The Medical Causes of Excessive Sweating
Sweating is a normal bodily response to hot weather or exertion. Yet there are times when it may signify an underlying health problem. It could be a symptom of diabetes, thyroid problems, or infection. This article will talk about some of the most common medical causes of excessive sweating.
1. Medications
There are several medications that are known to cause excessive sweating. These include medications for blood pressure; psychiatric drugs; and medications for dry mouth, supplements, and antibiotics. So, in case you have started to notice excessive sweating after the intake of a prescribed medicine, you should immediately report it to your doctor.
2. Thyroid Problems
Hyperactive thyroid is one of the common medical causes of excessive sweating. Hyperthyroidism can disrupt your body’s ability to regulate temperature. As such when the hormone levels reach higher than usual, you might feel extremely hot and start to sweat excessively.
3. Obesity
As opposed to people with normal or healthy weight, people with high levels of obesity show higher levels of trans-epidermal water loss, which occurs because of excessive sweat gland activity. People with obesity have to move more body mass because of which more heat is generated. This is why people with obesity sweat more than usual.
4. Anxiety
There are several reasons why your body may start sweating excessively when you have anxiety. When you are anxious, your body’s flight or fight system is activated, which subsequently sends energy hormones profusely into your body. This leads to a higher flow of blood and a fast heart rate. Sweating is also a response to cool your body down of the excessive energy so that your muscles are not damaged further.
5. Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is one of the most common medical causes of excessive sweating. It is a medical condition in which a person starts to sweats excessively out of no specific reason. A person may sweat so much that the sweat may drip off the hands or he or she may find his or her clothes completely drenched in sweat. Hyperhidrosis can often lead to embarrassment and social anxiety.
6. Diabetes
Diabetes can result in nerve damage in certain people. These nerves are responsible for controlling sweat glands, thus leading to excessive sweating. Excessive sweating can also occur as a result of low blood sugar. There are certain medications that people take for diabetes that may result in excessive sweating, such as insulin and Sulfonylureas.
There are certain signs when excessive sweating needs to be reported to a doctor. These symptoms include night sweats, sweating from all over the body and not just from the head, asymmetrical sweating, sudden changes in the way you sweat, excessive sweating after you have reached middle age, among others.