity, that is, the receptors responsible for the perception of the presence of saliva work not right.

Most often there is constant thirst and dry mouth due to:

General changes and violations of the mechanism of sensitivity of the main receptors in the oral cavity.
Violations in the body of the normal balance of water-salt metabolism.
Violations and changes in the oral cavity of natural trophic processes.
Increases in osmotic blood pressure.
Violations of the regulation of saliva synthesis in the humoral and nervous terms.
The presence of internal intoxication, as well as poisoning the body with any toxic substances.
Overdrying of the mucous membranes of the mouth with air, mechanically, for example, when breathing through the mouth.

Most often, dry mouth occurs when:

Diabetes. In most cases, a feeling of dry mouth, which is persistent and permanent, is a symptom of this disease. Diabetes is usually indicated by two factors at once, these are: dry mouth with excessive urine output during the day and a constant feeling of thirst. In the presence of both symptoms, the diagnosis is considered obvious and requires diagnostics to clarify the type and nature of the disease.
Exposure to high temperatures for a long time. When the body overheats, a person has a natural thirst and dryness in the oral cavity.
Long conversation breathing through the mouth or when sleeping with an open mouth and snoring. In this case, the usual drying of the mucosa occurs under the influence of air.

Taking certain types of medications, in particular, antibiotics, as well as various drugs used in the treatment of hypertension.
Various diseases of the oral cavity.
General dehydration, for example, in cases where a person consumes an insufficient amount of water per day. Also, dehydration is a frequent companion of various diseases and disorders of the digestive system, accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting.
Body intoxication, for example, alcohol or caused by other substances.
tobacco smoking.
Diseases of the nervous system and brain, in which there is a violation of the natural regulation of saliva synthesis. Such diseases include Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, circulatory disorders, strokes, trigeminal neuritis.
Pathologies of the abdominal organs of a surgical nature in an acute form eg cholecystitis, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, perforated ulcer.
Various diseases of the digestive system, in particular, hepatitis, gastritis, pancreatitis, stomach or intestinal ulcers.
Diseases and various infections of a purulent nature in an acute form.

Dry mouth without thirst

The appearance of dryness in the mouth without a constant feeling of thirst is often a symptom of hypotension., which is an almost constant decrease in blood pressure. Of course, not every hypotensive person feels the symptoms of his disorder in the form of weakness, dizziness, dry mouth without thirst, severe headaches in the occipital region and in the temples, especially when lying down and bending forward. Many people with hypotension feel absolutely normal, which is also a variant of the norm.

However, hypotensive patients often develop severe dry mouth in the morning, as well as fatigue just 1 to 2 hours after waking up and getting out of bed, lethargy, which usually returns in the evening.

With hypotension, there is a violation of blood circulation, which cannot but affect the general condition of the body and the work of all systems, organs and glands, where the salivary ones are also no exception.

Dry mouth with belching, diarrhea, flatulence, nausea and pulling pain in the left side of the abdomen usually indicates pancreatitis. In some cases, such a disease can proceed unnoticed, accompanied only by dryness in the oral cavity.

In older women, dry mouth is often caused by menopause.. With the onset of menopause in a woman's body, the intensity of production of almost all hormones related to the reproductive system decreases, since its effect fades. Of course, this cannot but affect the general condition of the body, which leads to sleep disturbance, a feeling of chills and hot flashes, a feeling of anxiety and dryness of the mucous membranes, including in the mouth.

Causes of Constant Thirst

Of course, the cause of intense thirst can be very simple and banal, and consist of prolonged exposure to the sun, dehydration, or the use of a large amount of smoked and salty foods, but often the situation is very serious and the cause of constant thirst is diabetes mellitus.

The appearance of dry mouth combined with constant thirst is usually the main symptom of diabetes.

In diabetes, too frequent visits to the toilet to empty the bladder are noted against the background of a constant feeling of thirst and dry mouth. In addition to these signs, which are considered the main ones, the patient can note the presence of cracks in the corners of the mouth, weakness, a sharp weight gain or loss, an increase in appetite or a decrease in its level, the appearance of pustular elements on the skin, itching of the skin, which in women is also supplemented by itching into the vagina.

