What Does It Mean If Cold Sweat Appears?

Medical Video: What to do about Cold Sweats
What is the difference between ordinary sweat and cold sweat?
What does cold sweat mean?
Fear, anxiety, and stress
Pain and pain
Lack of oxygen
Low blood pressure
Low blood sugar
Heart attack
Medical shock (in shock)
Infection
Immune system disorders
Drugs
Relieves cold sweat

Medical Video: What to do about Cold Sweats

When the air around you feels hot or your body temperature rises, for example because of a fever, the body will automatically sweat. However, sometimes sweat can appear even when you are in a cool room. Your body also doesn't feel hot. This phenomenon is known as cold sweat. This condition is quite common, almost everyone has experienced it. However, you must be careful. If cold sweat appears accompanied by other symptoms or this often happens, you may have certain diseases that you don't know. So, look carefully at the following cold sweat.

What is the difference between ordinary sweat and cold sweat?

Cold sweat occurs when the surface of your skin feels cold but moist because of sweat production. Unlike normal sweating that will appear when you feel hot, your body temperature will also increase. While when cold sweat appears, you actually feel cold. If sweating when you are hot is natural, cold sweat is not a natural body reaction.

What does cold sweat mean?

There are several factors that can trigger cold sweat. These factors can be psychological conditions such as stress or physical conditions such as illness. Consider the following possibilities.

Fear, anxiety, and stress

When you feel fear, anxiety, panic, or stress, the body will interpret it as a threat. In response to threats, your sweat glands will trigger sweat production even though your body temperature or the air around you does not increase. Sweat that appears when you are stressed will be produced by apocrine sweat glands that are different from the eccrine glands which are responsible for producing sweat to regulate body temperature.

Pain and pain

If pain or pain in certain parts of the body is unbearable, cold sweat is present as a way for the body to defend itself against the threat of pain. This is why in people who have headaches, migraines, fractures, or serious injuries, cold sweat will appear.

Lack of oxygen

If someone suddenly has difficulty breathing, the supply of oxygen in the blood will also decrease. As a result, the brain does not receive enough oxygen. The brain will then read the situation as a threat and eventually produce cold sweat. Oxygen deficiency can be caused by lung disease, poisoning, or being in a high place (altitude sickness).

Low blood pressure

Normal blood pressure ranges from 120/80 mm Hg. If your blood pressure drops below this level, you will feel dizzy, weak, and appear cold sweat. Some things that trigger low blood pressure include lack of drinking water, malnutrition, or genetic factors.

Low blood sugar

Low blood sugar levels or hypoglycemia is a condition commonly found in diabetics who use insulin. However, hypoglycemia can also occur if you drink a lot of alcohol, are malnourished, or eat late. This condition is usually characterized by cold sweat, trembling, blurred vision, pallor and headaches.

Heart attack

Be careful if you have a history of heart disease. The appearance of cold sweat can indicate a heart attack when accompanied by pain in the chest (angina), pain in the arm, dizziness, and loss of consciousness. This attack can occur if blood cannot reach the heart because your blood vessels are blocked. The triggers include lack of sleep, smoking habits, and obesity.

Medical shock (in shock)

Medical shocks occur when blood flow to the brain or other vital body organs suddenly decreases or stops. This causes the body to experience shock. If not handled properly, medical shocks can cause death. There are various factors that increase the risk of shocks, ranging from allergies, blood poisoning (sepsis), nervous system damage, or heart failure. One symptom of a medical shock is cold sweat.

Infection

Various infections caused by viruses and bacteria also cause cold sweat. Cold sweat is a body reaction that occurs to fight various types of diseases from viral and bacterial infections. Viral diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, influenza, and hepatitis will show other symptoms besides cold sweat that you need to be aware of such as weakness, muscle aches, and fever.

Immune system disorders

Cold sweats, especially those that usually occur at night when you sleep at a normal room temperature can be a sign of a problem with the immune system or your immune system. People who are diagnosed with lymph node cancer, leukemia, and autoimmune diseases generally report excessive cold sweat as an initial symptom.

Drugs

Cold sweat when you take drugs is a side effect that many patients complain about. Antibacterial drugs, blood pressure, herbal supplements, paracetamol, niacin, and tamoxifen risk causing excessive cold sweat. Immediately notify your doctor if the cold sweat that you experience has appeared too often and is very disturbing.

Relieves cold sweat

When cold sweat appears, you must feel uncomfortable. Especially if you are on the move or in a public place. To relieve cold sweat, try to take a few deep breaths until you feel more calm. Also make sure that you maintain a healthy diet with balanced nutrition. If cold sweat comes along with other symptoms mentioned above, consult a doctor to find out the root of the problem and get the best treatment.