Excessive sweating (or hyperhidrosis) is a common problem, especially in the area of:
- Shoulders
- Hands
- feet.
Hyperhidrosis means sweating more than normal, even if:
- it is not warm or humid,
- you do not do sports,
- is not afraid.
Sweat usually mixes with bacteria on the skin, which cause a foul odor.
Acid sweating depends on various factors, most importantly:
- Hormones
- Nutrition.
Strong sweat odor also depends on how much time has passed after washing.
In the case of dermatitis or dermatosis caused by sweat (also known as sudamina, miliaria or heat pimples), the skin may redden, usually red blisters may also form.
Contents
What are the causes of night sweats or sweating during sleep?
Idiopathic hyperhidrosis
If a person sweats excessively without having a disease that causes it, it is called idiopathic hyperhidrosis.
Hyperhidrosis can occur during:
- childhood,
- in adolescence,
- in adulthood.
The disease is caused by overactive sweat glands because they are overly stimulated by the sympathetic (autonomic) nervous system.
Sweating is localized as follows:
- Soles
- Armpits
- some areas on the face,
- groin area,
- Palms
- under the chest.
Menopause
During perimenopause and menopause, the drop in estrogen causes dysregulation of the hypothalamus.
This causes reddened skin and dilation of blood vessels, leading to excessive sweating.
Hot flashes and violent sweats during the night can also occur without:
- an overheated room,
- Temperature fluctuations.
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a condition characterized by hyperthyroidism.
This disease can accelerate the body’s metabolism. This increases the heart rate and causes sweating during the night.
Hypoglycaemia Hypoglycaemia
refers to low blood sugar levels (< 70 mg/dl) and affects patients with diabetes who have injected too much insulin.
Causes of hypoglycemia:
- waiting too long between meals,
- intake of insufficient food,
- too long physical training without eating anything.
Symptoms include:
- Tremble
- cold welding,
- Hunger
- Fear
- Palpitations.
Nocturnal hypoglycemia occurs during sleep and can cause:
- profuse sweating,
- sweaty bed linen,
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Nightmares.
Infections
Tuberculosis is one of the most common causes of night sweats. This infectious disease, which often affects the lungs of a person, can provoke:
There are many infections that lead to night sweats. Among them are:
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Infection with Mycobacterium avium complex
- Infectious mononucleosis (caused by the Epstein–Barr virus)
- Fungal infections (coccidioidomycosis)
- Lung abscess (necrosis of lung tissue)
- Endocarditis (inflammation of the heart valves)
- Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
Medication
- Antidepressants
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and psychotropic drugs cause night sweats.
Among the medications that cause excessive sweating is sertraline (Zoloft). - Antipyretics
Antipyretic medications (for fever), such as aspirin and paracetamol, can affect the hypothalamus.
They cause the hypothalamus to lower body temperature.
Sweating is one of the mechanisms activated by these drugs. - Other medicines:
- Some medications to lower blood pressure
- Some medications for dry mouth
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea occurs when there are continuous episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction during sleep.
As the chest muscles and the muscles of the diaphragm reopen the airways, breathing continues with a loud snoring.
Obstructive sleep apnea can cause:
- night sweats,
- sleep disorders,
- snoring,
- daytime sleepiness,
- restless sleep.
Tumor Excessive sweating may also indicate some tumors, such as:
- lymphoma (lymphoma),
- Leukemia (blood or bone marrow cancer).
If the phases of excessive sweating are accompanied by fever and unexplained weight loss, it is better to consult a doctor to rule out the possibility of cancer.
Anxiety and stress
Anxiety and worry can lead to sudden night sweats.
Fear activates the body’s warning devices.
This allows more blood to flow to those areas of the body that might need it now.
Anxiety thus causes a narrowing of the peripheral blood vessels (vasoconstriction).
The result is that the body begins to sweat.
Sweat due to emotional arousal can be cold.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body temperature exceeds 37° C.
Symptoms include:
Nutrition
If you eat very fatty, salty or simply too much, it can easily lead to heavy, axillary sweating.
A simple and effective remedy is a change in diet:
- eat fruits and vegetables,
- Avoid foods that are difficult to digest.
Those who suffer from indigestion and go to bed after a heavy supper can wake up at night drenched in sweat.
Gustatory sweating (Frey syndrome) occurs when chewing, biting and sucking food.
This condition mainly affects the face and neck and can occur due to removal of the parathyroid glands or for no apparent reason.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, there is increased sweating due to hormonal imbalance and increased metabolism.
The more is eaten, the more the body warms up.
Neurological problems
Even though neurological disorders are relatively rare, they can lead to night sweats, including:
- Vegetative dysreflexia is caused by damage to the spinal cord between the fifth thoracic vertebra and the overlying vertebrae.
The nerve impulses of the spinal cord are blocked by the damage.
Vegetative dysreflexia causes hyperfunction of the sympathetic nervous system.
Symptoms of this condition include:- Headache
- bradycardia (slow-heartedness),
- Spasms
- hypertension,
- profuse sweating.
- Stroke is characterized by the loss of brain functionality, caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.
It often leads to excessive sweating and headaches.
