Spotting The Difference: Night Sweats In Leukaemia Vs Normal Night Sweats
Although most people welcome the warm weather, for many, the arrival of summer can also mean welcoming the unpleasant feeling of night sweats. It can be all too easy to dismiss an increase in night sweats as just a harmless symptom of summer. However, severe night sweats can sometimes be a sign of leukaemia. Read on to spot the difference between harmless and harmful night sweats.
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Although most people welcome the warm weather, for many, the arrival of summer can also mean welcoming the unpleasant feeling of night sweats.
It is certainly not unusual to sweat during the night, especially in the summer when your room or bedding becomes too hot. However, severe night sweats that occur to an extent that your bed sheets or pyjamas become soaking wet, despite sleeping in a cool environment, can sometimes be a sign of leukaemia. Out of over 2,000 leukaemia patients asked in our survey, 31% reported night sweats as a major symptom before their diagnosis.
It is all too easy to dismiss an increase in night sweats as just a harmless symptom of summer. Read on to spot the difference between harmless and harmful night sweats and stand a greater chance of diagnosing leukaemia earlier.
In hindsight, the night sweats were a big give away. It wasnt just a bit of a hot night, it was sheets drenched. Having a shower in the morning because youre just sweating so badly Its an unnatural type of sweat at night.
Pay Attention To Your Evening Patterns
Are you eating, drinking alcohol, or exercising late into the evening? Dr. Majestic says each of these things could contribute to your night sweats.
Also consider what youre watching on television or reading before you go to bed, Dr. Majestic says. Is it anxiety provoking or scary? It may be a good idea to alter those behaviors. If youre struggling with depression or anxiety, seek the help of a therapist.Try to remove potential triggers from the hours leading up to bedtime.
You Have A Viral Or Bacterial Infection
When chills are accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, body aches or fatigue, theyre more likely associated with a systemic infection, such as flu or pneumonia.
Chills boost your bodys core temperature when your immune system attempts to fight off infection, Taroyan explains. Your body temperature increases, even though you might feel cold. If you have a viral infection, you will usually notice other symptoms along with chills, such as sore throat, cough, headache, fatigue and muscle aches. Most of the time, it can be self-limiting and will resolve within 2 weeks. Its important to get plenty of rest and increase your fluid intake.
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Coping With A Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with a chronic condition is often a testing experience, to say the least. So what can those receiving an RA diagnosis, and those around them do to make living with the condition easier?
Learning to cope with a life-long, chronic illness such as RA is down to support and understanding. The more you know about the disease, the better youre able to understand and manage your symptoms. Where possible this should also extend to your family, friends and colleagues. If you can help them understand your condition, it increases your support network, which can in turn help make life easier for you.
It may feel tricky to broach the subject with friends and colleagues, but sharing your experience and knowledge can help to make situations in your social life and at work much easier.
Support from other people is such an important factor for people with RA. However, we know that many people dont disclose an RA diagnosis, especially in the workplace, as they fear it might impact their career.
RA is an invisible illness, as it is not possible to see pain and fatigue. This can make people reluctant to admit when theyre suffering as they dont want to come across as being moany. The most important thing is that family, friends and colleagues gain an understanding of the disease so they know how to provide the best support for the affected person.
When To See The Gp
As Gilani explains, if youre worried about night sweats, speaking with a GP can help. Because there are so many potential causes and no easy way of differentiating one type of sweating from another they will ask you a number of questions to build up a fuller picture.
To investigate night sweats, a GP will take your medical history, and may examine you to determine if there is an underlying medical condition. Depending on the findings, they may then order tests such as blood tests, X-rays, or other specialised investigations, she says.
You should always see the GP if your night sweats are accompanied by a very high temperature, cough, diarrhoea, localised pain or other symptoms of concern. And while night sweats every so often are probably nothing to worry about, its worth seeking advice if theyre persistent.
If you find that you are also losing weight for no apparent reason, its important to see a GP as this could be a sign of a more serious condition, says Gilani. Also, if you have been diagnosed with lymphoma or HIV, night sweats accompanied by unexplained weight loss may be a warning sign that your disease is progressing.
If your night sweats can be traced to menopause, you may want to look into hormone replacement therapy . And if the GP believes your medication is to blame, solving the problem may be as simple as prescribing something different.
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Is It Possible That I Have Pots And Was Incorrectly Diagnosed
This is entirely possible. Given how common POTS symptoms are and how unfamiliar many doctors are with this condition, diagnostic mishaps happen. POTS is frequently misidentified as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, anxiety disorder, ADHD, irritable bowel syndrome, myositis, etc. It is also possible that you have both POTS and one of these conditions, which may complicate the diagnosis. Sometimes people with POTS are told that its all in your head, implying that the cause of their symptoms is psychological. If you feel like something is physically wrong, dont hesitate to seek a second, and even a third or fourth opinion.
