With some research you will discover two types of hyperhidrosis, primary hyperhidrosis and secondary hyperhidrosis. Medical science has not discovered the cause of primary night sweats. It is so severe it impairs a person’s ability to engage in daily activities such as work, school, family and social affairs.
The degree of severity for secondary sleep hyperhidrosis varies from person to person. In mild cases, the patient just needs to change the pillow case and keep a glass of cool water on the nightstand.
Some patients need to get up and wash themselves, then change their sleepwear as well as their bedsheets. Discovery and treatment of the underlying disease or injury is the only way to cure secondary night sweats. If the night sweats get to the point where the sleep loss interferes with daily functions, a visit to the doctor’s office is required.
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There are a few possible causes of cold sweats at night including menopause night sweats, hormonal changes, medical conditions, as well as certain medications. Anxiety, fear or stress can cause cold sweats and cold night sweats, as well as pain from injuries or medical problems (heart attack), severe shortness of breath or low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Having a nightmare can also cause these types of night sweats.
The reason they are called cold sweats is because the hypothalamus – our body’s internal thermostat — uses perspiration with other biological mechanisms to help cool the body when it feels it is overheated. Because body temperature drops while you are sweating, you may feel chills during or after sweating. Sometimes internal or external variables can confuse the hypothalamus causing it to trigger those biological mechanisms that cause sudden sweating even when it isn’t really necessary.
In most cases cold sweats aren’t caused by a serious medical condition but because they can be a sign of something more serious, even a heart attack, it is important to pay attention to them, and to notice if you are experiencing any other symptoms along with the sweating. If have any concerns consult with your physician or seek medical attention.
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In some cases the night sweats alcohol causes may be a minor occurrence. You have a couple glasses of beer or wine and go to sleep before you can work it out of your system. But I worry that in many cases where this occurs there is more to the story. Alcoholism is serious and often underestimated.
If you suspect that your night sweats are related to your alcohol intake, the first step is acknowledging this to yourself — and this is a big step. It is likely that your intake or dependence on alcohol has reached a dangerous stage if you are suffering this type of symptom. Make an appointment to see your physician and be honest about how much you are drinking and how often. He will be able to help you rule out any other contributing factors to establish if you are experiencing the kind of night sweats alcohol causes. If it does seem that this is the case, he can advise you on how to get the right kind of help for your problem.
Unfortunately even if you get help to overcome your alcohol problems, your night sweats may well continue. This is because alcohol withdrawal can also cause the sweating, if you were highly dependent. Your body needs to let itself adjust to the absence of the stimulant in its system.
Alcohol is a common cause of night sweats in men.
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