In men, in addition, inflammation of the foreskin and a decrease in the level of potency may appear..

An important point is that in patients with diabetes, the level of thirst and the need for water consumption does not depend on the time of day and ambient temperature.

With diabetes, a person is always thirsty, and taking liquids relieves the feeling of thirst only for a very short time. This is explained by the fact that the increase in glucose levels that occurs with diabetes leads to increased urine production, as a result of which a person has to visit the toilet very often to remove it. As a result, dehydration occurs in the body, which leads to intense thirst.

Dry mouth at night

At night, dry mouth often occurs due to the consumption of a large amount of protein food for dinner, since the body needs a large amount of water to break it down. For this reason, if a person ate dairy, meat or any legume products for dinner, then at night he will experience a feeling of heat and dry mouth.

To prevent a kind of drying of the body during the night, it is important to eat light foods for dinner.

Another reason why you feel dry mouth and want to drink is taking certain medications such as lowering blood pressure. Therefore, it is necessary to read the instructions for the medicine, especially the section on side effects.

The presence of diabetes is also the cause of constant dryness of the mouth, including at night, because of which a person is forced to wake up often to drink water.

Dry mouth in the morning

In the morning, dry mouth can appear for various reasons. Quite often, this phenomenon is observed immediately after waking up due to an increase in the viscosity of saliva or insufficiency of its production in the oral cavity. The same reasons can provoke the appearance of a feeling of dryness at night.

Extreme thirst and dry mouth are signs of type 2 diabetes. In this case, thirst accompanies a person at night, as well as the need for frequent visits to the toilet.

The use of pickled, smoked, too salty or spicy foods in the evening of the previous day by a healthy person often leads to the fact that in the morning when waking up a person is very thirsty due to dehydration, since the body needs a large amount of water to process such products, which it takes from the tissues .

Dry mouth in the morning also appears in people with various diseases of the respiratory system, for example, with rhinitis, tonsillitis, influenza, adenoids.

We should not forget that the work of the salivary glands is disturbed by drinking alcohol and smoking, therefore, in people suffering from such bad habits, dry mouth in the morning is observed almost daily.

Treatment with a variety of psychotropic drugs, heavy therapy, in particular chemical and radiation therapy for oncology, leads to the same manifestations. Dryness in the morning is also caused by diseases of the digestive system, as well as frequent use of coffee or black tea during the day.

Dry mouth and thirst during pregnancy

Pregnant women, in normal health, should not experience dry mouth, since during this period there is an increased level of saliva production. A feeling of thirst and dryness in the oral cavity during this period in a woman in a normal state can be observed only in the hot season and with excessive dryness of the air.

In addition, a healthy woman during pregnancy may experience some feeling of thirst in the later stages, since at this time the volume of urine excreted per day increases, which leads to a state of some degree of dehydration, and the body requires more water to replenish moisture losses.

If a woman has frequent and severe dry mouth, and there is a metallic sour taste, you should contact your doctor, as such symptoms may indicate gestational diabetes. In this case, you will need to undergo an additional examination and pass a series of tests, including glucose levels and tolerance to it.

Another cause of dry mouth during pregnancy may be a severe deficiency in the body of potassium against the background of a significant excess of magnesium. In this case, the doctor will recommend a certain diet and may prescribe special vitamin complexes to solve the problem.

The most common causes of excessive thirst are: heavy sweating during heat, during physical exertion, bronchitis, dehydration with diarrhea, elevated body temperature. Constant thirst occurs with a water-electrolyte imbalance. In the body, salts and liquid clearly interact. The main ions that can determine the level of salt in the blood plasma are potassium and sodium. As for the negatively charged ions - anions that determine the saline composition of the tissue fluid, they include chlorides. The water-salt balance in the body ensures the vital activity of cells and determines the osmotic pressure in the tissues. If the water-electrolyte balance in the tissues is disturbed, constant thirst appears. What can provoke such manifestations and the occurrence of dry mouth and desire to drink?

Groups of causes of constant thirst and dry mouth

There are 5 reasons for the violation of the water-salt balance in the body and, accordingly, constant thirst:

The process of removing fluid from the body increases.
The amount of fluid in the body is reduced.
The amount of salts in the body increases.
The process of removing salt from the body is reduced.
Increased thirst in diseases of the brain.

