Drinking lots of water is usually healthy. However, beyond a certain limit the desire to drink excessively may reflect an underlying disease, either physical or emotional.
Excessive thirst can be an important clue in detecting diabetes .
There are thousands of diabetics in the U.S. who are either undiagnosed or inadequately treated. Excessive thirst, a fairly common symptom, is often the reaction to fluid loss during exercise or intake of salty foods. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include unlikely diseases and medications. Furthermore, the causes may vary based on age and gender of the affected person, as well as on the specific characteristics of the symptom such as quality, time course, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and associated complaints.