Night Sweat

Night sweats refer to any excess sweating occurring during the night. However, if your bedroom is unusually hot or you are using too many bedclothes, you may begin to sweat during sleep and this is normal. There is a difference between night sweats that arise from medical causes and those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, but generally true night sweats refers to as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment. CAUSES OF NIGHT SWEATS There are many underlying cause of nigh sweats. These include ; - Menopause - Idiopathic hyperhidrosis which is a condition in which the body chronically produces too much sweat without any identifiable medical cause. - Infections like tuberculosis is most commonly associated with night sweats. However, bacterial infections, such as the following conditions can also be associated with night sweats: - Endocarditis inflammation of the heart valves - Osteomyelitis inflammation within the bones due to infection - Abscesses for example boils, appendix, tonsils, perianal, peritonsillar, diverticulitis and AIDS virus ( HIV) infection. - Cancer - Medication such as all types of antidepressants including tricyclic antidepressants , selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and the newer agents, venlafaxine (Effexor) and bupropion (Wellbutrin) can cause night sweats as a side effect. - Hypoglycemia - Hormone disorders - Neurologic conditions Uncommonly, neurologic conditions may cause increased sweating and possibly lead to night sweats including: - Autonomic dysreflexia, - Post-traumatic syringomyelia, - Stroke TREATMENT FOR NIGHT SWEATS The treatment for night sweats depends upon the underlying cause. Night sweats are usually a harmless annoyance; however, they are sometimes a sign of an underlying medical condition. Persons with unexplained night sweats should seek medical care