NIGHT SWEATS

Night sweats, also known as nocturnal hyperhidrosis, is the occurrence of excessive sweating during sleep. The person may or may not also suffer from excessive perspiration while awake.

One of the most common causes of night sweats in women over 40 is the hormonal changes related to menopause and perimenopause. This is a very common occurrence during the menopausal transition years.

While night sweats might be relatively harmless, it can also be a sign of a serious underlying disease. It is important to distinguish night sweats due to health causes from those that occur simply because the sleep environment is too warm, either because the bedroom is unusually hot or because there are too many covers on the bed. Night sweats caused by a condition or infection can be described as “severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to the environment”. Some of the underlying conditions and infections that cause these severe night sweats can be life-threatening and should promptly be investigated by a practitioner.

Night sweats are repeated episodes of extreme perspiration that may soak your nightclothes or bedding and are related to an underlying condition or illness.

You may occasionally awaken after having perspired excessively, particularly if you are sleeping under too many blankets or if your bedroom is too warm. Although uncomfortable, these episodes are usually not labeled as night sweats and typically aren’t a sign of a problem.

In general, night sweats are also associated with fever, weight reduction, localized pain, cough, diarrhea, or other symptoms of concern.

Causes

There are many different causes of night sweats. To find the cause, a physician must get a detailed history and order tests to decide if another condition is responsible for the night sweats. Some of the known conditions that can cause night sweats are:

1. Menopause. The hot flashes that accompany menopause can occur at night and cause sweating. This is a very common cause of night sweats in women.

2. Idiopathic hyperhidrosis. Idiopathic hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the body chronically produces too much sweat without any identifiable cause.

3. Infections. Tuberculosis is the infection most commonly associated with night sweats. But bacterial infections, such as endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves), osteomyelitis (inflammation in the bones), and abscesses can cause night sweats. Night sweats are also a symptom of HIV infection.

4. Treatments. Taking certain treatments can lead to night sweats. Antidepressant treatments are a common type that can lead to night sweats. From 8% to 22% of people taking antidepressant treatments have night sweats. Other psychiatric treatments have also been associated with night sweats. Treatments taken to lower fever, such as aspirin and acetaminophen, can sometimes lead to sweating. Many other treatments can cause night sweats or flushing.

5. Hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar can cause sweating. People who are taking insulin or oral diabetes treatments may have hypoglycemia at night that is accompanied by sweating.

6. Hormone disorders. Sweating or flushing can be seen with several hormone disorders, including pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome, and hyperthyroidism.

7. Neurologic conditions. Uncommonly, neurologic conditions including autonomic dysreflexia, posttraumatic syringomyelia, stroke, and autonomic neuropathy may cause increased sweating and may lead to night sweats.

There may not be an identifiable cause for your night sweats, and it may just be an annoyance that happens every now and then. When the cause is unknown, it is referred to as idiopathic hyperhidrosis.

Treatments that can cause night sweats

Night sweats are a common side effect of many treatments, such as:

1. Depression Treatments (antidepressants)

2. Hormone-blocking treatments used to treat certain carcinoma (hormone therapy)

3. Tablets used to treat diabetes (if the level of sugar in your blood gets too low)

Health conditions that can cause night sweats

Diseases and conditions that can cause night sweats include:

1. Anxiety

2. Autoimmune disorders

3. Autonomic neuropathy (damage to your autonomic nerves)

4. Brucellosis (a bacterial infection)

5. Carcinoid syndrome (a certain type of tumor in your intestines)

6. Substance abuse/addiction

7. (an infection of your heart valves)

8. HIV/AIDS

9. Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Hodgkin’s disease) (Hodgkin’s disease)

10. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

11. Leukemia

12. Myelofibrosis (a bone marrow disorder)

13. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

14. Osteomyelitis (a bone infection)

15. Pheochromocytoma (a rare adrenal gland tumor)

16. Pyogenic abscess (a pus-filled cavity caused by an infection)

17. Sleep disorders (such as obstructive sleep apnea)

18. Stroke

19. Syringomyelia (a fluid-filled cyst in the spinal cord)

20. Thyroid disease

21. Tuberculosis

Night sweats and hot flashes are very common among women around the time of menopause. If you are around age 50 and are having irregular or absent menstrual periods, and have no other symptoms, this is likely the cause of your symptoms.

Causes of night sweats in women, men, and children?

There are many different causes of night sweats. To determine what is causing night sweats in a particular patient, a physician must obtain a detailed history and order tests to decide if an underlying condition is responsible for the night sweats.

Night Sweats treatment

The treatment for night sweats depends upon the underlying cause.

In summary, night sweats are usually a harmless annoyance; however, they are sometimes a sign of an underlying condition. Persons with unexplained night sweats should seek health care.

Avoid Triggers

Stay away from these triggers, which are known to elicit hot flashes and night sweats:

• smoking and inhaling secondhand smoke

• wearing tight, restrictive clothing

• using heavy blankets or sheets on your bed

• drinking alcohol and caffeine

• eating spicy foods

• being in warm rooms

• experiencing excess stress

Establish Helpful Habits

There are other everyday habits that can help prevent hot flashes and night sweats. These include:

• establishing a calming routine before bedtime to reduce stress

• exercising during the day to decrease stress and help you get restful sleep at night

• wearing loose, light clothing while sleeping to stay cool

• dressing in layers so you can remove them and add them according to your body temperature

• using a bedside fan

• turning the thermostat down before you go to bed

• turning your pillow often

• maintaining a healthy weight

Types of physicians that treat Night Sweats

Night sweats are commonly treated by internists, family practice specialists, or gynecologists. If they are related to specific conditions, other specialists, including endocrinologists, neurologists, infectious disease specialists, or oncologists, may be involved in the care of patients with night sweats.