Have you had a cold sweat and dizziness? This is a widespread episode since it can have very different origins. It is usually a response of our body to fear or a dangerous situation, a reaction closely linked to anxiety. However, other conditions of greater and lesser severity may be related to these symptoms. Do you want to know the causes of cold sweat and dizziness? In the following FastlyHealarticle, we explain them all in detail.
Table of Contents
Cold sweat and dizziness from low blood pressure
About 40% of the adult population suffers from arterial hypertension [1]. It is one of the best-known diseases and about which people have more knowledge, both in terms of symptoms and associated risks. However, hypotension is much less well known. Although it is not that serious and does not pose a risk of death, the reality is that there is a lack of knowledge about low blood pressure since it also increases the risk of a stroke or heart attack.
The blood pressure is low, or what is the same, the heart beats slowly, so not enough blood reaches the body, causing symptoms such as dizziness and cold sweat. What happens is that since not enough blood goes into the body, the body tries to protect the cerebral irrigation so that enough blood reaches there. Consequently, consciousness – dizziness – and muscle tone are lost to prevent the rest of the body from “stealing” blood from oxygen.
But before losing consciousness, when blood pressure has already dropped a lot, specific symptoms appear beforehand that warn us, among which we find:
- Pallor.
- Cold sweat.
- Dizziness
- Blurry vision.
- Hearing loss.
When we begin to feel these symptoms, it is advisable to lie on the floor with the legs raised to help the blood reach the head. Eating salty foods and drinking low-temperature fluids are also helpful in raising blood pressure.
Dizziness and cold sweats from vasovagal syncope
The name vasovagal syncope indeed does not sound like anything to you. However, surely you have heard talk about – or even suffered – from fainting. And is that these syncopes are the most common cause of loss of consciousness.
They are so-called because some stimulus activates the vagus nerve, a nerve that acts by lowering the heart rate and increasing the volume of the blood vessels. Consequently, this causes not enough blood to reach oxygen, the end of which is fainting.
Many stimuli can cause vasovagal syncope. However, they usually have to do with some fear, threat, or anxiety. Some everyday impulses that cause vasovagal syncope are solid scares or the sight of blood.
Fortunately, it is straightforward to identify your symptoms, which can help prevent fainting. Before the person loses consciousness, they first go through some previous stages in which they manifest, among other symptoms, dizziness and cold sweat. Other of its most common symptoms are:
- Warmth sensation.
- Ringing in the ear
- Breathing very fast.
- Excessive salivation
- Urge to urinate
- Pallor.
- Nausea.
From the moment in which the visual field begins to reduce, turning dark from the outside in, is when the person loses consciousness. That is why when the first symptoms start to be felt, the person should sit down to avoid fainting while standing since the fall could cause serious injuries.
Dizziness, cold sweat, and tiredness from hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is popularly known as low sugar when blood sugar levels are less than 70 mg/dl. One of the first signs that your sugar levels are low is dizziness and cold sweat, to which you can add blurred vision and even loss of consciousness. It must be clear that not everyone has the same symptoms and that some of them may or may not appear from one person to another. Other of the most common symptoms of hypoglycemia are:
- Feeling of weakness
- Hungry.
- Tiredness and drowsiness
- Tingling in the tongue and lips.
- Shaking chills.
- Tremors
- Headache.
- Uncoordinated movements.
- Seizures
Although hypoglycemia can occur to anyone of any age, the truth is that it is much more common among people who have diabetes. This disease makes it difficult to control blood sugar levels. Something that is also that these symptoms that we have discussed are those of hypoglycemia when awake. However, if this occurs at night, it is typical for excessive sweating, nightmares, and for the person to wake up irritated, tired and confused.
Cold sweats and heart attack
Either because of popular culture or because we have seen it in countless movies, we are all very used to seeing the symptoms related to a heart attack. However, we are often unaware that not everyone manifests the same, and what some people suffer does not happen to others.
If we talk about the symptoms of a heart attack, the first thing that comes to mind is the pain in the left arm, something that is true, but that does not happen to everyone. On the other hand, there are other symptoms that all patients suffer but that we often overlook. A clear example of this is cold sweats and dizziness, one of the first manifestations of a heart attack.
More than in the arm, the most generalized pain is chest pain, where you feel a tightness or discomfort that makes breathing difficult. In addition, in the case of women, it is common for them to experience other types of symptoms that are very common and that make it difficult for the patient to identify that she has a heart attack. Some of these symptoms are back and jaw pain or nausea and vomiting.
In the following FastlyHealarticle, we will talk to you in detail about the symptoms of a heart attack.
Anxiety, dizziness, and sweating
Anxiety is known as the disease of the 21st century. 96% of Spaniards have suffered it at some level [2]. Anxiety is our body’s response to a threat or danger. Given this, our body prepares either to fight or to flee. What happens is that, while this could be useful – and still is – when it comes to actual physical fear, it is inconvenient in the face of the fears and threats of today’s society.
An exam, a job interview, or meeting a new group of people can cause us anxiety, causing the alarms of our body to wake up; however, in these cases, stress does not favor us but instead makes our day difficult. Day. Anxiety has very different symptoms. However, we could differentiate between two groups:
- Physical symptoms: cold sweat and dizziness, pressure in the chest, rapid heartbeat, tingling in the extremities, feeling of a lump in the throat.
- Psychological symptoms: excessive worry, irritability, lack of concentration, insomnia.
In the following FastlyHealarticle, we explain what to do when faced with an anxiety attack.
Dizziness and cold sweat in pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of enormous change, making sense when you consider that life is brewing inside. The first changes noticed are the hormonal ones, which cause alterations in the whole body. One of the hormones that increase its production the most is progesterone. As a result of this increase, there is a relaxation in the body’s smooth muscles, which also causes the blood vessels to relax and the blood to circulate with less force.
During the first months of gestation, there are also changes in neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine or adrenaline, which cause a reduction in blood pressure. All of this causes drops in blood pressure to be expected during pregnancy. As we have already said before, hypotension is one of the causes of dizziness and cold sweats, which is why these episodes are common in pregnancy.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Cold sweat and dizziness: causes, we recommend that you enter our Brain and nerves category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.