Does High Blood Pressure Make You Hot and Sweat?

Written by

Jessica Guht

Jessica is a medical writer with an unquenched thirst to discover something new. She believes that medical content should be accessible to everyone and strives to write content that every single person can understand. When Jessica isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading a book with a dog cuddled in her lap. Jessica has a Masters of Engineering degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Medically reviewed by

Amy Dougherty, FNP-BC, AGAC

Amy is a Board Certified Family Health Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with over 15 years of experience working in Hospital Medicine, Urgent Care and Primary Care practices. Amy graduated Thomas Jefferson University with high distinction earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2008, a Master of Science in Nursing in 2010 and a Post Master's Certificate in Adult Gerontology Acute Care (AGAC) in 2014. She was recognized by the Elite American Nurses Association in 2013 for her dedication, achievements and leadership in the field Nursing. She served as a clinical preceptor for a number of Nurse Practitioner students and enjoys teaching the bright minds of future NPs.

Contrary to popular belief, high blood pressure does not make you feel hot or sweat excessively. In fact, one of the reasons why high blood pressure is so dangerous is because it often displays no symptoms at all, leaving it to wreak havoc on the body without the individual ever knowing.

While it’s a myth that high blood pressure makes you feel hot and sweaty, unexplained sweating might indicate other medical conditions or even be a sign of low blood pressure and should be evaluated by a doctor​.

Key Takeaways

• High blood pressure does not cause excessive sweating or feeling hot.
• High blood pressure is often known as the “silent killer” because it typically has no symptoms.
• High blood pressure can indirectly cause symptoms like facial flushing, dizziness, and vision problems.
• If you experience unexplained sweating or hot flashes, it may be a sign of another underlying medical condition and should be evaluated by a doctor.

Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms of high blood pressure, the connection between high blood pressure and sweating, and other potential causes of excessive sweating.

Table of Contents

• What Are the Most Common Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?
• Does High Blood Pressure Make You Hot and Sweaty?
• What Other Medical Conditions Can Make You Feel Hot and Sweaty?
• When to See a Doctor?
• In Conclusion

What Are the Most Common Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?

Most of the time, there are no symptoms of high blood pressure. In most cases, high blood pressure is considered the “silent killer” because it is primarily symptomless and can cause severe complications without ever alerting someone that it is there.

That being said, there are some symptoms that may be indirectly related to high blood pressure, but you should not assume that everyone with high blood pressure has these symptoms.

Facial Flushing

Facial flushing refers to the dilation of the blood vessels in the face. There are many reasons why the face may flush due to environmental triggers such as cold weather, sun exposure, wind, spicy foods, emotional stress, exercise, alcohol consumption, or exposure to heat or hot water. All of these situations may also raise blood pressure temporarily

However, it is important to note that while your face may flush while blood pressure is higher than usual, high blood pressure is not the cause of facial flushing.

Dizziness

Dizziness is a possible side effect of some types of blood pressure medication, but it is not caused by high blood pressure. However, high blood pressure is a leading risk factor for a stroke, and one of the warning signs of a stroke is sudden dizziness or loss of balance or coordination. So, this symptom, especially its sudden onset, should not be ignored.

Blood Spots in the Eyes

While blood spots in the eyes are more common in those with high blood pressure or diabetes, neither one of these conditions causes the blood spots. However, untreated high blood pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve, which an eye doctor can detect.

So, while these three symptoms are not due to high blood pressure, they may be related to it.

The other symptoms that people often associate with high blood pressure include:

• headaches
• difficulty sleeping
• sweating
• nosebleeds
• nervousness

However, it’s highly likely that these symptoms are not due to high blood pressure.

Does High Blood Pressure Make You Hot and Sweaty?

It’s a popular myth that high blood pressure causes someone to feel hot and sweaty, but it is not true. As stated previously, most individuals with high blood pressure do not have any symptoms.

However, sweating can be a sign of low blood pressure in some situations, so unexplained sweating should be checked by a doctor. 

Sweating serves as a way for the body to cool itself down. Since high blood pressure does not increase the body’s temperature, there is no need for the body to compensate through sweating to bring down its temperature.

Some people may think that high blood pressure causes facial flushing, and since people can flush because they are hot, they may believe that high blood pressure is the cause. However, while facial flushing may occur if blood pressure is temporarily more elevated than normal, high blood pressure is not the cause of facial flushing.

What Other Medical Conditions Can Make You Feel Hot and Sweaty?

There are many reasons why you may be feeling hot and sweaty. Here are some possibilities: 

• a side effect of medication
• anxiety or stress
• an inability to sweat (anhidrosis)
• fibromyalgia
• multiple sclerosis
• diabetes
• increasing age
• hyperthyroidism
• perimenopause
• menopause

As you can see, there are many different reasons why you may be feeling hot and sweaty, besides the heat or exercising. If you are feeling hot and sweaty and aren’t sure why, check with your doctor to see if they can help you figure out the cause.

When to See a Doctor?

If you are feeling hot and sweaty for no explainable reason, and it does not appear to be going away, check with a doctor to see if there is a medical explanation.

In addition, if you are experiencing severe headaches or nosebleeds, you will want to call emergency services as this may be a sign of a hypertensive crisis, which is a medical emergency that occurs when blood pressure is higher than 180/120 mmHg. If you have a severe headache or nosebleed, and you can check your blood pressure and find it above this range, wait five minutes and retest. If you are still getting a reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher, wait no longer to seek emergency medical help.

Any other severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or visual difficulty also warrant a call to emergency services in order to receive immediate treatment.

Get Help From an Online Doctor

An online doctor can help you determine if you feel hot and sweaty due to another health condition, and can help you determine what to do next.

The truth is that many health conditions may have unexplainable sweating as a symptom, and so an online doctor, such as those at DrHouse, offers you an option to go over possible causes, all while in the comfort of your own home.

In Conclusion

High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that often has no symptoms, earning it the nickname of the “silent killer”. Many symptoms that people often associate with high blood pressure, such as facial flushing, feeling hot and sweaty, dizziness, and blood spots in the eyes, are not actually caused by it, though they may be related.

That being said, if you feel hot and sweaty, there are many different conditions that can have that as a symptom, so it is best to talk to a doctor to determine the cause. An online doctor is an excellent option for getting a medical opinion in an easy and fast way.

Sources:

• Why am I always hot? 10 common causes. (2021). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/why-am-i-always-hot#summary
• What are the Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?. (2021). https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/why-high-blood-pressure-is-a-silent-killer/what-are-the-symptoms-of-high-blood-pressure