Other diseases that cause night sweats include:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Diabetes insipidus
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Chronic granulomatosis (rare)
- Chronic eosinophilic lung disease
- Prinzmetal angina (a rare variant of angina pectoris that occurs at rest)
Excessive sweating on the face and head
Excessive sweating on the forehead can be embarrassing; for example, the hair can get wet, give off a bad smell and cause itching on the scalp.
Causes of primary hyperhidrosis on the face
If mainly the head sweats excessively, no disease is responsible.
It is said that in most cases, primary hyperhidrosis of the head is characterized by overactive sweat glands.
Causes of secondary hyperhidrosis
Secondary hyperhidrosis is the symptom of a disease. There are some diseases that can cause excessive sweating on the face and head, including:
- Thyroid disorders
- Anxiety or stress
- Menopause
- Heart attacks (can cause cold and icy sweats)
- medicines (anti-inflammatories or hormonal drugs)
- Diabetes mellitus
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke, some spinal cord damage
- Carcinoid syndrome
- Tuberculosis, cancer
- Chronic infections
Causes of excessive sweating on hands and feet
Overactive sympathetic nervous system
Every time there is a stressful situation, the body responds with sweat production to lower body temperature.
These situations can be:
- Fury
- Stress
- Nervousness
- Dangers
- External heat and low ventilation
- Diseases of the arterial peripheral blood vessels and lymphatic vessels
- Sepsis
- Cramps
Sometimes cases of sweaty hands and feet occur in infants and young children, which can be caused by fever.
Excessive sweating in the armpits
Factors contributing to axillary hyperhidrosis:
- thyroid disorders (hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism), hypoglycemia, hot flashes (menopause) and heart attacks;
- Fever;
- consumption of savory foods;
- excessive caffeine consumption;
- side effects of certain painkillers, psychotropic drugs or thyroid medications;
- Stress, anxiety or depression.
Sweating on the buttocks and in the genital area
There are some areas of the body where the skin perspires less because it is in contact with the surface of a stool or other body surfaces. However, this does not depend on a disease.
These disorders occur in the following areas:
1. lumbar region;
2. buttocks;
3. intimate area;
4. Pubic area.
Natural remedies for excessive sweating
If the problems of sweating are hereditary, there is no complete cure. In other cases, the symptoms can experience good improvement through home remedies.
- Apply fresh lemon juice to sweating parts of the body for 10-15 minutes, then wash off.
Repeat every day. Before washing, brush the body parts with a slice of lemon. - Make a mixture of tea tree oil (two drops) with water.
Pour into a spray bottle and use as a deodorant. - Dip a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply to the skin in the armpits.
- Grate walnuts and eucalyptus leaves and make a paste.
Apply this paste to the areas of the body that sweat the most. Leave on for 5-10 minutes. Then wash thoroughly with water. - Avoidtark spiced foods and coffee.
Select one of these remedies and use it regularly for about 1 month.
If you continue to sweat despite the home remedy, the presentation to a dermatologist is recommended.
Therapy for excessive sweating and medication
General advice
- Wear breathable clothing, such as special T-shirts for athletes.
- Socks with silver fibres or copper oxide reduce the odour.
- Use absorbent soles in the shoes and change frequently.
- After the bath, apply powder or bicarbonate.
Oral medications that reduce sweating are called anticholinergics. One example is methanthelinium bromide (vagantine).
Most anticholinergics can only be obtained with a doctor’s prescription.
Side effects include: dry mouth and blurred vision.
Antiperspirants
There are many antiperspirants available that block the sweat glands.
These substances are applied to the body at night.
These antiperspirants enter the pores of the skin and block perspiration.
The most effective products include:
- PERSPIREX COMFORT Roll-On Deodorant
The use of Perspirex Comfort provides protection against sweat and unpleasant odor for up to 3-5 days. - Sudorstop (zinc oxide, aluminium chloride)
- Purax Roll-On (aluminium chloride)
On the feet, the creams have a limited effect because the skin is thicker.
Ionophoresis
This technique consists in the application of low-intensity direct current to the hands and feet.
Researchers do not know the mechanism of action, but ionophoresis is thought to act on the nerves that cause perspiration.
Applications:
- Hands
- Feet
- Shoulders.
Treatment must last 20 minutes and be carried out at least once a week.
Problems of this therapy:
- It must be applied in the long term.
- It is not always effective.
Botulin injections Injections
with botulinum toxin are performed in those areas where the patient sweats excessively. The toxin inhibits the secretion of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter. This substance is necessary to stimulate the glands to produce sweat. Treatment provides for 10-20 injections and the effect can last from 1 to 6 months.
Removal of sweat glands
This can be done in a certain area, for example under the armpits.
Even if this method is common, you should talk to the doctor about possible side effects.
Thoracic sympathectomy
An option of surgical intervention for excessive sweating is called thoracic sympathectomy.
In this operation, some fibers of the nerve that controls the sweat glands are severed.
This is done by inserting a small endoscope in the armpit. The goal is to destroy some of the small parts of nerve associated with the sweat glands.
Thoracic sympathectomy is very effective, but at the same time very risky.
The surgeon has to let the lungs collapse for a short time in order to be able to clearly see the nerves.
The surgery has some side effects, including:
- nerve damage;
- compensatory sweating on other, non-operated parts of the body;
- respiratory complications;
- sometimes these disorders persist.
