Overactive Sweat Glands

Understand what causes excessive sweating, the causes that lead to overactive sweat glands including any genetic, medical or other related conditions.

Sweating occurs when the body regulate our body temperature to cool the body down. When our bodies begin to get too hot, sweating releases moisture and in the process, heat is release from the body.

As such, sweating usually happens when we do something that causes our body temperature to rise, such as exercise, being under the hot sun or after a meal. Emotional responses like stress, embarrassment or anxiety can also cause our body to secrete epinephrine from the adrenaline glands, which in turn react on the sweat glands to produce sweat.

There are two types of sweat glands in the human body: eccrine, found in hands, feet and armpits, secreting a thin, odorless liquid; and apocrine, found in armpits and genital area, secreting a thick liquid that produces body odor. Excessive sweating generally involves the eccrine sweat glands.

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Illustration of eccrine sweat glands

In normal sweating, the eccrine glands release sweat to maintain normal body temperature. In hyperhidrosis, the sweat glands produce up to three to four times more sweat than the body requires. As such, sufferers of hyperhidrosis usually have very sweaty palms and feet.

While occasional excessive sweating occurs due to anxiety or a fever, a chronic condition is caused by disorder of sweat glands, thyroid problems or a nervous system disorder, which could originate in the brain, specifically in the anterior cingulated cortex.

One of the primary causes of overactive sweat glands is thyroid gland malfunctioning. The thyroid gland is located near the voice box and absorbs iodine from the diet. The thyroid gland releases hormones, which contains iodine that affects the body temperature that can lead to hyperhidrosis.

An overactive thyroid gland leads to hyperthyroidism whereby the thyroid excretes excessive thyroid hormones, thus leading to hormonal imbalances resulting in hyperhidrosis. Excessive sweating is caused by high metabolism rate that is most of the times instigated by the thyroid gland.

Hyperhidrosis can also be caused by other medical conditions or medications. Some conditions that lead to overactive sweat glands include:

Alcoholism
Diabetes
Heart disease
Menopause
Obesity
Parkinson's disease
Gout
Rheumatoid arthritis
Tuberculosis
Lymphoma
Hypoglycemia
Parasites
Metabolic dysfunction
Nerve damage due to diabetes (autonomic dysfunction) or spinal cord injuries
Liver disease
Vitiligo
Psychiatric disorders such as stress, panic attacks or anxiety disorders
Hot flashes associated with menopause

A few of the possible trigger medications for secondary hyperhidrosis include:

Desipramine (Norpramin)
Esomeprazole (Nexium)
Fluoxetine (Prozac; Sarafem)
Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
Pilocarpine (Isopto Carpine; Pilopine HS; Salagen)
Protriptyline (Vivactil)
Zinc supplements

Overactive sweat glands cause excessive sweating on various parts of the body and can cause discomfort, and many times, embarrassing moments. However, if you are suffering from excessive perspiration, start adopting a healthy lifestyle by making changes in your diet and follow medical advice, and you can definitely treat the problem, or at least control it.

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