What Causes a Person to Sweat a Lot

Excessive sweating without obvious triggers can make a person feel disturbed, and reduce self-confidence. This condition should not be ignored because excessive sweating can be a sign of a disruption to your health.

Sweating is one of the body's natural processes to adjust body temperature to the surrounding environment. You do this by removing fluids containing salt through the sweat glands. Normally sweat comes out when the body carries out activities that are quite exhausting, eat spicy food, fever, or when feeling certain emotions such as anger, shame, fear, or nervousness. It is different from excessive sweating which tends to occur without a trigger, this condition is called hyperhidrosis and usually occurs due to certain diseases.

There are two types of excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis, namely primary focal hyperhidrosis or sweat in certain parts, and secondary general hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating throughout the body.

Primary focal hyperhidrosis

A person with primary focal hyperhidrosis will experience excessive sweating in certain parts. For example on the palms, soles of the feet, groin, armpits, or just the head and face. Usually the affected area is symmetrical, meaning that if the right hand is sweating a lot, so is the left hand. The cause of this type of excessive sweating can be caused by problems with the functioning of the nervous system, but not a disease.

Secondary general hyperhidrosis

This type of excessive sweating occurs in all parts of the body, and usually occurs at night. This condition can be caused by certain diseases, such as thyroid disorders, tuberculosis, menopause, heart failure, stroke, cancer (lymphoma and leukemia), Parkinson's disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury, nerve disorders, lung disease, anxiety disorders, addiction alcohol, and pregnancy. Not only that, certain medications and supplements can also be a cause of excessive sweating. For example, antibiotics, drugs for blood pressure, drugs for dry mouth, and drugs used to treat mental health problems.

When to Watch Out?

Some people can feel disturbed by excessive sweating, while others may underestimate this problem. It is strongly recommended that you see a doctor if you experience the following:

• The amount of sweat that comes out of the body more and more.
• At night, you wake up with a very wet mattress caused by cold sweat coming out of the body.
• You feel excessive sweating only occurs on one side of the body, for example only on the right thigh fold.
• All parts of your body experience excessive sweating and not only in certain parts.
• Primary focal hyperhidrosis generally starts in adolescence and adulthood. But if you are middle-aged or older, and experience excessive sweating in one part of the body, it is advisable to check with your doctor.
• If you not only experience excessive sweating but also experience insomnia, increased thirst, fatigue, coughing, or frequent urination.
• Excessive sweating appears without a clear trigger, lasting for 6 months or more.
• Excessive sweating begins to interfere with daily activities.
• Excessive sweating is accompanied by weight loss, chest pain, fever, rapid heartbeat, chest pressure, or shortness of breath.

Usually the doctor will do several tests to find out the cause of excessive sweating that you experience. Some types of tests that might be carried out include physical examination, urine tests, blood tests, paper tests, iodine starch tests, and thermoregulatory tests.

How to Overcome Excessive Sweat

If you experience excessive sweating overall and are caused by an illness, then what will be done is to overcome the cause. For example, if it is caused by thyroid disorders, what is done is to treat or do thyroid surgery. Or, if excessive sweating is caused by blood sugar problems in people with diabetes, then efforts to control blood sugar can be done to eliminate excessive sweating.

While the treatment of excessive sweating that occurs in certain body parts aims to reduce symptoms, for example by giving botox injections to stop nerve activity that triggers excessive sweating. In addition, the method that can be done is by giving antiperspirants in the form of roll-on, spray, lotion or giving drugs that can inhibit the sweat glands.

Another way is to do surgery. The operation can be a surgical removal of sweat glands or cutting nerves in the chest that can trigger excessive sweating. Removal of fat tissue in areas that experience excessive sweating can also be done to reduce sweat production. In addition, iontophoresis can be done, which is treatment using low voltage electrical stimulation to stop the function of the temporary sweat glands.

Excessive sweating can disrupt activities and reduce self-confidence. Although not all excessive sweating indicates you have a dangerous disease, but if accompanied by other symptoms and / or more disturbing, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor.

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