Causes of Night Sweats

Night sweats or hyperhidrosis is a condition that occurs in the middle of the night or at any time you are sleeping. People suffering from these, wake up from deep sleep feeling extremely cold or hot, clammy and sweating excessively. They can be annoying as they disrupt sleep and often lead to insomnia and stress. You know you are suffering from these, when you soak your sheets with sweat and your body temperature is extreme, but do not try to self diagnose, it is always best to consult with a doctor.

These are not something to worry about, they are not harmful but they are an indication of another condition you could be suffering from. Most women who experience night sweats are suffering from menopause. And men suffering from hormonal changes like Andropause which is male menopause also experience this condition.

Causes

There are different reasons for night sweats, but to determine the solution, you need to know the exact cause. This will be possible only through extensive tests and doctor visits, but here are some of the most common causes:

• Menopause - women going through menopause experience hot flashes and night sweats. Premenopausal women also suffer from these.
• Idiopathic Hyperhidrosis - this is a condition where the body sweats excessively without any known medical condition.
• Infections - people suffering from infections are also prone to these. The most common infection leading to this condition, is tuberculosis. But bacterial infections are also a cause; these infections could be endocarditic, osteomyelitis and sometimes HIV infection or the AIDS virus.
• Cancers - night sweats are one of the first symptoms of cancers especially lymphoma.
• Medications - a combination of certain medications and certain conditions like tumor or infections can lead to these sweats. Antidepressants are the most common cause. Other drugs that cause these are niacin, tamoxifen, hydralazine, nitroglycerine, sildenafil which is Viagra. Other drugs are cortisone medications like prednisone and prednisolone.
• Hypoglycemia - hypoglycemia is a condition where people suffer from low blood glucose levels. To control the insulin and glucose levels in the body, people who are hypoglycemic need to take insulin shots or oral medication that can cause night sweats.
• Hormone disorders - those suffering from hormonal disorders such as pheochromococytoma, carcinoid syndrome or hyperthyroidism are prone to flushes and night sweats.
• Neurological conditions - those suffering from neurological conditions like autonomic dysreflexia, post traumatic, syringomyelia, stroke and neuropathy are prone to night sweats, and they can also be caused by the medications taken to control these conditions.

Night sweats aren't a condition that should worry you, but you need to find out its cause so as to avoid any complications that may arise later on.