Are there any other possible causes for night sweats besides menopause?
The possibilities are numerous, and I will list a few of them. Night sweats, however, is not the kind of continuing symptom that you should try to deal with by self-diagnosis. Among the variety of things that can cause night sweats are a few serious conditions. It may well turn out to be nothing that warrants treatment, but the safe bet is to see a doctor.
During the visit, you can expect your doctor to ask you a series of questions, trying to ferret out the possible source of the night sweats. The doctor may conduct a thorough physical exam and may order blood tests and other types of screenings.
Most women know that night sweats are a classic symptom of menopause. But they don’t always realize that these symptoms occasionally start years before menstruation ceases, or that some things, such as smoking, can bring on early menopause. So it is possible for a woman in her early forties or late thirties to have night sweats related to menopause.
Night sweats can stem from hormonal imbalances or hormonal conditions such as thyroid problems. They can be caused by fever, bacterial infection, diabetes, hypoglycemia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Other diseases which may cause night sweating include mononucleosis, AIDS, tuberculosis, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and several other kinds of cancer. Certain cancer treatments may be at fault, too.
Some people have night sweats when they have been exercising vigorously right before going to sleep. Endometriosis may sometimes cause night sweats. They occur fairly commonly as a side effect of certain anti-depressant medications, as well as a few other medicines. Night terrors, which are like panic attacks that happen while sleeping, may also be a culprit.