COVID-19 and POTS: Is There a Link?
Although many people recover quickly from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, others who recover may continue to experience symptoms for months. Researchers are still determining the cause of these extended symptoms, but some COVID-19 long-haulers may actually be dealing with POTS.
Unexplained Pain: Could Those Aches And Fatigue Be An Autoimmune Disease
Are you exhausted and depressed? Do your joints ache? These are telltale symptoms of more than 80 of the autoimmune diseases that exist. Find out the 6 most common, what happens when your body turns against itself and how to diagnose and treat symptoms…
When our immune systems work right, our body is able to fend off attacks from invading bacteria and viruses. But with an autoimmune disease, it fights against us. Instead of protecting, it attacks, sending armies of your bodys disease-fighters to battle your own healthy tissue, cells and organs.
Up to 22 million Americans have autoimmune disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health . Nearly 80% of them are women many in their childbearing years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . And the numbers are growing. Autoimmune diseases are much more prevalent now than they were 20 years ago, says Virginia Ladd, president of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. Each disease is relatively rare, but looking at them collectively, thats another story.
- Pain in the wrists and fingers of both hands
- Tender, warm joints in both knees and elbows
- Morning discomfort
- Fatigue/loss of energy
- Fever
How to diagnose it:
- Fatigue
- Chronic vaginal yeast infections
How to treat it:
- Achy and swollen joints
- Shortness of breath or chest pain
- Skin sores from sun exposure
How to treat it:
- Dairy products
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Surprising Causes Of Joint Aches At Night
There are more causes of joint discomfort overnight that deserve some mentioning: microscopic colitis, as well as Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.
Add lupus and Sjogrens syndrome to this list. However, as with mid-cycle joint pain, this symptom can occur any time of the day.
I had a bout with microscopic colitis , and this benign condition can present with one or more of several symptoms, including joint aches and dehydration.
These two symptoms I definitely had, along with the hallmark diarrhea.
If you have microscopic colitis, youll know somethings up: It causes watery, painless diarrhea, though the diarrhea may also be more formed.
This condition causes release of prostaglandins, the same hormones that are released during PMS that cause aching joints!
Dr. Galland has authored many book chapters and papers in sports medicine. His advice and consultation have been sought by world-class athletes in track and field and Major League Baseball.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. Shes also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
How Long Does Menopause Last
Medical Author: Dr. Jasmine Shaikh, MD
Medical Editor: Pallavi Suyog Uttekar, MD
Some symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes usually last for one to two years. However, they can continue for 10 years or longer.
Menopause is the normal phase in a womanâs life that starts from her last menstrual period up to at least a year with no menstrual cycles. Menstrual periods stop permanently and she can no longer conceive. To say that a woman has reached her menopause, her periods should not have occurred for at least 12 months after her last period.
Menopause can happen anytime between 45 and 55 years of age. The average age for menopause in the United States is 52.
The transition from the beginning of irregular menstrual periods to the last menstrual period is known as perimenopause and the time after menopause is termed postmenopause. Perimenopause usually starts in a womans mid the to late 40s and can last anywhere between one and four years before menopause strikes. Women who have undergone menopause are referred to as postmenopausal women.
Menopause that sometimes occurs early is known as premature menopause. This happens after the surgical removal of the ovaries or uterus . It can also be due to an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system of the body attacks the bodyâs own cells.
What happens during menopause?
- Loss of interest in sex
How is menopause diagnosed?
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Lymphoma That Affects Your Peripheral Nervous System
Other types of lymphoma can cause damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord . This is called peripheral neuropathy.
Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy depend on which group of nerves are affected. They can include:
- pins and needles, numbness or a burning sensation, often in the hands or feet
- pain
- increased sensitivity to touch or temperature
- muscle twitches .
Tell your GP if you have any of these symptoms.
Peripheral neuropathy can happen if the lymphoma produces chemicals that stick to nerves and damage them. It is quite common in people with Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia .
Rarely, lymphoma spreads into the nerves. It can push up against them or grow around the tiny blood vessels that supply them. This can cause symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy can also affect the nerves of your autonomic nervous system, which carry messages between your brain and your internal organs. This can cause symptoms such as blood pressure changes and light-headedness.
Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis: Whats The Difference
OA and RA do bear some symptomatic similarities. Both conditions result in severe joint pain, swelling and stiffness. However the causes of these conditions are very different.
