Causes Of Night Sweating
Night sweating refers to an unnatural condition of excessive sweating during the night. This however is not related to the hot weather or an overheated room. Night sweating can cause tremendous discomfort especially if you are waking up with drenched sheets and pajamas, and could disrupt your sleep.
Night sweats are sometimes referred to as severe hot flushes. There are many causes of night sweating. One of the major causes is the menopausal transition. Some women experience hot flushes at night which result in undue sweating.
Another cause of night sweating is idiopathic hyperhidrosis. This is an unexplained condition where the body produces too much sweat. Bacterial infections such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, abscess and HIV are also causes of night sweating.
In certain cases, night sweating is an early warning for some cancer diseases, such as lymphomatic cancer. However people who are suffering from this, would experience other accompanying symptoms such as unexplained weight loss and fever.
Some medications can cause excessive sweating at night. These mostly include antidepressants and psychiatric drugs. Other conditions such as low blood glucose, hormonal disorders and neurological conditions are among the causes of sweating at night.
To treat night sweating, the doctor would first check the medical background of the patient. Night sweating is usually a symptom of a primary problem, which may require medical attention. In the case of menopause, the patient is often given the appropriate hormonal therapy. If medications are the causes of night sweating, the doctor will decide to discontinue the medication, or recommend an alternative medication or form of treatment.
