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8 Causes of Night Sweats

Medications

Some drugs can cause night sweating. Certain medications have night sweating as a side effect. Usually, diabetes medication, hormone treatment, and antidepressant drugs are drugs that can cause night sweating.

Some antidepressant drugs and other drugs are taken to lower fever that can cause excessive sweating in the night include:

  • Aspirin
  • Tamoxifen [3]
  • Niacin
  • Cortisone
  • Acetaminophen
  • Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) [4]

Excessive intake of caffeine, alcohol, or certain illicit drugs can also increase the risk of night sweats.

Infection

Some infections can be associated with night sweating. Tuberculosis, for example, is an infection that is known to cause night sweats. This is because most infections tend to trigger fever and overheating. The two significant infections that cause excessive sweating at night are bacterial and fungal. Examples of infections that can cause night sweat include:

  • Osteomyelitis [5] : Osteomyelitis is an infection in the bone that causes the bone to swell.
  • Endocarditis [6] : Endocarditis is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the heart valve.
  • Abscesses: Abscesses is a general term that explains pus growth in any part of the body; examples are boils, perianal, peritonsillar, and tonsils.
  • HIV: HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system.

These infections and medical conditions have night sweat as a symptom.