Alternate Names: Perspiration - excessive; Diaphoresis; Increased sweating
Considerations: Sweating is perfectly natural, especially when exercising or hot or if something has happened to cause an emotional response (being angry, embarrassed, nervous, afraid, or anxious).
Emotionally-induced sweating is usually limited to the hands, feet, face, and armpits. When the whole body is sweating, other physical causes should be considered.
Common Causes:
- environmental temperatures (warmth)
- fever, often triggers sweating to cool off the body
- certain foods and medications (such as coffee and morphine)
- hormonal imbalance, such as occurs in menopausal women
- overactive thyroid gland--the hands shake, the hair thins, the skin is smooth, and the pulse is fast
- diabetics receiving insulin or oral medication may go into a cold sweat when their blood sugar drops too low
- periodic sweating (in the absence of a hormonal change), is frequently caused by an abscess
- emotional or psychological stimulation (being in or thinking about difficult situations)
- exercise
- spicy foods
- malaria
- drugs (including antipyretics, aspirin and acetaminophen poisoning, some antipsychotics, sympathomimetics, and thyroid hormone)
- withdrawal from alcohol or narcotic analgesics
- obesity
Home Care: After an episode of unusual sweating, the face and body should be sponged, wet clothes and/or bed sheets changed. Lost body fluids should be replaced by drinking plenty of water.
Room temperature should be kept moderate to prevent additional sweating.
For sweating due to menopause, consult your health care provider about estrogen replacements.
Call If:
- there is prolonged, excessive, and unexplained sweating.
- sweating is accompanied or followed by chest pain or pressure.
What To Expect: The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.
Medical history questions documenting excessive sweating in detail may include:
- location
- Is it on face and/or palms?
- Is it all over the body?
- time pattern
- Does it occur at night?
- Did it begin suddenly?
- How long have you had it?
- aggravating factors
- other
- What other symptoms are also present?
- Are there cold clammy hands?
- Is there a fever?
Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:Intervention:
Fluids and electrolytes will be replaced as necessary.
After seeing your health care provider:
If a diagnosis was made by your health care provider related to excessive sweating, you may want to note that diagnosis in your personal medical record.
