You wake up in the middle of the night. Your clothes are completely soaked. You find the same problem with your bed sheets. You are having the inconvenient problem of night sweats. For many women, this means the inevitable: menopause. If you are having other menopausal symptoms such as irregular periods, bloating, hair loss, or more, you may feel that you know for sure menopause is starting. There is just one little problem; you are still a young woman.What can cause night sweats in young women?Isn't that pesky little problem supposed to happen much later in life?Can menopause really begin at a young age?The answer is YES. However, that does not mean you need to jump to the conclusion that you are definitely going through menopause. In fact, night sweats in women under the age of 30 are actually quite common. Before you assume it's menopause, look over the other possibilities.
Night sweats in young women can occur for multiple reasons. Some are very simple and easily treated, while others may be more complex. A common cause can be created from side effects of medication. All of the following medications are known to cause night sweats:anti-depressantsbirth controlAcetaminophenAspirinNiacinNitroglycerineTamoxifenHydralazinePrednisolonePrednisoneCortisoneTalk to your doctor about all medications you are currently taking for a better understanding of their side effects.Night sweats in young women may also be caused by a health condition such as- Hypoglycemia,- Hyperthyroidism,- neurological conditions,- Tuberculosis,- Osteomyelitis,- AIDS- Endocarditis.Certain cancers such as Lymphoma, or radiation and chemotherapy, are also known to cause night sweats in young women. If you are pregnant, or recently given birth, your hormone levels may be affected.
Although there are many things that can cause night sweats in young women, it may still be what your first thought was: early menopause.Definitions:Early menopause is defined by going through menopause before the age of 45.Premature menopause, or commonly referred to as Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), is defined by going through menopause before the age of 40.Perimenopause is the time when you may first begin noticing symptoms. This usually begins in the late 40′s but it is also known to start in the late 30′s.Menopause itself is when your periods stop for over twelve months.Reasons for Early MenopauseThere are a number of reasons which leads to early menopause. Autoimmune disorders and chromosomal integrity are a few causes. It may also be possible that a woman's mother contracted a viral infection during pregnancy that caused the fetus' ovaries to develop improperly.
This can cause the number of eggs to be lower than normal, leading to early menopause.The only way to truly determine whether those night sweats are caused by early menopause is by consulting with your doctor. The length of time you have gone without a period will be reviewed, and a test of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) levels will be checked.