
Sweating
Causes
- Exclude infection and treat if appropriate
- A common symptom of some active cancers, e.g. lymphoma
- Can accompany metastatic disease, e.g. liver metastases, carcinoid
- Pain and fear can exacerbate the problem
- Drugs can be the cause, e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, alcohol
Management
Some relief can be gained with the following:
- Steroids, e.g. prednisone 40-60 mg/day
- NSAIDs, e.g. diclofenac SR 100 mg nocte, naproxen 250-500 mg BD
- Cimetidine 400 mg nocte or BD
- Paracetamol is effective in alleviating sepsis-induced sweating
Topic Code: 4132