Why Do You Have Night Sweats?

Night sweats refer to an abnormality when you sweat so much during sleep even though where you're sleeping is cool. People of all ages could have night sweats. Although its symptoms are not that bothersome and pernicious, night sweats along with other symptoms may indicate more severe diseases. Here are some possible reasons that may cause your night sweats.

Menopause

Menopause is one of the most common reasons for night sweats, especially in women. This situation is related to hormonal changes in females. Scientists said that about 75% of perimenopausal women report having night sweats. This kind of night sweat is a normal phenomenon. Remember to avoid stimulants that can induce night sweats like alcohol and caffeine, and keep your bedroom and yourself cool at night.

Mental Conditions

Research suggests that mental conditions like anxiety disorder and depression may also cause night sweats. If you're feeling anxious or depressed, you'll probably be more likely to experience insomnia and night sweats. Mental illnesses may raise your body's core temperature, making your sweat glands produce more sweat to lower it back down. When you suffer from such problems, please talk to your psychologist and take relevant remedies.

Diseases

Night sweats is a common complication of a wide range of diseases. These diseases include cancers including leukemia, lymphoma and prostate cancer, heart diseases, HIV/AIDS, hyperthyroidism, obesity, tuberculosis and obstructive sleep apnea. The reason can be complicated. Therefore, you should see your doctors soon as possible to rule out a serious disease, especially if you're having night sweats along with other symptoms such as weight loss, fever, pain, cough and diarrhea.

Medications

Some medicines can also cause night sweats, including antipyretics, antidepressants, diabetes medicines, antihypertensive drugs, steroid medicines, some cancer treatments and painkillers. Taking common medicines such as paracetamol and aspirin may cause night sweats. If you're experiencing night sweats as a result of a drug you're taking, talk to your doctor and ask for an alternative prescription.

Hyperhidrosis

The possibility of sweat disorder cannot be ruled out. Hyperhidrosis is a disease in which your body produces excessive sweat for unknown reasons. It can be an inherited condition, but it may be caused by some other diseases. You can use antiperspirants to reduce your sweating. Also, choose loose-fitting and comfortable bedding and clothing. Heavy pajamas and socks should be avoided.

Drinking Alcohol

Many people believe having a glass of wine before bedtime is relaxing. However, research has proved that consuming alcohol before bed may lead to night sweats and overall low-quality sleep. It can take one hour for your body to process one serving of alcohol. It is recommended that alcohol not be consumed in the last four hours before bedtime.

5 Causes of Liver Damage You Must Know

The liver is one of the most important organs in the human body. One of its major functions is filtering waste products and toxins from your blood. It makes the liver susceptible to all kinds of damage. Severe liver damage could lead to liver failure, which can only be cured by a liver transplant. More than 100 million people in the U.S. have some form of liver disease. Here are some possible causes of liver damage.

Infection

Virus infection is the most common cause of liver diseases like hepatitis (an inflammation of the liver) and liver cancer. Hepatitis virus is the main culprit. There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. In particular, hepatitis B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people. They are also the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

Hepatic parasite is another reason for liver damage. Due to climate change and globalization, this incidence is increasing. Parasites affecting the liver constitute a large family: roundworms, tapeworms, Entamoeba histolytica and liver flukes. Parasites can cause liver abscess, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver failure. They are mostly spread through ingestion of contaminated food or water. Parasite infections are more common in underdeveloped areas.

Alcohol

The liver breaks down most of the alcohol you drink. This process will generate a toxic compound called acetaldehyde which causes significant damage to the liver. Alcohol abuse will increase the liver's burden and lead to serious liver disease, including alcoholic fatty liver and chronic hepatitis. Fat and inflammation in the liver lead to scarring. Severe scarring is called cirrhosis. Scar tissue replaces healthy cells, making the liver unable to work properly.

Obesity

Overweight, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol levels can induce nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Fat deals as severe damage to the liver as alcohol does. Extra fat cells build up in your liver, leading to a liver more likely to develop inflammation. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease improves the risk of developing liver cirrhosis, which can lead to liver failure and cancer.

Toxins

Because of the liver's function of detoxifying the blood, any intake of toxins is possible to harm the liver cells directly and lead to liver damage. Different types of toxins come from a wide range of sources, such as drugs, pesticides, cleaners and other chemicals. For example, an overdose of acetaminophen, a commonly used antipyretic, can damage your liver or lead to failure.

Though herbs and supplements provide beneficial minerals and vitamins for your body, they may be associated with liver damage. Scientists discovered that twenty percent of liver damage in the U.S. is caused by herbs. Aloe vera, black cohosh, cascara content may cause toxic liver disease. Vitamin A and Niacin overdose can cause severe liver injury.

Family History

TIf you or your family member has had liver disease, you may be at a higher risk of developing liver conditions. For instance, hepatitis B or C and hemochromatosis increase the risk of liver cancer. You should also keep an eye out for symptoms if your close relative has had a genetic liver disease, including hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

4 Key Facts about Liver Disease

The liver is a dark reddish-brown organ that weighs about 3-4 pounds. It is located in the upper right-hand portion of the abdomen. As one of the most important organs in the human body, the liver helps digest food, rid the body of waste products and make various substances, including glycogen, bile and clotting factors. Things may get terrible when your liver is working improperly. Because of the liver\'s role of filtering wastes from your blood, too many toxins can overwhelm your liver\'s ability to function and cause liver disease. This passage aims to cover several significant facts about liver disease for better understanding.

