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Night sweats
By Mayo Clinic staffMayo Clinic Health Manager
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Definition
Night sweats are episodes of nighttime sweating that soak your nightclothes or bedding even when your bedroom isn't excessively hot. Night sweats are a common problem many people experience from time to time. Although uncomfortable, night sweats typically aren't a sign of a medical problem.
Causes
Night sweats are common and usually aren't cause for concern. In 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. But 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
- Hypoglycemic agents — medications that decrease the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood
- Hormone therapy — medications that regulate the amount of hormones in your body
Medical conditions that 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
When to see a doctor
Make sure your bedroom is at a comfortable temperature for sleeping and remove extra blankets from your bed at night.
Schedule a doctor's visit if night sweats:
- Occur on a regular basis
- Interrupt your sleep
- Are accompanied by a fever or other symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss
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