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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffIn some cases, night sweats may be triggered by something as straightforward as too many blankets on your bed or certain medications. Many women have night sweats when they go through menopause. Sometimes night sweats can be caused by a medical disorder. Infection, cancer, problems in your nervous system or in your body's hormone-producing glands (endocrine system) can all trigger night sweats.
Medications that can cause night sweats
Night sweats are a common side effect of many medications, such as:
- Antidepressants
- Antipyrectics — medications that lower your body's temperature
- Hormone therapy — medications that regulate the amount of hormones in your body
- Hypoglycemic agents — medications that decrease the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood
Medical conditions that can cause night sweats
Diseases and conditions that can cause night sweats include:
- Autonomic neuropathy (damage to your autonomic nerves)
- Brucellosis (a bacterial infection)
- Carcinoid syndrome (a syndrome resulting from a certain type of cancerous tumor)
- Endocarditis (an infection of your heart lining)
- HIV/AIDS
- Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease)
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
- Leukemia
- Menopause
- Myelofibrosis (a bone marrow disorder)
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Osteomyelitis (a bone infection)
- Pheochromocytoma (a rare adrenal gland tumor)
- Pyogenic abscess (a pus-filled cavity caused by an infection)
- Stroke
- Syringomyelia (a fluid-filled cyst in the spinal cord)
- Tuberculosis
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Smetana GW. Approach to the patient with night sweats. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 26, 2011.
- General information about adult Hodgkin lymphoma. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/adulthodgkins/Patient. Accessed Jan. 26, 2011.
- General information about childhood Hodgkin lymphoma. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/childhodgkins/patient. Accessed Jan. 26, 2011.
- HIV/AIDS Basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa5.htm. Accessed Jan. 26, 2011.
- General information about chronic myelogenous leukemia. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/CML/patient/. Accessed Jan. 26, 2011.
- Primary myelofibrosis. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/myeloproliferative/Patient/page4. Accessed Jan. 26, 2011.
- What you need to know about non-Hodgkin lymphoma. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/page4. Accessed Jan. 26, 2011.
- Schorge JO, et al. Menopausal transition. In: Schorge JO, et al. Williams Gynecology. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3158526. Accessed Jan. 27, 2011.
- Viera AJ, et al. Diagnosing night sweats. American Family Physician. 2003;67:1019.
- Maida V. Nabilone for the treatment of paraneoplastic night sweats: A report of four cases. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 2008;11:929.
- Hunter MS, et al. A cognitive model of menopausal hot flushes and night sweats. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2010;69:491.
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