Comment from: 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: April 15
I'm a 27-year-old female with nightly night sweats despite the fact that I run a fan, and I wear a tank top and shorts for pajamas year-round. My dad and older brother say they tend to sweat a lot when they sleep, so it could be a genetic thing for me. I wake up usually after four hours of sleep completely drenched where it is actually dripping down my chest and legs. I usually either change clothes or roll to a dry part of my bed, ripping the covers off until I freeze and need them again. I experience no other abnormalities otherwise and am very fit. I do, however, tend to have very vivid dreams. Also, I have become more anxious in my "old" age (versus when I was in college), so perhaps I'm stressing myself out to the point of sweating at night.
Comment from: summitman, 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: April 13
I'm a 53-year-old male. I suffer from night sweats almost nightly. I can completely soak my side of the bed. I wake up cold and soaking wet. At times, I have to get up and change my wet clothing. I find it necessary to sleep in some type of clothing so I don't soak the mattress and blankets. I don't know if there's a "connection" or not, but I also have what I call "frustrating" dreams. In my dreams, I am extremely frustrated about something. When I wake up and reflect on my dreams, they make absolutely no sense. It is getting to the point that I hate to go to bed at night, and I want to take something like Excedrin PM at bedtime to try and insure sound sleep. I've had these sweats for years off and on, but in the last year, they have increased to a nightly event. My health is in general good condition.
Comment from: janis, 75 or over Female (Caregiver)Published: April 13
My mother wakes up sweating profusely just about every night. It occurs around 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. She has to change bedclothes and even sheets. They are soaked. Sometimes it happens again around 7 a.m. She is 86 years old and diabetic. We check her sugar when this occurs, and it is not low (high 100s and low-to-mid 200s). This began when she was hospitalized two months ago with asthmatic bronchitis and pneumonia and was on steroids. She has been off the steroids for several weeks, but the night sweats continue. She has also not been able to get rid of the incessant, unproductive cough. Her doctors are at a loss to explain.
Comment from: Terry, 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: April 13
I'm a 53-year-old male. I've been having night sweats on and off for years. Weeks may pass without sweating, and then I may wake three or four times the following week with night sweats. Last night, I woke at 3 a.m. with horrible sweating from head to toe. I usually get up and dry myself with a towel, which I keep next to the bed. It's as if someone has tipped water over me. I'm soaked, and so are the sheets. I usually then lie on a towel once I'm back in bed. I consider myself in good health but with slightly elevated blood pressure, which I am on medication to treat. My occupation as a locomotive engineer requires lots of unusual shifts, which I have been doing for 33 years. I have strange sleep patterns, and sometimes I do not get more than four hours per day.
Comment from: GMP, 19-24 Female (Patient)Published: April 13
I am a 20-year-old college student with chronic anemia. (I'm tired most of the time.) Because of this, I usually have no trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep. I also, however, have bad dust and pollen allergies, which result in asthma and frequent sinus infections. For my most recent sinus infection (which I am still finishing the antibiotics for), I was prescribed a new kind of antibiotic (they usually give me a Z-pack, but those stopped working for me) called clarithromycin, a 10-day antibiotic I've never tried before. Ever since I started taking it, I've been moody, had stomach pains, lost my appetite (a big deal for me; I'm always hungry) and, I've been having severe night sweats. They usually wake me with a start in the middle of the night, and I am soaked with sweat from the neck down. I changed my pajamas four times last night. The only way I stop sweating is if I use no covers in my freezing cold dorm room, but then I freeze and cannot fall asleep. This is causing me to lose even more sleep than usual, and it is a very frustrating mystery for me! I wish they would just stop! I only hope they are connected to the antibiotics and not some other underlying issue.
Comment from: Kelpatterson, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: April 09
I came down with an illness that kept me sitting up in a chair in order to breathe. I had fever, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Following the 6 weeks, after I began getting up and around again, I started having very unusual symptoms. Such as incontinence, joint muscle pain, vision loss, weakness, numbing in my hands, calves and feet. I walked with a cane because I began having drop attacks. Six months later I lost the use of my legs and ended up wheelchair bound. I have since then graduated from my wheelchair to arm brace/crutches. I have been sick with esophageal pain, weight loss, difficulty eating, chest pain and shortness of breath, just to name a few. I currently have no immune system and receiving IVIG blood transfusions every month. I am still very weak, have no energy, and constantly fatigued. How do I go about getting the proper tests done. I want to make sure I do not have any other underlying illness. They have still yet to find the origin of my physical pain. They stated that my physical pain is not related to my lack of T-cells.
