Usually, excessive sweating is not associated with illness or disease, but occasionally there is a medical reason that might cause you to sweat excessively. Your doctor can help you understand the cases of your hyperhidrosis, check for any underlying conditions and suggest treatment and management options.
Certain problems such as diabetes, heart failure, anxiety, and overactive thyroid can cause heavy sweating. And some drugs may cause heavy sweating as a side effect.
Seek immediate medical attention if your heavy sweating is accompanied by lightheadedness, chest pain or nausea. Contact your doctor if: You suddenly begin to sweat more than usual. Sweating disrupts your daily routine.
From a physiological perspective, sweating is absolutely a good thing. Our body would overheat if we did not sweat. But some of the activities that cause sweating (excessive time in the heat, being nervous or sick) is associated with other problems, such as heat exhaustion, anxiety and illness.
Causes of excessive sweating:
Facial hyperhidrosis is caused due to overstimulation of eccrine glands. This in most cases doesn't have any specific cause, while it can be hereditary. It can also be caused due to anxiety, substance abuse, menopause, hyperthyroidism or drugs like insulin, pilocarpine etc.”
Low blood sugar is one of the most common causes of sweating, says Hratch Karanoukian, MD, who specializes in hyperhidrosis, or excess sweating. Not all cases of low blood sugar mean you have diabetes, but you are at additional risk for the condition by the time you reach your mid-40s.
People with type 1 diabetes tend to sweat more than usual in the upper body and less than usual in the lower body, which can lead to overall anhidrosis, according to research. They may also have lower blood volume and less effective blood flow. These cardiovascular problems can also contribute to overheating.
While most cases have no clear explanation for the increased sweating, there are a number of conditions that can lead to this problem. They include an overactive thyroid, diabetes, gout, menopause (though this is usually of a limited duration), alcohol, and certain drugs.
Excessive Sweating
When the arteries become clogged, your heart is forced to work harder to keep blood flowing. In response, your body sweats to keep your temperature down. Night sweats are a common symptom in women who are having heart problems, though the symptom is sometimes mistaken as a sign of menopause.
Health status: A number of health conditions and life stages can impact how much you sweat. Colds, flu and even mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression can impact how much you sweat. Hormone fluctuations in particular are often linked with an increase in internal body temperature.
Shortness of breath with activity or when lying down. Fatigue and weakness. Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. Rapid or irregular heartbeat.
Myth: People with high blood pressure will experience symptoms, like nervousness, sweating, difficulty sleeping or facial flushing. Truth: High blood pressure is a largely symptomless “silent killer.”
As your cholesterol levels rise, there's a noticeable link between high cholesterol and night sweats — your body reacts to the thickening and hardening of your arteries. Blood flow (and blood pressure) speed up and your body often starts sweating. Learn more about high cholesterol and night sweats in in this blog.
Disorders that may lead to excessive sweating include diabetes, nervous system disorders, some infectious diseases, thyroid problems and some types of cancer, among others. Of particular note for your situation is a condition called paroxysmal localized hyperhidrosis.
Excessive sweating, especially sweating of the head, can be a sign of a vitamin D deficiency. A change in the amount you sweat or your sweating patterns should be cause for concern.
In rare cases, high cholesterol levels can cause symptoms on the face, including yellowish patches or bumps on the mid-upper and lower eyelids. To treat these signs of high cholesterol on the face, a doctor may recommend minimally-invasive surgery, medication, or lifestyle modifications to treat the underlying cause.
The top drinks for lowering blood pressure include water, fruit juices (pomegranate, prune, cranberry, cherry), vegetable juice (tomato, raw beet), tea (black, green), and skim milk.
Normal pressure is 120/80 or lower. Your blood pressure is considered high (stage 1) if it reads 130/80. Stage 2 high blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If you get a blood pressure reading of 180/110 or higher more than once, seek medical treatment right away.