Nausea involves an upset stomach with the feeling that one may vomit, while cold sweat is a clammy dampness on the skin that doesn't feel the same as warm perspiration after exercise. Nausea and cold sweat experienced together can be caused by many different conditions. Some of the most common causes of cold sweat and nausea are low blood sugar, menopause, nightmares, fear, anxiety and migraines.
Migraines are chronic types of headaches experienced by some people, usually on a regular basis. Oftentimes, the pain is only on one side of the head, but it may be mild, moderate or severe in intensity. A person suffering a migraine headache may experience cold sweat and nausea. Other common migraine symptoms include dizziness, plus sensitivity to light and noise.
Feelings of anxiety and fear are common causes of nausea and cold sweat. If a person becomes stressed about something to the point of extreme worry, anxiety or fear, he or she may experience nausea and an upset stomach as well as chilled, clammy skin. The body's natural response to a fear, or phobia, that must be faced can also cause cold sweat and nausea. For example, if someone who is extremely afraid of needles has to get a blood test, he or she may become so anxious and worried that these feelings might cause nausea as well as cold sweat. If the symptoms become severe, this may even lead to fainting.
Nightmares, or bad dreams during sleep, are also connected to cold sweat and nausea. A person's body may react this way upon awakening after a dream. Cold sweat during sleep may not be related to dreams, but rather to night sweats. Night sweats are very common in women in menopause. Menopause is the natural stoppage of menstrual periods that occurs as part of the aging process for women.
Nausea as well as tender muscles are other symptoms of menopause that often accompany night sweats. Cold sweats with nausea during the night may also signal a disease or an infection. Night sweats, with or without nausea, should be reported to a doctor for further examination.
For diabetics, a common cause of cold sweat that is often accompanied by nausea, along with other signs such as shaking and confusion, is low blood sugar. People who aren't diabetic typically won't have their blood sugar dip low enough to cause such severe symptoms. Low blood glucose, or sugar, is medically known as hypoglycemia. When diabetics experience symptoms such as cold sweat and nausea, they should use a blood sugar monitor to check their glucose level. Consuming sugar tablets, orange juice, candy or other sweeteners if the body's glucose level is much too low will usually bring it back up to a reasonable level.
