Generality
Sudden sweating is an abnormal increase in secretions by the sweat glands, without warning signs (prodromal symptoms).
This manifestation can be traced back to different factors and can be associated to physiological conditions or to mild or very risky health conditions. In case of indigestion, for example, sudden sweating can be interpreted as a transient and benign symptom. Conversely, a heart attack or injuries sustained following trauma can cause the body to react with increased perspiration. Sudden sweating can therefore indicate a state of shock or serious suffering in the body, which requires immediate medical intervention.
What's this
Sudden sweating is the increase in the secretion by the sweat glands, in the regions where these are predominantly present, ie in the hands, feet, armpits, chest, back and forehead. This phenomenon is related to body temperature control, but can also occur in emergency situations .
This condition in itself does not represent a pathology, but a symptom that can be caused by pathological and non-pathological conditions.
Why do you sweat?
Sweating is one of the physiological methods used by our body to balance the loss and acquisition of heat. In other words, increased transpiration serves to control and regulate body temperature . Sweating usually manifests itself as a "background" activity, rarely visible.
The amount of sweat produced can be influenced by several factors, including intense exercise, high ambient temperature, fever, stress and emotional tension. Increased sweating can be a side effect of some drugs (such as morphine, antipyretics and thyroid hormone medicines) and alcohol abuse. Finally, copious transpiration can be a symptom of diseases (such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes) and non-pathological conditions (eg menopause, premenstrual period and pregnancy).
Causes and Risk Factors
Sudden sweating can occur in different situations, mild or very dangerous to health. In principle, the phenomenon can be associated with the sensation of heat or cold.
Sudden hot sweating
- Menopause . Sudden and profuse sweating associated with the perception of "flushing" of heat is one of the most typical manifestations of menopause. This reaction is the consequence of hormonal changes (in particular, the decrease in estrogens and the increase in the follicle-stimulating hormone) which cause an altered functioning of the hypothalamus, where the body's thermal regulation center resides.
- Andropause . Episodes of sudden sweating with hot flushes can also affect male sex during andropause. As with menopause, the phenomenon is attributable to hormonal changes (in particular, due to the reduction of testosterone).
- Pregnancy . Sudden sweating can also occur during gestation; in this case, the increase in progesterone is responsible for the increase in body temperature and sudden sweating.
- Premenstrual period . In women, sudden sweating can occur in the days preceding the onset of menstruation.
- Prostate or testicular tumor . In humans, sudden sweating can occur as a result of an androgen-suppressive hormone therapy for the management of some forms of prostate or testicular cancer.
- Strong emotions . Sudden sweating can result transiently in situations of high stress, fear and emotional tension.
- Eating habits . The consumption of very spicy or spicy foods can promote sudden sweating.
- Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid dysfunction. In some cases, sudden sweating is a symptom of a pituitary, hypothalamus or thyroid problem. In fact, these organs are involved in controlling body temperature. These include, for example, hyperthyroidism, a condition characterized by an increase in sweating associated with heat intolerance, anxiety, palpitation, weight loss and tremor.
Sudden cold sweating
Sudden cold sweating is a consequence of very strong stress: the body reacts by releasing cortisol and adrenaline, substances that induce vasoconstriction and stimulate the sweat glands (while thermal sweating is associated with dilation of blood vessels). As a result, therefore, cold sweat is felt on the skin.
Did you know that…
When you sweat suddenly and your skin is pale and fresh, the perceived sensation is often identified with the term "cold sweat".
The conditions that can lead to sudden cold sweating include:
- Digestive difficulties. In case of indigestion, sudden cold sweating can be interpreted as a transient and benign symptom. The disorder can also occur in the case of gastritis, manifesting itself with a drop in blood pressure, dizziness and vertigo.
- Myocardial infarction. Sudden cold sweating is a symptom that can occur in critical and potentially lethal conditions, such as myocardial infarction and cardiovascular shock. Usually, these pathological events are associated with other alarming signs, such as sudden pain or tightness in the chest, drop in blood pressure, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.
- Agitation and anxious states . Sudden sweating can result from transient situations of nervousness and severe anxiety attacks. This symptom can also be found when a panic attack occurs, associated with palpitations, tachycardia and a sense of anguish or constriction in the chest.
- Burns . The presence of large areas burned on the skin (as happens, for example, after excessive exposure to the sun) can cause cold sweat.
