Polyuria is usually a symptom of other illnesses.
Common causes include diabetes, kidney disease, and certain medications.
Pregnancy, anelectrolyte imbalance, excess caffeine, and drinking alcohol can also contribute to polyuria.
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Other symptoms can accompany polyuria, such as:
It’s important to distinguish between frequent urination and polyuria.
However, someone with polyuria will go to the bathroom more frequently due to larger volumes of urine.
The following causes of polyuria are the most common.
Diabetes Mellitus
There are two main types of diabetes: jot down 1 and jot down 2.
Both forms can cause excessive thirst and urination.
Individuals with throw in 1 may also experience nausea and stomach pain.
There is also a throw in of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy called gestational diabetes.
This form of diabetes typically has mild symptoms or no symptoms and goes away after delivery.
Most pregnant individuals are tested for this condition during pregnancy.
When someone has diabetes, their bloodstream has too much sugar in it.
Typically, the kidneys hold on to sugar and then send it back into the bloodstream.
When there’s too much sugar, it comes out in urine.
While there are several symptoms of diabetes, three in particular raise suspicion for the condition.
Instead, diabetes insipidus and polyuria pertain to arginine vasopressin (AVP), an antidiuretic hormone.
Vasopressin is the hormone that helps your kidneys concentrate urine.
When your body doesn’t make enough vasopressin (AVP-deficient), more urine is excreted.
Individuals with diabetes insipidus pee significant amounts of urine.
This, in turn, makes them thirsty, and so they also drink large volumes of water.
There are two main types of diabetes insipidus: central and nephrogenic.
It usually develops from a medical or traumatic brain injury.
Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemiais an inherited blood disorder affecting hemoglobin in red blood cells.
Hemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen though your body.
People with this inherited disorder can develop an overactive bladder.
Symptoms of overactive bladder include not only frequent urination, but also nocturia, urgency, andurinary incontinence.
Kidney Failure
The kidneys are central to a healthy urinary system.
You may also notice blood in your urine or foamy urine.
Physical signs ofkidney diseasemay include puffiness around the eyes and swollen ankles and feet.
You may also feel tired and have trouble sleeping.
Abnormal calcium levels may indicate kidney disease,kidney stones, bone disease,parathyroiddisorder, or other conditions.
When your body experiences vasopressin resistance, it is still producing the hormone but not responding appropriately to it.
Amyloidosis is a rare condition with several subtypes.
Individuals who experience this bang out of polydipsia will seek out and drink large amounts of water.
Medication Causes
Several medications can alter how much you urinate and potentially lead to polyuria.
Those medications can lead to polyuria if the dosages are not correct.
Tell your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing frequent urination.
Your provider will adjust the dosing of your medications as necessary to avoid unnecessary urination.
Lithium
Lithiumis a medication used to control mood disorders.
Lithium can cause polyuria and polydipsia as a result of lithium-induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.
Other Medications
Diuretics and lithium are not the only medications that can cause polyuria.
Others include:
Additional Causes
There are several additional causes of polyuria.
Pregnancy can also cause polyuria, whether due to hormonal changes or as a result of gestational diabetes.
Other reasons for polyuria include excessive protein intake or a hospitalized patient receiving too many IV fluids.
Alcohol or Caffeine Intake
Both alcohol and caffeine have knowndiureticeffects.
Drinking either one to excess is capable of triggering polyuria to the point of developing dehydration.
Alcohol is a diuretic, even for people who drink it regularly.
The diuretic effects of caffeine can decrease over time in people who regularly drink it.
Pregnancy
Needing to pee more is a common symptom in early pregnancy.
It is resulting from an increase in progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
Polyuria in pregnancy typically resolves after the first trimester.
Polyuria in the second trimester can be a sign ofgestational diabetes.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you are concerned about excessive urination during pregnancy.
Theurinary bladderwill fill up more quickly and will need to be emptied more often.
Diagnosis
Polyuria is usually a symptom of another condition.
They may ask questions like if the polydipsia happened suddenly (acutely) or over time (chronically).
Polyuria and polydipsia are both signs of diabetes mellitus as well as diabetes insipidus.
Diagnostic Tests
To figure out what’s causing polyuria, healthcare providers order a range of tests.
For individuals who experience nocturia, lifestyle measures such as limiting liquids before bed may help.
Your provider may also prescribe a medication called desmopressin.
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
Having a day or two of frequent urination may be normal.
However, if it’s been going on for several days, contact a healthcare provider for advice.
Your provider may be able to adjust the dose or switch to a different medication.
Summary
Frequent urination (polyuria) has several causes.
Sometimes, it is due to diuretic medications, alcohol, caffeine, and too much water.
Other times, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, kidney disease, or another condition that causes it.
If you suspect that you are urinating too much (or too often), contact a healthcare provider.
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