Do you often wake abruptly at night and feel your clothes sticking all over your body, your hands clammy and your body drenched? Have this occurrence been going on for some time and you don’t know what’s wrong with you? If you do then you are probably experiencing night sweats. To help you understand more of night sweats, their causes and symptoms, then read on.
Night sweats have been characterized by overly sweating at night, often drenching the bed and the patient’s night clothes. This may or may not occur in the day, but night sweats must be distinguished from sweating caused by hot weather or other physical causes. Night sweats should also not be confused with flushing or the reddening and warming of the trunk and face. There are some people who have experienced night sweats all their lives while others have only experienced night sweats recently. Night sweats can afflict anyone but it is more often felt by those entering early adulthood. There are actually several reasons that cause night sweats, with some being more serious than others.
Some attribute night sweats to genetics or the genes that one possesses. Others look into hormonal changes. Hormonal changes have been one of the more common reasons for night sweats. This may occur in menopausal women due to the changes in the women’s hormones as well in premenopausal women. Even pregnant women, due to the changes in their hormonal levels, may experience night sweats.
Another reason that is being linked to night sweats is the affliction of Idiopathic hyperhidrosis, which is a condition of the body where the body continuously produces too much sweat without any medical reason or cause. An affliction with certain kinds of body infections can also cause night sweats. Bacterial infection causing osteomyelitis or the inflammation of the bones because of infection, endocarditis or the swelling of the heart valves, certain abscesses in the body, or infection with the AIDS virus can cause night sweats as well.
The early onset of cancer, such as lymphoma, can also cause night sweats but this is often accompanied by other symptoms such as fever and weight loss. The intake of certain medications has been said to also cause night sweats. These medications include antidepressants, where 8% to 22% of patients that take antidepressants having night sweats, psychiatric drugs, acetaminophen, and aspirin, among others. Persons with diabetes, particularly hypoglycemia or low blood sugar can also cause night sweats. Night attacks of hypoglycemia and the insulin (the anti-hypoglycemia drug) have been said to cause night sweats. Certain hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytoma, and carcinoid syndrome can also cause night sweats. Neurologic disorders has also been said to cause night sweats and excessive sweating such as post-traumatic syringomyelia, autonomic dysreflexia, autonomic neuropathy and stroke.
Diagnosing what causes the night sweats is the first step in stopping it. This can only be done by a licensed physician who will take into account your medical history, your family’s medical history and any medications you have been taking. To really know the underlying cause of night sweats, you should immediately consult your doctor for proper diagnosis.
