Sweating A Lot? Here’s What Might Be Causing It
Sweating is an essential body function that helps regulate your internal temperature, keeping you cool and comfortable during hot weather and strenuous activities. The human body functions best with an internal temperature of around 98.6ºF (37ºC), though factors like your age, metabolic rate, and body composition can make what’s ‘normal’ vary from person to person by a degree or two. When your body temperature rises beyond its baseline, your brain triggers sweat glands to release fluid (sweat).
Though sweating is natural in hot weather, during exercise, or when feeling nervous, some people sweat a lot regardless of the weather or activity level. Excessive sweating is called hyperhidrosis—a condition that causes heavy sweating beyond what is considered normal. People with hyperhidrosis have overactive sweat glands and may find their palms, feet, underarms, and other body parts consistently soaked with sweat.
Here’s what you should know about hyperhidrosis, including symptoms, possible causes, and treatments.
How To Know If You Sweat Too Much
We all know the feeling of beads of sweat forming on our foreheads on a scorching summer day or of sweaty palms when we’re nervous. But for some, sweat is a constant companion no matter what they’re doing. If you question whether your perspiration crosses the line from ordinary to excessive, know you’re not alone. In the United States, over 15 million people live with hyperhidrosis.
Common signs and symptoms of hyperhidrosis include:
Sweating without cause: Sweating profusely, even when resting or in cooler temperatures, can be a sign of hyperhidrosis.
Drenched clothing: People with hyperhidrosis may change clothing multiple times daily due to sweating.
Interference with daily activities: Excessive sweating can disrupt everyday life, making it difficult to hold objects due to sweaty palms or causing social discomfort due to visible sweat marks on clothes.
Frequent foot and hand moisture: Persistent wetness in your palms and soles that isn’t proportional to your activity level or temperature could indicate hyperhidrosis.
Skin irritation: Excessive sweating can lead to skin irritation, chafing, or fungal infections in areas prone to moisture accumulation, such as the armpits, groin, or under the breasts.
Family history: If your family members have a history of excessive sweating, you may be genetically predisposed to hyperhidrosis.
Impact on social life: Hyperhidrosis can impact social activities, and many people with the condition report avoiding shaking hands, raising their arms, or constantly worrying about noticeably sweating.
Possible Reasons You Sweat So Much
Experiencing excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, can be both baffling and distressing. There are two types of hyperhidrosis: primary and secondary.
Primary hyperhidrosis involves sweating excessively in one or more areas, such as the soles of the feet, palms, face, groin, or armpits. Primary hyperhidrosis runs in families and often develops in childhood without an apparent cause.
Secondary hyperhidrosis is often a symptom of an underlying medical condition or occurs due to external factors. Secondary hyperhidrosis usually involves excessive full-body sweating rather than localized areas.
Possible causes of excessive sweating include:
Endocrine disorders: Conditions that disrupt hormonal balance or cause hormonal fluctuations are linked to hyperhidrosis. Examples include hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, menopause, Graves’ disease, and Cushing’s syndrome.
Neurological disorders: Conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, or nerves can cause excessive sweating. Examples include Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, encephalitis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Medications: Some prescription and non-prescription medicines can cause excessive sweating as a side effect, including antidepressants, antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, pain relievers, and allergy and asthma drugs.
Lifestyle factors: Caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, and spicy foods can trigger excessive sweating.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Experiencing excessive sweating can range from a mild inconvenience to a disruptive and uncomfortable issue. Consider seeing a healthcare provider for sweating if:
Sweating is causing you significant discomfort, embarrassment, or is interfering with your daily activities and social interactions
You suddenly start experiencing excessive sweating without an apparent cause or notice changes to your usual sweating patterns (e.g., sweating at night or in cooler conditions)
You have other symptoms, such as weight loss, heart palpitations, fever, fatigue, or unusual skin changes accompanying excessive sweating
You’ve tried self-care strategies to manage your sweating without improvement
How Is Excessive Sweating Diagnosed?