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A boil is a skin abscess, a collection of
pus localized deep in the skin. There are several different types of boils. Among them are the following: furuncle or
carbuncle, Cystic acne, Hidradenitis suppurativa, and Pilonidal cyst.
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix. Appendicitis often causes
fever, loss of appetite, and right lower
quadrant abdominal pain. Delay in surgery can result in appendix rupture with potentially serious complications.
Diverticulitis is a condition in which diverticuli in the colon rupture. The rupture results in infection in the tissues that surround the colon. Diverticulitis symptoms include: abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Treatment methods include prescription medications, and in some cases, diverticulitis surgery.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
In the U.S., more than 2,000 people are diagnosed with bone cancer every year. There are many types of bone cancer. The most common forms of bone cancer are osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, fibrosarcoma, and chordoma. Pain is the most common symptom. Treatment usually involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. Symptoms include weakness, fever, weight loss, night sweats and in worse cases, chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. A person with an active infection (a positive TB skin test, abnormal chest x-ray and TB bacteria in their sputum) requires treatment with izoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinaide.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Hyperthyroidism is an excess of thyroid hormone resulting from an overactive thyroid gland. Symptoms can include increased heart rate, weight
loss, depression, and cognitive slowing. Treatment is by medication, the use of
radioactive iodine, thyroid surgery, or reducing the dose of thyroid hormone.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, a vital part of the body's immune system. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, coughing, weakness, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on which type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma you have, the stage of the cancer, your age, how fast the cancer is growing, and whether you have other health problems.
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop, also called the “change of life." Menopause symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, irregular vaginal bleeding, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, urinary incontinence, weight gain, and emotional symptoms such as mood swings. Treatment of menopausal symptoms varies, and should be discussed with your physician.
Hypoglycemia is a syndrome caused by low blood sugar. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include palpitations, trembling, intense hunger, sweating, nervousness, and weakness. Consuming lifesavers, table sugar, soda, and juice are good treatment options for hypoglycemia.
Hodgkin's disease is a cancer of the lymphatic system with symptoms that include unexplained, recurring fevers, unexplained weight loss, itchy skin, and painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, and groin. Treatment for adult Hodgkin's disease depends on the staging of the disease, the lymph nodes' size, and the health of the patient.
It is thought that the tonsils and adenoids assist the body in fighting incoming bacteria and viruses by helping the body form antibodies. This is thought to be important only during the first year of life. Acute tonsillitis, strep throat, mononucleosis (mono), chronic tonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, and hypertrophic tonsils and adenoids are all common problems involving the tonsils and adenoids. Treatment of tonsillitis and adenoids include antibiotics and other medications depending on the cause. In some cases, a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy (the removal of the tonsils or adenoids) may be necessary.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that lasts 6 months or longer, is not improved by bed rest, and may be worsened by physical or mental activity.
Hot flashes (or flushing) is the most common symptom experienced by a woman prior to and during the early stages of menopause. Hot flashes can be caused by other conditions. Diagnosis is made by taking a patient history and at times, blood tests. Treatment options include hormone therapy, bioidentical hormone therapy, and medications. There are non-FDA approved natural remedies.
Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone. Potential causes include injections around the bone, fractures that puncture the skin, recent surgeries, and bacterial infections that travel from other areas of the body, spreading through the blood to the bone. Symptoms include pain, fever, chills, stiffness, and nausea. Treatment involves antibiotics and pain medications. Surgery is sometimes necessary.