Other disorders associated with sudden sweating
- Hypoglycemia. Sudden sweating with hot or cold and moist skin is also a symptom of excessively low blood sugar levels, resulting from pathological causes, such as diabetes, or non-pathological causes, such as prolonged fasting. This condition can also lead to tremors with feelings of hunger, blurred vision, confusion, pallor, dizziness, fainting and nausea.
- Thermal shock . The onset of sudden sweating can be caused by the rapid transition from a hot temperature to a cold one and vice versa (as can happen, for example, in summer when entering an air-conditioned environment).
- Infectious diseases . Bacterial or viral infections often involve fever with episodes of sudden sweating, along with other symptoms such as diarrhea and chills. These diseases may include flu, tuberculosis, mononucleosis, pneumonia and viral gastroenteritis. In sepsis and in septic shock conditions (presence of infection throughout the body), the febrile state is preceded by chills and followed by profuse sweat secretion.
- Pharmacological therapies. Sudden sweating can be a side effect of some drugs. These include morphine, antipyretics and thyroid hormone medicines.
- Tumors. Sudden sweating can indicate the presence of some forms of cancer, such as leukemia and lymphomas. These diseases can cause sudden sweating that occurs mainly during the night and is associated with other symptoms such as weight loss, fever and asthenia.
- Alcoholism. Sudden sweating episodes can result from excessive alcohol intake.
Other conditions that can induce the manifestation of sudden sweating include:
- Hypotension or increase in blood pressure, especially if the changes are sudden;
- Anaphylactic shock (following an allergic reaction);
- Cervical osteoarthritis;
- Motion sickness (car sickness);
- Toxic shock.
Symptoms and Complications
Sudden sweating manifests itself in profuse transpiration accompanied by:
- Sensation of cold, chills and skin cold to the touch (sudden cold sweating);
- Hot sensation or "flushing" of heat (sudden hot sweating);
In some cases, this disorder occurs mainly at night; other times, instead, it occurs mostly during daylight hours.
Sudden sweating is a non-specific symptom, so it is essential to observe the disorders that can be associated with this manifestation, to understand what is the cause that led to its appearance.
For example, based on the underlying pathology, the following can be presented:
- Retrosternal or thoracic pain, irradiated to the left arm and shoulder, associated with feeling of vertigo and nausea (raises the suspicion of myocardial infarction).
- Hot flashes and mood alterations (due to menopause, andropause, premenstrual syndrome and pregnancy);
- Pallor, palpitations, tremor and weakness (symptoms indicative of sudden changes in blood pressure, hypoglycemia and panic attacks);
- Nausea (occurs mainly in cases of panic attacks, indigestion and motion sickness);
- Breathing difficulties (usually caused by infectious diseases, such as flu and parainfluenza syndromes);
- Vertigo, sensation of sagging of the legs, dizziness and fainting (hypoglycemia and strong emotional states);
- Diarrhea (food toxinfections or viral gastroenteritis).
To remember
Sudden sweating can indicate a state of shock or suffering in the body, which makes immediate medical intervention necessary. Usually, these events are associated, however, with other warning signs, such as: pain or a sense of pressure in the chest, palpitations, pallor of the face, vomiting with the presence of blood, breathing difficulties and loss of consciousness. It is important, therefore, that when suddenly sweating occurs, beware of other concomitant symptoms.
Diagnosis
When the sudden perspiration manifests itself in a recurrent way, it is advisable to consult your doctor, in order to research in depth the cause that triggers this symptom and establish the right therapy to limit the disorder. The preliminary clinical evaluation aims to understand under what conditions the complete symptom picture is verified and investigated.
The patient initially undergoes laboratory tests to measure blood sugar concentration (glycaemia), thyroid hormones, electrolytes and, in women, chorionic gonadotropin (in order to check whether or not a pregnancy).
Based on the results of these analyzes, the doctor can indicate the execution of specialist tests such as a neurological or orthopedic examination, associated or not with imaging diagnostics (CT, MRI and radiographs), useful for investigating diseases affecting the ear, of the cervical spine or brain.
Sudden sweating that is associated with epigastric pain (in the upper part of the stomach) or chest, which radiates to the arm and left shoulder, feeling of dizziness and nausea, could be the symptom of a heart attack, therefore it is necessary to go immediately to emergency room.
Treatment and Remedies
The treatment of sudden sweating is aimed at the underlying cause of this problem, taking into account the general condition of the patient.
If the phenomenon is related to fever, for example, the doctor may indicate the intake of an antipyretic; when sudden sweating is caused by hypotension or hypertension, drugs may be prescribed to regularize blood pressure and so on. In particular cases, it is possible to intervene surgically, locally removing the sweat glands which are more active.