To diagnose hyperhidrosis, your healthcare provider will begin by reviewing your medical history and asking about your sweating and concerns. It can be helpful to come to your appointment prepared to share information such as:
When you first noticed or began excessive sweating
Sweating triggers or patterns you’ve observed
Additional symptoms or conditions you have
Which at-home treatments and strategies you’ve tried to manage sweating, and whether they are effective
Your healthcare provider will also examine your skin for any signs of infection, irritation, or other related conditions. They might recommend blood tests or other diagnostic tests to rule out underlying medical conditions, such as thyroid disorders or diabetes, and help identify the cause of hyperhidrosis.
While there isn’t a specific test to diagnose hyperhidrosis, your healthcare provider may perform a starch-iodine test. This involves applying a mixture of starch and iodine to the skin, which reacts with sweat to create a visible color change. This test helps identify areas of the body affected by excessive sweating.
Home Remedies and Management
Excessive sweating can be more than just physical discomfort – it can be a frustrating and sometimes embarrassing experience. The following may reduce sweating to help you feel more comfortable and confident throughout the day:
Wear antiperspirant: Antiperspirants help control sweating by temporarily blocking sweat ducts. Apply them to dry skin before bed for better effectiveness.
Choose breathable fabrics: Opt for lightweight, breathable fabrics such as cotton, linen, and moisture-wicking materials. These fabrics allow better airflow and help minimize sweat accumulation.
Limit trigger foods: Spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol can stimulate sweat glands. Consider reducing your intake to help reduce sweating.
Stay cool: Avoid hot and humid environments whenever possible. Use fans, air conditioning, or cooling towels to keep your body temperature down.
Practice good foot care: Wearing moisture-wicking socks and breathable shoes or sandals can prevent excessive foot sweating and related odors.
Keep hands dry: If you’re prone to sweaty palms, carrying hand wipes or a small towel to dry your hands throughout the day may help.
Finding what works best for you might involve a bit of trial and error, so consider trying several strategies to help you stay dry.
Professional Treatments for Excessive Sweating
When home remedies and lifestyle adjustments fall short in managing excessive sweating, professional treatments can offer relief. Treatment options for hyperhidrosis include:
Prescription antiperspirants: Antiperspirants with higher concentrations of active ingredients, such as aluminum chloride.
Iontophoresis: Involves immersing the affected area (usually hands or feet) in water while a low electrical current is applied. This helps temporarily block sweat glands.
Botox injections (Botulinum toxin): Injecting Botox into specific areas can inhibit nerve signals that trigger excessive sweating.
Oral medications: Medications taken by mouth, like anticholinergics, can reduce sweat production by blocking nerve signals that stimulate sweat glands.
Laser therapy: Laser devices can target and destroy sweat glands, offering a long-lasting reduction in sweat production.
MiraDry: This non-invasive procedure uses microwave energy to target and destroy sweat glands in the underarm area to help reduce sweating.
Surgery: Surgical procedures like sympathectomy involve cutting or clamping the nerves responsible for excessive sweating. These procedures are considered when other treatments are ineffective.
A Quick Review
Sweating is an essential body function that helps your body stay cool and maintain an ideal internal temperature. While some sweating is normal in hot weather, during exercise, or when feeling anxious, some people sweat more than others. Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes excessive sweating, even in cooler weather or when resting. Genetics, underlying health conditions, and certain medications can cause hyperhidrosis.
Navigating life when you sweat too much can be a frustrating and sometimes embarrassing experience. Using antiperspirants and wearing moisture-wicking clothes can help manage excessive sweating. Talk to a healthcare provider if sweating disrupts your daily life, if you have symptoms that may indicate an underlying health condition, or if your sweat patterns have suddenly changed. When self-care strategies are ineffective, medical treatments can help manage hyperhidrosis and reduce its impact on your quality of life.
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