A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
Hot flashes are experienced by many women, however, not all women undergoing menopause experience hot flashes. A hot flash is a feeling of warmth that spreads over the body. Treatment for hot flashes include hormone replacement therapy and alternative prescription medications such as SSRIs (Effexor, Paxil, Prozac), clonidine (Catapres), megestrol (Megace), and gabapentin (Neurontin). Few alternative treatments for hot flashes (for example phytoestrogens - isoflavones, black cohosh, and vitamin E have been scientifically studied.
Pheochromocytoma is a tumor of the adrenal gland. Pheochromocytomas are quite rare and the vast majority of them are entirely benign. Only very rarely is a pheochromocytoma malignant.
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating of the underarms, palms, or soles of the feet. Treatment may involve over-the-counter antiperspirants, prescription antiperspirants, iontophoresis, medications, surgery, and Botox.
A carcinoid tumor is a tumor that develops from enterochromaffin cells. The important characteristic of carcinoid tumors that sets them apart from other gastrointestinal tract tumors, is their potential to cause the carcinoid syndrome. Local symptoms may include abdominal pain, intestinal bleeding, and intestinal obstruction. However, often symptoms of the carcinoid syndrome can be more devastating than the local symptoms. There are many options for the treatment of carcinoid tumors and carcinoid syndrome.
Insomnia is difficulty in falling or staying asleep, the absence of restful sleep, or poor quality of sleep. Insomnia is a symptom and not a disease. The most common causes of insomnia are medications, psychological conditions, environmental changes and stressful events. Treatments may include non-drug treatments, over-the-counter medicines, and/or prescription medications.
Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) is a disease caused by the inhalation of the Coccidioides immitis or C. posadasii fungus. Symptoms are flu-like and resolve over two to six weeks. Infection typically requires no treatment, though there are many antifungal drugs to treat valley fever.
Vaginal dryness and vaginal atrophy occurs in women during perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. With vaginal atrophy, the lining of the vaginal wall becomes thinner, drier, less elastic, and light pink to bluish in color. Symptoms of vaginal atrophy include vaginal dryness, itching, irritation, and/or pain during intercourse. Treatment options for vaginal dryness and vaginal atrophy include hormone treatment and over-the-counter vaginal lubricating and moisturizing products.
Endocarditis, a serious infection of one of the four heart valves is caused by growth of bacteria on one of the heart valves; leading to an infected massed called a "vegetation." The infection can be caused by having bacteria in the bloodstream after dental work, colonoscopy, or other similar procedures. Endocarditis symptoms include fever, fatigue, weakness, chills, aching muscles and joints, night sweats, edema in the legs, feet, or abdomen, malaise, shortness of breath and small skin lesions. Treatment for endocarditis is generally aggressive antibiotic treatment.
Premature ovarian failure (POS) is the cessation of normal functioning of the ovaries in women under the age of 40. Premature ovarian failure may be caused by follicle depletion or dysfunction. The most common symptom of premature ovarian failure are irregular periods. There is no "treatment" that will restore the ovarian function, but there are treatments that my relieve symptoms.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Insomnia is difficulty in falling or staying asleep,
the absence of restful sleep, or poor quality of sleep.
Insomnia is a symptom and not a disease. The most common
causes of insomnia are:
medications,
psychological
conditions (for example, depression,
anxiety),
environmental
changes (travel, jet lag, or altitude changes), and
stressful events
or a stressful lifestyle.
Insomnia can also be caused by poor
sleeping habits such as excessive daytime naps or caffeine
consumption and poor sleep hygiene.
The National Center for Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institutes
of Health estimates 30%-40% of adults report some symptoms of insomnia each
year, and about 10%-15% report they have chronic insomnia.
Insomnia may be classified by how long the symptoms are ...
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
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I'm a 27-year-old female with nightly night sweats despite the fact that I run a fan, and I wear a tank top and shorts for pajamas year-round. My dad and older brother say they tend to sweat a lot when they sleep, so it could be a genetic thing for me. I wake up usually after four hours of sleep completely drenched where it is actually dripping down my chest and legs. I usually either change clothes or roll to a dry part of my bed, ripping the covers off until I freeze and need them again. I experience no other abnormalities otherwise and am very fit. I do, however, tend to have very vivid dreams. Also, I have become more anxious in my "old" age (versus when I was in college), so perhaps I'm stressing myself out to the point of sweating at night.
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