Thirst
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- see bloodthirsty
- A sensation of dryness in the throat associated with a craving for liquids, produced by deprivation of drink, or by some other cause (as fear, excitement, etc.) which arrests the secretion of the pharyngeal mucous membrane; hence, the condition producing this sensation.
- Fig.: A want and eager desire after anything; a craving or longing; — usually with for, of, or after; as, the thirst for gold.
Thirst is the craving for liquids, resulting in the basic instinct of humans or animals to drink. It is an essential mechanism involved in fluid balance. It arises from a lack of fluids and/or an increase in the concentration of certain osmolites such as salt. If the water volume of the body falls below a certain threshold, or the osmolite concentration becomes too high, the brain signals thirst.
Continuous dehydration can cause myriad problems, but is most often associated with neurological problems such as seizures, and renal problems.
Excessive thirst, known as polydipsia, along with excessive urination, known as polyuria, may be an indication of diabetes.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Thirst" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on original research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
