Excessive Sweating at Night

Excessive sweating while sleeping might wake up a person due to the discomfort of the wet sleepwear, bed sheet, or pillow. This condition is seen mostly in early adulthood. Some suffer from this disorder throughout their life while some experience it during a certain period in their life.

There are many causes of excessive sweating, especially during the night. The most common ones are menopause and infections. However, night sweating might also be an early sign of cancer, so it is important that you determine the cause and seek the appropriate treatment.

One experiences hot flashes as one of the menopause symptoms. Thus, menopause is a common cause of this condition in middle-aged women.

Infections are another common cause of excessive sweating during nighttime. The infection can be caused due to bacteria or viruses. The diseases and disorders associated with these infections are endocarditis, osteomyelitis, UTI, HIV/AIDS, influenza, fever, etc.

Many times, certain medications lead to this disorder, the most common medicines being antidepressants. Profuse sweating at night is a side effect of depression medications, which is experienced by more than 20% of people. Other medicines like sildenafil, hydralazine, acetaminophen, aspirin, prednisone, etc., can also be causes of night sweat breakouts.

Sometimes, low levels of glucose in blood causes sweating. Diabetics who are on insulin or diabetes medicines and people who have temporary hypoglycemia might also experience this condition at night.

A healthy body has balanced hormone levels. When the hormones in the body are disturbed, a person might experience sweating during the night.

This condition can be an early sign of cancer. The most common cancer related to this disorder is lymphoma. A person might also experience fever and weight loss with this condition.

Neurologic conditions like autonomic neuropathy, stroke, autonomic dysreflexia, stroke, and post-traumatic syringomyelia might also give a person night sweats.

In this medical condition, the body suddenly starts producing excessive sweat, without any specific cause.

For relief from mild sweating, a person can change the side of the pillow or remove the blankets. If the sweating is moderate, the person can just wash the face and other body areas. If there is excessive sweating, the person might need to take a shower and change the clothing and bed sheets.

The treatment for excessive sweating involves a proper diagnosis, wherein the doctor observes the symptoms and chalks out a treatment plan. Depending on the cause, the treatment for night sweats is done.

The doctor might suggest you to avoid eating certain foods when curing this disorder. The treatment generally involves antiperspirants, iontophoresis therapy, and injections of botox, and in severe cases, a surgery.

Contact a medical professional if you are experiencing these additional symptoms:

• Fever, weight loss, shortness of breath, chest pain, or rapid pounding of the heart
• If the night sweating starts after or before chest pain or pressure
• If you have been suffering from this condition for long, and can't understand the cause

It is important that you seek treatment for this condition since it can be a sign of a bigger underlying health disorder like cancer. So, seek a qualified doctor and get the cause of the condition exactly diagnosed and treated.

Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.