Flushing (physiology) - Causes of Flushing

Causes of Flushing

  • Fever
  • Alcohol flush reaction
  • An abrupt cessation of physical exertion (resulting in heart output in excess of current muscular need for blood flow)
  • Emotions: anger, embarrassment (for this reason it is also called erythema pudoris, from the Latinized Greek word for "redness" and the Latin "of embarrassment")
  • Sexual arousal, especially orgasm, (see section to follow)
  • Inflammation (for example, caused by allergic reaction or infection)
  • High doses of non flush free niacin (vitamin B3)
  • Caffeine consumption
  • Sexual intercourse (see below)
  • Some recreational drugs, such as alcohol, heroin, cocaine and amphetamines
  • Carcinoid tumor
  • Mastocytosis
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, especially emphysema (also known as "pink puffer")
  • Mixing an antibiotic with alcohol
  • Rosacea
  • Histamines
  • Spicy foods
  • Powerful vasodilators, such as dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers
  • Herxheimer reaction (caused by antibiotics)
  • Iron poisoning
  • Reactive hypoglycemia
  • Atropine poisoning
  • keratosis pilaris rubra faceii
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Antiestrogens such as Tamoxifen
  • Hyperstimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, especially the vagus nerve
  • ACNES Abdominal Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment Syndrome, usually in patients who have had abdominal surgery
  • Compression of the nerve by the sixth thoracic vertebrae
  • Butorphanol reaction with some narcotic analgesics (since butorphanol is also an antagonist)
  • Sunburn (erythema)
  • Polycythemia Vera
  • Vinpocetine
  • Body contact with warm or hot water (hot tub, bath, shower)
  • Dehydration
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