RA is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects the joints. Ailsa explains. The immune system goes wrong and attacks you instead of protecting you. It is very different to osteoarthritis. Its a systemic disease, and can affect other organs such as the eyes, lungs and heart. Having another autoimmune condition is relatively common and RA can occur with anemia, IBS, Crohns and colitis, Sjögrens syndrome, secondary Sjögrens syndrome or uveitis.
So who is more likely to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis?
Whereas osteoarthritis is a wear and tear condition and generally affects many older people rheumatoid arthritis can affect anyone over the age of 16 at any point in their lives. RA is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60 years. Females are at a higher risk of being diagnosed. It is not fully understood why, but the disease affects about three times as many women as it does men.
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Connection Between Menopause And Joint Pain
While joint pain is a common side effect of aging, is it also a symptom of menopause? Stiff joints that are swollen or even warm to the touch may be caused by changing hormone levels, though some medical professionals believe that this pain is not a direct result of menopause. Rather, the lower estrogen levels associated with menopause can increase the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in women over 50, resulting in the joint pain that is being attributed to menopause itself.
Osteoporosis is the thinning of the bones and can be accelerated by the lower levels of estrogen seen in menopause. Thin and brittle bones put women at risk for developing osteoarthritis, which is characterized by swollen and painful joints. While there may not be a physical link between menopause and joint pain, they often occur around the same time and symptoms of menopause may put women at risk for developing conditions that can cause joint pain.
Another factor of joint pain in menopause is dehydration. When the body is dehydrated then uric acid can accumulate, which triggers inflammation in the joints. Because estrogen is a key player in fluid regulation it also plays a role in your dehydration levels. You see, when estrogen levels drop, so does the bodys ability to hold on to the fluid.
How To Treat Joint Pain Caused By Menopause
The good news about menopausal joint pain is that it can be managed or even eradicated. There are a number of ways you can treat joint pains. The most common type of treatment options includes diet and lifestyle changes, alternative medicine, prescriptions from a dermatologist, therapy, and medications.
Diet
Having a balanced diet has been attributed to easing joint pain during menopause as well as solving other symptoms of menopause. In addition, eating healthy will help keep weight in check as it is a major factor that worsens joint pain.
To begin with, eat a diet that is rich in calcium as it will help to strengthen your bones and keep them healthy. Office of Dietary Supplements pointed out that calcium should be accompanied by foods rich in magnesium such as whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits to enhance the absorption of calcium into the bones. If a diet rich in calcium and magnesium cannot be achieved, then use supplements that provide those two important bone-strengthening minerals.
As stated by Goldberg and Katz , also eat diets that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C such as fish and berries as they are antioxidants that reduce inflammation and pain.
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Things Your Night Sweats Are Trying To Tell You
Everyone wakes up once in a while feeling a little overheated. But that’s not what a doctor would call “night sweats.” True night sweats are “extreme perspiration”think soaked sheets or damp pajamas, says Rob Danoff, DO, director of family medicine at Philadelphia’s Aria Health System.
If that sounds like the kind of sweating you’re dealing with, Danoff says your symptoms are likely caused by an underlying medical condition or illness.
“Menopause or perimenopause, because of the hormonal changes involved, are the first conditions that come to mind,” he says.
One study in the Annals of Human Biology found 36% of menopausal women report experiencing night sweats. Alcohol may make those night sweats worse. Another research paper in the journal Menopause linked moderate or heavy alcohol consumptiondefined as one drink or more per dayto higher rates of night sweats among menopausal women.
So if you’re approaching or experiencing menopause, that’s one obvious culprit. But it’s not the only cause of persistent night sweats.
Here are some other things your night sweats could be trying to tell you:
“If your body is fighting off an illness or infection, that can cause night sweats,” Danoff says. These night sweats can persist for days or even weeks after other symptoms have faded. So if you recently had a fever or some other bug, that could be the cause of your bedroom sweat sessions.
Multiple Sclerosis As A Cause Of Joint Pain And Fatigue
Multiple sclerosis affects the immune system by attacking the brain, optic nerves and spinal cord, say experts.
The disease also destroys myelin, the sheath that protects and covers the nerves. This hinders signals between the brain and the body. This can results in numbness, pain and tremors common symptoms of the disease.
In fact, MS can resemble lupus as well as Lyme disease. It can also cause fatigue and joint pain. One of the common symptoms include numbness and a tingling sensation.
Studies suggest that a majority of Americans have MS with the diseases affecting people between 20-40 years. Women are more likely to fall prey to MS as opposed to men.
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