Treat NIGHT SWEATS !!!

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Night Sweats Causes Night sweating can arise from harmless situations or serious disease. If your bedroom is unusually hot or you are using too many bedclothes, you may begin to sweat during sleep - and this is normal. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, and that are not related to an overheated environment. It is important to note that flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or trunk) may also be hard to distinguish from true night sweats. There are many different causes of night sweats. Some of the known conditions that can cause night sweats are: Menopause: The hot flashes that accompany the menopausal transition can occur at night and cause sweating. This is a very common cause of night sweats in women at or near menopause. Idiopathic hyperhidrosis: a condition in which the body chronically produces too much sweat without any identifiable medical cause. Infections: Classically, tuberculosis is the infection most notoriously associated with night sweats. However, bacterial infections, such as endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves), osteomyelitis (inflammation within the bones), and abscesses all may result in night sweats. Night sweats are also a symptom of AIDS virus (HIV) infection. Cancers: Night sweats are an early symptom of some cancers. The most common type of cancer associated with night sweats is lymphoma. However, people who have an undiagnosed cancer frequently have other symptoms as well, such as unexplained weight loss and fevers. Medications: Taking certain medications can lead to night sweats. Antidepressant medications are a common type of medication that can lead to night sweats. All types of antidepressants can cause night sweats as a side effect, with a range in incidence from eight to 22% of persons taking antidepressant drugs. Other psychiatric drugs have also been associated with night sweats. Medicines taken to lower fever such as aspirin and acetaminophen can sometimes lead to sweating. Other types of drugs can cause flushing, which, as mentioned above, may be confused with night sweats. Some of the many drugs that can cause flushing include niacin (taken in the higher doses used for lipid disorders), tamoxifen (Nolvadex), hydralazine (Apresoline), nitroglycerine, and sildenafil (Viagra). Many other drugs not mentioned above, including cortisone medications, such as prednisone and prednisolone, may also be associated with flushing or night sweats. Hypoglycemia: Sometimes low blood glucose can cause sweating. People who are taking insulin or oral anti-diabetic medications may experience hypoglycemia at night that is accompanied by sweating. Hormone disorders: Sweating or flushing can be seen with several hormone disorders, including pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome, and hyperthyroidism. Neurologic conditions: Uncommonly, neurologic conditions including autonomic dysreflexia, post-traumatic syringomyelia, stroke, and autonomic neuropathy may cause increased sweating and possibly lead to night sweats. Night Sweats Symptoms                                   Excess sweating that occurs at night may drench sheets and bedclothes when severe. As mentioned previously, sometimes the sensation of flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or trunk) may be hard to distinguish from true night sweats or may accompany night sweats. Depending upon the underlying cause of the night sweats, other symptoms may occur in association with the sweating. For example, with certain infections and cancers, fever and chills are associated with the night sweats. Medical Treatment (Medications)                                                 Night sweats are generally a symptom of an underlying problem that may require medical treatment. However, typically treatment is not directed at the night sweats themselves, but rather at the underlying cause. For examples, hormonal disorders, cancers, and infections are among the causes of night sweats in which treatment is directed at the underlying condition. Night sweats arising as a symptom of perimenopause may be treated with hormone therapy, if appropriate. Both estrogen therapy (ET) and combined estrogen and progestin therapy (hormone therapy or HT) have been used successfully to treat symptoms of perimenopause when these become severe or troubling. Night sweats arising as a side effect of medications may improve when the medication is discontinued or changed, if appropriate. Your health care practitioner may be able to suggest an alternative form of therapy if you are experiencing severe side effects from taking a medication. Try to avoid these stimulants or “triggers” to help avoid hot flashes: Caffeine (includes chocolate as well) Hot drinks Acidic foods such as citrus and pickles Spicy foods Alcoholic beverages Hydrogenated or saturated fat White sugar (switching to sugar in the raw is an easy choice) Other stimulants that can cause hot flashes, but might be a little harder to keep under the radar are: Hot weather Stress Hot tubs and saunas Unexpressed anger Tobacco Intense exercise and lovemaking Natural Herbal Remedies to Help Reduce Hot Flashes and Nightsweats:                                       Dong Quai is an emmenagogue and has been reported to help relieve menopausal problems such as hot flashes, as well as mental and emotional upset. Black Cohosh is used for the treatment of dysmenorrheal and menopause. Clinical studies have shown it to relieve hot flashes and depression. Licorice Root is believed to reduce estrogen while increasing progesterone. This root is very powerful and useful in treating a number of conditions such as female hormonal problems, abdominal pains, insomnia, infection, peptic ulcers and malaria. Motherwort has been found to relieve many symptoms such as frequency and duration of hot flashes, ease stressed nerves and relieve insomnia and anxiety. Progesterone Cream – this is a cream that you rub onto your abdomen prior to menstruating to help balance your estrogen and progesterone levels. It is generally done for 3-6 months depending on your symptoms. It would be important to speak to your physician about this, and it would probably be a good idea to have your estrogen and progesterone levels checked prior to using this. It not only aides in balancing your hormones…assisting with hot flashes and night sweats, it also helps reduce cramping. Evamist Spray – Developed by Dr. John Buster, a reproductive endocrinologist at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Buster’s spray is made naturally and is an alternative to estrogen patches, pills and gels. You simply hold the spray to your skin, the hormone absorbs in the body, and the hot flashes will likely fade. I myself have not tried this spray, however a friend of mine has and said it worked wonders for her. Sage & Alfalfa – A 2005 study at the School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, found that in a controlled trial, sage and alfalfa reduced severe hot flashes by 60% compared with a placebo.  STAY FIT N HEALTHY !!!

