Sweating is important because it protects the body from overheating and regulates body heat, but in certain situations it can also be a burden. Sudden increased sweating, hot flashes and sweating can be very uncomfortable, and sometimes there is an underlying illness.
Sweating occurs due to the sweat glands on the skin, which, as the name suggests, secrete sweat. The skin has a total of more than two million glands that spread over the entire surface of the body.
Sweating forms a protective acid mantle on the skin, but the most intense is the sweating of the palms, the sweating of the head and neck, and the sweating of the feet, because this is where the highest concentration of sweat glands is located.
Sweating is a normal physiological process, and there are two types, such as sweating for temperature regulation - if the body temperature, and therefore the blood temperature, increases, sweating begins in order to suppress the temperature rise, and nervous sweating, because even emotions can cause sweating , as a sign of nervous excitement, the palms and feet sweat first.
The autonomic nervous system is responsible for the regulation of sweating. Excretion of several liters of sweat per day is normal. However, if the body produces sweat in quantities that are not necessary for temperature regulation, the sweating is pathological, and such a condition is called hyperhidrosis.
There are different degrees of hyperhidrosis, namely mild hyperhidrosis, which is characterized by increased sweating under the armpits, palms and feet, then moderate-severe hyperhidrosis, where excessive sweating of the face first occurs, then neck sweating occurs, sweat droplets form under the armpits, on the palms and feet, and the third degree is serious hyperhidrosis and begins with excessive sweating of the head and neck, drops of sweat fall from the armpits, palms and feet, reports "Danas".
Sudden increased sweating of the whole body can have different causes. Sudden increased sweating with elevated body temperatures is a completely normal phenomenon. Excessive sweating under the armpits and other parts of the body is normal with physical activity, high outside temperatures, layered clothing and fever-related illnesses.
In some people, sudden increased sweating is a common phenomenon that follows a genetic factor. Also, sudden hyperhidrosis can have psychological causes such as nervousness, anxiety and stress.
The mentioned causes are accompanied by symptoms such as shaking hands and palpitations. The background of frequent sudden increased sweating can be hormonal changes in women, such as PMS, menstruation, pregnancy or menopause.
Sudden sweating can also be caused by medications. People taking acetylsalicylic acid, cortisone or antidepressants sweat more than usual.
Excessive sweating, especially at night, often occurs in men as well. The most common cause for this is a decreased testosterone level. Namely, from andropause, which is the equivalent of female menopause, the level of testosterone decreases. A lowered testosterone level also occurs as a symptom of prostate cancer therapy.
Sudden increased sweating can appear as an accompanying symptom of various diseases in which sweating is not the result of fever, and these can be hormonal disorders, hypoglycemia in diabetes, neurological disorders, heart attack, rheumatism, leukemia and tuberculosis.
If sudden increased sweating becomes more frequent, you should seek medical help. Especially if the sweating is associated with additional discomfort such as, for example, pain in the region of the heart.
As there is no generally accepted laboratory value that would mark excessive sweating as pathological, a detailed examination by a doctor plays an important role in diagnosis. The doctor needs to know the following: At what age did the symptoms appear? Does the sweating come on suddenly? In what situations does excessive sweating burden everyday life?
It should be determined whether certain medications cause sweating and whether there is a specific condition that may be associated with sweating. Detailed examinations include blood tests, ultrasound examination, biopsy or bone marrow examination if leukemia is suspected.
If the cause of sudden hyperhidrosis is a disease such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson's disease, appropriate treatment should be started.
In order to avoid discomfort, measures such as the use of antiperspirants can be taken because they constrict the sweat glands, and are available in the form of powders, creams or solutions, as well as soaps for disinfection and deodorants, they act against the bacterial decomposition of sweat and thus prevent unpleasant odors during sweating. It is advised to avoid synthetic clothes and shoes with rubber or synthetic soles, spicy food, coffee and alcohol because they encourage sweating. It is important to replace the lost fluid in the body.
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