Polyuria: Too Much Urination All Through the Day

Untreated Diabetes Causes Polyuria

Having the urge to pee always? It’s normal in the case of individuals with diabetes but some individuals excrete excessively large quantities of urine than what’s normally observed in the case of diabetes. We have a scientific name for this problem—polyuria, a condition where the human body passes too much urine too frequently every time during urination. The average daily urine output in any individual is not beyond 1-2 litres/day but in those with polyuria, the urine output goes anywhere from 3 litres to as high as 15 litres a day. Such immoderate excretion is a typical sign of diabetes. In general, people with diabetes feel the need to urinate frequently but the problem discussed here is different from the need for frequent urination.
 
For instance, people with diabetes generally pass urine frequently during the daytime but with polyuria, individuals get up too often during the night to urinate. When their sleep routine is disturbed and they fail to sleep well due to such interruptions, people start noticing the presence of polyuria, one of the common symptoms of diabetes.
 
Common Causes of Polyuria
 
There are multiple conditions that can cause polyuria, a condition where excessively high quantities of water are filtered by the kidneys. The presence of elements such as glucose in the urine might pull out too much water. These include:
 

• Untreated diabetes including Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Polyuria occurs in diabetes-affected individuals when there’s too much glucose in the blood. In general, our kidneys absorb the sugar and put it in the bloodstream while creating urine. But, in case of diabetes, the excess glucose mixes with the urine pulling more water and making more urine.
• Diabetes insipidus which includes decreased secretion of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and decreased sensitivity of the ADH
• Consumption of excessive quantities of water
• Pregnancy-related gestational diabetes insipidus which goes away post delivery
• Damage to the kidneys can prevent these organs from processing urine as they are ought to and polyuria could be a warning sign of kidney-related problems
• Some other problems such as Cushing’s syndrome, liver disease, and hypercalcemia
• Even anxiety can cause frequent urination as vasopressin, the substance that helps kidneys hold onto urine is affected

 
There are some other conditions such as urinary tract disorder, enlarged prostate, and overactive bladder which induce the urge to pee at all times irrespective of whether or not the bladder is full. On the contrary, polyuria makes an individual pee frequently.
 
Symptoms of Polyuria
 
The predominant symptom of this problem is excessive production of urine throughout the day and night. If you feel there are any deviations from the normal amounts urinated, it is recommended that it’s better to note down the quantity of water consumed, frequency of urine passed, and the quantity of urine excreted every time during urination. Another major symptom of polyuria is feeling thirsty continuously. As there is too much fluid lost from the body, the individual feels thirsty to compensate for this loss.
 
Frequent wake up calls disturbing sleep routines are another emergency call to check your body. Even when sleeping, the urge to urinate doesn’t stop in the presence of this condition.
 
Treatment
 
The required course of action depends on the underlying cause of the problem. If diabetes is the root cause of the disease, it is mandatory to ensure control of blood sugar levels by bringing lifestyle changes and treatment-related modifications. A reputed dietitian nutritionist might help in correcting the haphazard blood sugar levels by incorporating healthy eating habits, forming a well-balanced meal plan, and recommending simple but effective exercise routines.
 
Individuals who drink caffeine and alcohol in excess would be suggested to cut down on the intake of those beverages. Sometimes, the medications taken could be the cause of the problem and hence, discussing with the physician to change the medication or alter the dosage is necessary.
 
Getting in touch with a healthcare provider after observing the urination routines for a couple of days is mandatory if there are any abnormalities noticed including excessive urination that remains unexplained. The doctor might prescribe a couple of tests including blood sugar tests, creatinine, urine osmolality test, electrolytes, and urinalysis.