Night sweats refer to excessive sweating during sleep. They involve sudden, heavy sweating that soaks your nightclothes or bedsheets, often due to an underlying medical condition or illness.
Some key things to know about night sweats:
Common causes include:
- Infections - Such as tuberculosis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, or HIV
- Hormone changes - Often due to menopause or perimenopause in women
- Medications - Such as antidepressants or blood pressure medications
- Cancers - Especially lymphomas or leukemias
- Idiopathic hyperhidrosis - Excessive sweating without a known cause
- Symptoms
Along with heavy sweating at night, other symptoms may include:
- Fatigue and lack of energy during the day
- Dehydration
- Headaches
- Weight loss
- Diagnosis
If you experience repeated episodes of severe night sweats, see your doctor. They will review your medical history and symptoms and may order
blood tests or imaging to determine the underlying condition. It's important to identify the cause to properly treat night sweats.
Treatment focuses first on identifying and managing the underlying condition causing excessive sweating at night. Additional options include:
- Lifestyle changes - Such as keeping the bedroom cooler
- Medications - Including anticholinergics or beta blockers to reduce sweating
- Alternative therapies - Like acupuncture, biofeedback, herbs, or hypnosis
In summary, night sweats involve heavy, uncontrolled sweating during sleep. See your doctor if you routinely soak your sheets or bedclothes with sweat. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can help provide relief and manage any related medical conditions. Let me know if you have any other questions!