Feeling parched? It might not just be dehydration. So, “if you’re feeling thirsty all the time, here are a few possibilities you might not have expected.”
The following written content by Vanessa Etienne
Staying out in the sun all day or eating a super salty snack will almost always have you reaching for the nearest glass of water. That’s natural. But if you’re feeling thirsty all the time or feel like nothing you drink or eat really quenches your thirst, it might be more than just temporary dehydration.
Thirst can indicate simply that you’re sweating more and you need more water. Or it can be a symptom of certain conditions and diseases. It can even be a side effect of certain types of eating plans. So if you can’t shake that parched feeling, and you’re feeling thirsty all the time, here are a few possibilities you might not have expected.
Dry Mouth
When your mouth feels really dry, it can make you thirsty. But xerostomia, better known as dry mouth, is a condition where your glands don’t make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. This can be the result of radiation therapy for cancer, certain medications, smoking, or even just aging. Some other symptoms besides feeling thirsty are bad breath and inflamed gums.
If you’re experiencing dry mouth, doctors suggest first increasing your water intake. Jeff Burgess, DDS, former clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Dental Medicine, says that the best treatment plan varies for each individual. But it’s best to see a dentist about ways to alleviate symptoms of the condition.
Diabetes
When you have diabetes, glucose builds up in your blood, forcing your kidneys to overwork to try and absorb it. When your kidneys can’t keep up, it causes you to produce more urine than normal.
“Frequent urination, another common symptom, will bring on thirst. This leads to drinking more fluids, which compounds the problem,” says Heather Rosen, MD, medical director of UPMC Urgent Care.
This symptom is polydipsia, or what some experts call a thirst you can’t seem to quench. There are still so many other symptoms of diabetes, so don’t rely only on thirst as a hint that you might have diabetes. Check with your doctor about any health concerns you may have, and he or she can do the tests to rule it in or out—or help you figure out why else you might be thirsty all the time.
Diabetes insipidus can also be the cause of your thirst. Although unrelated to diabetes, this is a rare condition of the kidneys that causes significant imbalances in body fluids. People with the condition lose large amounts of fluid through increased urination which results in excessive thirst. Read more from Men’s Health.
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