Not a few people still think that cold sweat is the same as normal sweat. In fact, cold sweat is not a condition that can be underestimated, because it can be a sign of disease.
Sweating is a common condition that occurs as a form of the body's natural mechanism to cool itself. However, unlike ordinary sweat, cold sweat is not caused by hot weather or physical activity, but psychological factors such as panic, stress, and tension.
In addition, cold sweat also marks the presence of certain diseases so that treatment by a doctor needs to be done.
Cold sweats are generally characterized by skin that feels cold, but sweats like normal sweat, especially on the feet, palms, and armpits.
In addition, a person who has this condition may also experience several other symptoms, such as:
- pale skin
- Body feels chills and weak
- Dizzy
- Nausea and vomiting
However, you need to know that cold sweat is not a disease, but a symptom that arises from a condition.
There are several conditions or diseases that can cause a person to experience cold sweat, including:
- Severe pain, for example from an injury or migraine
- Low blood sugar level
- Severe infections, such as sepsis, pneumonia, malaria, and tuberculosis
- Stress and anxiety
- Life-threatening allergic reaction or anaphylaxis
- Shock due to severe injury or acute illness
- Drug side effects
- Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis
- Menopause in women aged 40 years and over
- Nausea or vertigo
Lack of blood or oxygen supply in the body, for example due to internal bleeding, low blood pressure, and heart attack or angina. Cold sweats can also be an early symptom of cancer and one of them is lymphoma. This type of cancer can be characterized by cold sweats that occur at night, unexplained weight loss, and fever.
Because it can be caused by many things and most of them are quite dangerous diseases, you should consult a doctor if you experience cold sweat.
How to Overcome Cold Sweat
Handling cold sweat tailored to the cause. For cold sweats caused by low blood sugar levels, you can eat sweet foods or drink juices to raise blood sugar levels.
Meanwhile, for cold sweat conditions caused by stress and anxiety, you can overcome it by doing meditation or relaxation therapy and sports or activities you like. You can also consult a psychologist to overcome the anxiety or stress you are experiencing.
However, for some conditions, direct treatment by a doctor is needed, such as cold sweats caused by menopause and hyperhidrosis. The doctor will treat it by giving antiperspirant drugs or botox injections to block the nerves that are in charge of producing sweat.
Even though it looks mild, you are advised to immediately see a doctor if the cold sweats you experience are accompanied by other signs or symptoms, such as:
- Chest pain that radiates to the upper back, jaw, shoulders, or arms
- High fever
- Seizures
- Pale or bluish skin, lips, and nails
- Throw up
- Bloody stools
- Hard to breathe
- Weight loss for no apparent reason
Cold sweats also need to be checked by a doctor if you experience this complaint often or even interfere with sleep quality.
Well, now you know that cold sweat is not a condition that can be taken lightly, especially when it is accompanied by the above symptoms.
Therefore, do not hesitate to consult a doctor if you experience cold sweat, so that the cause can be identified and treated appropriately.