Reason number 1 - The process of removing fluid from the body increases

There are several ways through which fluid is excreted from the body:

kidneys;
leather;
intestines;
Airways.

Excretion of fluid through the kidneys

Frequent urination occurs while taking diuretics or other drugs that can increase the removal of water from the body. Phytopreparations and weight loss products have a quick diuretic effect.

Drinks that contain a lot of ethanol (beer) can also increase urine production and cause subsequent thirst.

Unquenchable thirst against the background of excessive excretion of light urine (more than one liter per day) can be a symptom of diabetes insipidus. This disease causes water incontinence in the kidneys and its rapid circulation. It is necessary to solve such a problem after consultation with an endocrinologist.

In addition, excessive urination is inherent in the following disease: chronic glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis (acute and chronic), kidney wrinkling (primary or secondary). These ailments increase urination, the body dehydrates faster and there is a strong thirst. It is necessary to treat such conditions together with a urologist and a therapist.

With osmotic diuresis, along with salts or glucose, fluid is “washed out” of the body. For example, when glucose is lost, intense thirst also occurs, that is, during the development of diabetes. As a clue that large amounts of urine and thirst are the causes of diabetes, there may be itchy skin.

Loss of fluid through the skin

If the constant thirst is due to heavy sweating and has no additional symptoms, the cause of dry mouth is excessive exercise or heat. These are harmless causes, in which thirst is eliminated by a one-time replenishment of fluids.

If excessive sweating and intense thirst are accompanied by increasing pathological symptoms and deterioration, you should immediately go for examinations. Such signs may indicate the development of thyrotoxicosis, pathological menopause, a number of endocrine diseases, Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Excretion of water through the intestines

In a situation where there is severe vomiting and frequent loose stools, a feeling of thirst will be present due to tissue dehydration. This may be a sign of diarrhea, as a less dangerous disease, or an intestinal tumor, as a more serious ailment.

Loss of water through the respiratory mucosa

Dry mouth and thirst appear with mouth breathing: during rhinitis, enlarged adenoids, chronic snoring. If mouth breathing is rapid, the mouth dries up even more and you always want to drink. Breathing quickens with bronchitis or pneumonia, heart failure, or fever. Also, respiratory failure can develop against the background of cerebral oxygen starvation.

Reason 2. - The amount of fluid entering the body is reduced

With a lack of fluid, a person will feel dry mouth and thirst. This is a natural process if you drink very little water per day. The level of fluid in the body depends on gender, age, weight. Even the field of activity partially determines how much water a person needs to drink. On average, the body needs 1.5-2 liters of water per day, and during intensive training, in hot weather or hard physical labor, you need to drink more than 2 liters.

Reason 3. - The amount of salts in the body increases

If you eat a lot of salty or smoked foods, salts in the body will begin to accumulate and be absorbed into the blood. As a result, the osmotic pressure in the tissues will begin to increase and the body will need to turn on protection - thirst, in order to quickly remove toxins and restore the balance between salts and water.

Reason 4. - The process of removing salt from the body is reduced

Salt retention in tissues occurs in chronic renal failure. Therefore, it is extremely important to establish the cause of salt retention in order to prevent the critical development of the disease.

Reason 5. - Violation of brain activity

The so-called "thirst center", under the control of which the desire to drink arises or is dulled, is located in the hypothalamus. During problems with the brain, these functions are disturbed, thirst arises as a result of mental disorders, brain injuries, brain tumors.

Control the amount of fluid you drink throughout the day.
Avoid thirst-producing drugs, foods and drinks that make you constantly thirsty.
Seek advice from a therapist, endocrinologist or urologist.
Pass the main tests to specify the situation: a general analysis of urine and blood, a biochemical blood test, an X-ray of the lungs and an ECG.
Further clarification of the causes of constant thirst follows after receiving the results of the main tests.

Thirst can be a simple signal from the body that there is not enough water and needs to be replenished. But, strong and constant thirst can also serve as the first "bell" of serious electrolyte imbalance and the development of diseases. It is better to consult with a specialist and find out the true causes of thirst.