                                  

Night Sweats Causes

Night sweating can arise from harmless situations or serious disease. If your bedroom is unusually hot or you are using too many bedclothes, you may begin to sweat during sleep - and this is normal. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, and that are not related to an overheated environment. It is important to note that flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or trunk) may also be hard to distinguish from true night sweats.

There are many different causes of night sweats. Some of the known conditions that can cause night sweats are:

• Menopause: The hot flashes that accompany the menopausal transition can occur at night and cause sweating. This is a very common cause of night sweats in women at or near menopause.
  
• Idiopathic hyperhidrosis: a condition in which the body chronically produces too much sweat without any identifiable medical cause.
  
• Infections: Classically, tuberculosis is the infection most notoriously associated with night sweats. However, bacterial infections, such as endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves), osteomyelitis (inflammation within the bones), and abscesses all may result in night sweats. Night sweats are also a symptom of AIDS virus (HIV) infection.
  
• Cancers: Night sweats are an early symptom of some cancers. The most common type of cancer associated with night sweats is lymphoma. However, people who have an undiagnosed cancer frequently have other symptoms as well, such as unexplained weight loss and fevers.
  
• Medications: Taking certain medications can lead to night sweats. Antidepressant medications are a common type of medication that can lead to night sweats. All types of antidepressants can cause night sweats as a side effect, with a range in incidence from eight to 22% of persons taking antidepressant drugs. Other psychiatric drugs have also been associated with night sweats. Medicines taken to lower fever such as aspirin and acetaminophen can sometimes lead to sweating. Other types of drugs can cause flushing, which, as mentioned above, may be confused with night sweats. Some of the many drugs that can cause flushing include niacin (taken in the higher doses used for lipid disorders), tamoxifen (Nolvadex), hydralazine (Apresoline), nitroglycerine, and sildenafil (Viagra). Many other drugs not mentioned above, including cortisone medications, such as prednisone and prednisolone, may also be associated with flushing or night sweats.
  
• Hypoglycemia: Sometimes low blood glucose can cause sweating. People who are taking insulin or oral anti-diabetic medications may experience hypoglycemia at night that is accompanied by sweating.
  
• Hormone disorders: Sweating or flushing can be seen with several hormone disorders, including pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome, and hyperthyroidism.
  
• Neurologic conditions: Uncommonly, neurologic conditions including autonomic dysreflexia, post-traumatic syringomyelia, stroke, and autonomic neuropathy may cause increased sweating and possibly lead to night sweats.

Night Sweats Symptoms

                                 

Excess sweating that occurs at night may drench sheets and bedclothes when severe. As mentioned previously, sometimes the sensation of flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or trunk) may be hard to distinguish from true night sweats or may accompany night sweats. Depending upon the underlying cause of the night sweats, other symptoms may occur in association with the sweating. For example, with certain infections and cancers, fever and chills are associated with the night sweats.

Medical Treatment (Medications)

                                               

Night sweats are generally a symptom of an underlying problem that may require medical treatment. However, typically treatment is not directed at the night sweats themselves, but rather at the underlying cause. For examples, hormonal disorders, cancers, and infections are among the causes of night sweats in which treatment is directed at the underlying condition.

Night sweats arising as a symptom of perimenopause may be treated with hormone therapy, if appropriate. Both estrogen therapy (ET) and combined estrogen and progestin therapy (hormone therapy or HT) have been used successfully to treat symptoms of perimenopause when these become severe or troubling.

Night sweats arising as a side effect of medications may improve when the medication is discontinued or changed, if appropriate. Your health care practitioner may be able to suggest an alternative form of therapy if you are experiencing severe side effects from taking a medication.

Try to avoid these stimulants or “triggers” to help avoid hot flashes:

• Caffeine (includes chocolate as well)
• Hot drinks
• Acidic foods such as citrus and pickles
• Spicy foods
• Alcoholic beverages
• Hydrogenated or saturated fat
• White sugar (switching to sugar in the raw is an easy choice)

Other stimulants that can cause hot flashes, but might be a little harder to keep under the radar are:

• Hot weather
• Stress
• Hot tubs and saunas
• Unexpressed anger
• Tobacco
• Intense exercise and lovemaking

Natural Herbal Remedies to Help Reduce Hot Flashes and Nightsweats:

                                     

• Dong Quai is an emmenagogue and has been reported to help relieve menopausal problems such as hot flashes, as well as mental and emotional upset.

• Black Cohosh is used for the treatment of dysmenorrheal and menopause. Clinical studies have shown it to relieve hot flashes and depression.

• Licorice Root is believed to reduce estrogen while increasing progesterone. This root is very powerful and useful in treating a number of conditions such as female hormonal problems, abdominal pains, insomnia, infection, peptic ulcers and malaria.

• Motherwort has been found to relieve many symptoms such as frequency and duration of hot flashes, ease stressed nerves and relieve insomnia and anxiety.

• Progesterone Cream – this is a cream that you rub onto your abdomen prior to menstruating to help balance your estrogen and progesterone levels. It is generally done for 3-6 months depending on your symptoms. It would be important to speak to your physician about this, and it would probably be a good idea to have your estrogen and progesterone levels checked prior to using this. It not only aides in balancing your hormones…assisting with hot flashes and night sweats, it also helps reduce cramping.

• Evamist Spray – Developed by Dr. John Buster, a reproductive endocrinologist at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Buster’s spray is made naturally and is an alternative to estrogen patches, pills and gels. You simply hold the spray to your skin, the hormone absorbs in the body, and the hot flashes will likely fade. I myself have not tried this spray, however a friend of mine has and said it worked wonders for her.

• Sage & Alfalfa – A 2005 study at the School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, found that in a controlled trial, sage and alfalfa reduced severe hot flashes by 60% compared with a placebo.

 STAY FIT N HEALTHY !!!