4 Stages of Chronic Liver Disease

• Hepatitis: Hepatitis means inflammation in the liver tissues. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury and an important part of healing or immune response. While controlled inflammation is essential to maintain proper function and balance in the liver, it drives the progression of liver disease if it becomes dysregulated. Virus infection is the most common reason for hepatitis, but alcohol, obesity and exposure to toxins can also cause inflammation. Chronic hepatitis will result in scarring.



• Fibrosis: Fibrosis refers to scar tissue gradually building up in the liver. Chronic inflammation sends signals to the repair cells to continue releasing collagen. When repetitive damage or long-lasting inflammation occurs, collagen and other proteins build up between liver cells, forming scar tissue. It replaces healthy tissue and restricts blood flow, generating more scar tissue. Some amount of scar tissue is reversible. But if left untreated, the scars lead to severe scarring known as cirrhosis and liver cancer.



• Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is where your liver is permanently damaged and the scars are irreversible. There is no treatment for cirrhosis so far. However, the damage at this stage can still be slowed down or stopped. People with cirrhosis are at a very high risk of developing liver cancer and liver failure, so effective treatment is essential at this stage. Successful treatment may slowly improve the liver's condition. It is important to avoid things that could damage the liver further like alcohol, fat and certain medications.



• Liver failure: Liver failure, also called decompensated cirrhosis, happens when the liver's function starts to fail after irreversible chronic damage. Chronic liver failure happens gradually, over months or years. It's the final stage of many liver diseases. This is a life-threatening condition that demands urgent medical care. Only a liver transplant can cure this condition.

Symptoms

• Early-stage liver disease: Acute hepatitis happens with obvious symptoms like fever, stomachache or nausea. However, chronic liver disease often causes no clear symptoms in the early stages. Because of this, it's difficult to discover and diagnose liver damage in time. Early symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, malaise, diarrhea, upper abdominal pain and vomiting.



• Later-stage liver disease: The liver's function begins to decline in this stage. The first signs is bile and other toxins building up in your blood. These may include jaundice, pruritus, dark-colored urine/light-colored stool. The scar tissue blocks the blood flowing through the portal vein. This will cause an increased pressure known as portal hypertension, which leads to varicosity, hepatic encephalopathy and ascites.

Reasons

• Infection: Infection, mainly virus and parasite infection, is the most common cause of liver diseases. There are five main types of hepatitis virus: types A, B, C, D and E. Especially hepatitis B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people. Parasites affecting the liver constitute a large family: roundworms, tapeworms and liver flukes. They are mostly spread through ingestion of contaminated food or water.



• Alcohol: The liver breaks down most of the alcohol one consumes. During this process, a toxic compound called acetaldehyde is generated. It is a poisonous by-product that can damage liver cells and lead to inflammation, liver disease, and cancer. Alcohol abuse will increase the liver's burden and lead to serious liver disease, including alcoholic fatty liver and chronic hepatitis.



• Obesity: Obesity, diabetes or high cholesterol levels can induce nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This is because fat can deal as severe damage to the liver as alcohol does. Extra fat cells build up in your liver, leading to more inflammation. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease improves the risk of developing liver cirrhosis, which can lead to liver failure and cancer.



• Toxins: Liver failure, also called decompensated cirrhosis, happens when the liver's function starts to fail after irreversible chronic damage. Chronic liver failure happens gradually, over months or years. It's the final stage of many liver diseases. This is a life-threatening condition that demands urgent medical care. Only a liver transplant can cure this condition.



• Family History: If you or your family member has had liver disease, you may be at a higher risk of developing liver conditions. For instance, hepatitis B or C and hemochromatosis increase the risk of liver cancer. You should also keep an eye out for symptoms if your close relative has had a genetic liver disease, including hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Liver Disease Prevention

• Have a healthy lifestyle: Keeping a healthy weight and doing exercise regularly can reduce your risk of developing fatty liver disease significantly. Alcohol and tobacco are both toxic to your liver. If you have liver disease, quit them. Get your regular wellness checkups to monitor any potential risks. Use medications as directed and don't take more than the recommended dose.



• Avoid toxic exposure: You should turn away from external toxins. Use a condom during sex. If you get tattoos or body piercings, pick a shop that's clean and safe. Don't share needles or personal items that might be exposed to blood, like razors or toothbrushes. Wear gloves or a mask when interacting with toxic chemicals. Wash fruits and vegetables completely before eating them.



• Get vaccinated for viral hepatitis: Vaccines can prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B. If you've recently been exposed, you can still prevent the infection by getting the vaccine within 24 hours. If you're at increased risk of getting hepatitis, talk with your doctor about getting the hepatitis A and B vaccines. This is also true if you've been infected with any form of the hepatitis virus.