What makes cold sweats

To make them go away, we must treat the underlying cause. For example, if shortness of breath is causing sweats, helping the patient to breathe better and get more oxygen should help dry the skin. In other words, diaphoresis is not the problem; it is the sign or symptom of the problem.

Recognizing cold sweats when they happen can help identify a problem before it gets too bad. Anything that causes a fight or flight response in the body can cause cold sweats. What is done to fix the cold sweats depends on the cause.

Shock is dangerously low blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. The lack of blood flow delivers less oxygen and nutrients to the brain, which causes stress. Shock is a life-threatening condition and recognizing cold sweats is an important key to identifying shock. Other things to look for if the rescuer suspects shock would be a sudden, rapid heartbeat, weak pulse, rapid breathing over 20 breaths per minute , pale skin, and feeling weak or woozy when sitting up or standing.

Shock doesn't just happen, either. Cold sweats after a mechanism of injury like a car accident or a fall is enough of a concern to call In the meantime, let the patient lie flat on his or her back and elevate the feet about 8 to 12 inches. Any infection that causes a fever can lead to cold sweats.

It's common for cold sweats to come on as a fever "breaks" or starts to go back down. Really severe cases of infection, called sepsis , can lead to shock and therefore also to cold sweats. If the cold sweats come on without any preceding fever, or they are accompanied by the symptoms listed with shock above, call an ambulance.

Another drop in blood pressure called syncope, which often causes fainting, can lead to diaphoresis. Many people will start sweating with severe or sudden nausea or vertigo. Call an ambulance for syncope. Intense pain from severe injuries, like fractures or amputations, can lead to cold sweats.

If a patient with a broken ankle is sweating, there's a good bet he is in excruciating pain and could use something to ease the pain. If the patient is already taking something for pain, call the healthcare provider to explain the situation and discuss alternatives or changes to dosages. A heart attack can lead to cold sweats. Call an ambulance if cold sweats also come with chest pain or pressure, or pressure in the neck or arm. Severe shortness of breath can lead to a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream.

When the patient's brain begins to crave oxygen, a stress response is triggered, causing cold sweats, among other things. Look for other signs of shortness of breath in a patient with cold sweats, like fatigue with very little exercise or pursed-lip breathing. If the patient has oxygen, make sure it is on and call an ambulance.

Too little sugar in the bloodstream hypoglycemia is a fairly common complication in people with diabetes. The brain regards a lack of sugar as just as serious an emergency as a lack of oxygen. The response is the same, including cold sweats.

If a patient with diabetes is confused, call an ambulance and provide her with glucose if it is available. If the patient can drink, try fruit juice if glucose isn't nearby. Lastly, fear and anxiety are definite causes of stress for anyone. Anything from intense panic to everyday anxiety can lead to a fight or flight response and all the signs that go with it, including cold sweats. Sometimes cold sweats indicate an underlying problem. There are other causes of cold sweats that aren't necessarily emergencies, such as the hormonal changes that come with menopause or chronic conditions like cancer.

At other times, the underlying causes can be murkier or more challenging to confront. While individuals are working with their care providers to identify more complex issues, it can be helpful to treat the symptoms at the same time. Stress is essential for survival. The chemicals that it triggers help the body prepare to face danger and cope with difficulty. However, long-term…. Sweating can lead to embarrassment. Some people with diabetes experience either excessive or insufficient sweating.

Find out more about the link…. Hyperhidrosis is a condition that involves excessive sweating. It may affect the whole body or just specific areas. Although it might be embarrassing…. Anhidrosis is the complete absence of sweating, while hypohidrosis refers to sweating that is less than normal. They are both sudomotor dysfunctions. What to do about cold sweats.

Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. When you are fighting an infection, your body temperature may rise, giving you a fever. One can also commonly alternate between sweating when your temperature drops and shivering when your temperature rises again. This may sound backwards, but the air around you feels colder as your body temperature rises, especially if you are already covered in sweat, causing you to shiver.

Your body wants to maintain its new temperature, and shivering creates some warmth. Staying hydrated when experiencing a fever is absolutely crucial, in part to replace fluids and electrolytes lost to excessive sweating.

Blood sugar that is too low can cause excessive sweating and needs to be treated right away. Hypoglycemia can also happen as the result of developing a resistance to insulin medication. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, is another potential cause of cold sweats. Low blood pressure can also be brought on by a heart attack or a very low heart rate. Dangerously low blood pressure can cause fainting and excessive sweating. It should be treated by lying flat on the back.

Staying hydrated may also help prevent low blood pressure. Lymphoma is any cancer of the lymph system, and one of the common symptoms of lymphoma is night sweats. Other types of cancer such as leukemia can also cause night sweats, in part because of the side effects of cancer drugs.

Similar to shock, extreme anxiety or fear such as panic attacks can also trigger a stress response and cause excessive sweating. Certain anxiety disorders can make cold sweats more common. For example, hyperhidrosis is a disorder characterized by overactive sweat glands and can be a secondary symptom of other anxiety disorders. Cold sweats can also be a side effect of many common antidepressants as well as antidepressant withdrawal.

We've already seen that certain drugs such as diabetes drugs, cancer drugs, and antidepressants can cause cold sweats. Other drugs that list excessive sweating as a potential side effect include prescription pain medications, antibiotics, heartburn meditations, and asthma inhalers.

Sometimes, we need to take these drugs for an underlying health condition. In this case, the side effects may be unavoidable and can be treated as separate conditions. Additionally, alcohol withdrawal is known to cause excessive sweating. It is important to seek medical advice any time you stop taking a drug.