Underlying Causes and Risk Factors for Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that leads to excessive sweating, which can become a source of embarrassment and disturbance for the person. The condition can be genetic, but it can also be a result of health or environmental triggers. Here are some of the underlying conditions associated with hyperhidrosis.
1. Diabetes
Diabetes, when left uncontrolled, can lead to nerve damage. The condition affects the glands that secrete sweat and make it function abnormally. As a result, some people sweat excessively. In other cases, excess sweating is associated with very low blood sugar levels.
2. Thyroid abnormalities
Hyperthyroidism can be one of the underlying conditions associated with hyperhidrosis. When your thyroid levels are abnormal, they disrupt the body’s ability to feel heat and cold. People with hypothyroidism feel abnormally cold and those with hyperthyroidism feel abnormally hot. The latter condition leads to excessive sweating.
3. Menopause
Menopause causes several drastic hormonal changes in the body and as a result, it goes through what is called hot flashes. These can lead to excessive and abnormally high sweating. It is a temporary form of hyperhidrosis and tends to goes away once the hormonal levels balance.
4. Obesity
Another of the common underlying conditions associated with hyperhidrosis is obesity. Excessive weight gain and a BMI of over 30 make a person more prone to excessive sweating, apart from other health problems. The thick layer of adipose tissue in the body locks in heat and increases the core body temperature. This can lead to hyperhidrosis.
5. Pregnancy
Just like how menopause causes random hormonal changes in the body, pregnancy also causes hormonal variations and can overstimulate the sweat glands. The pregnancy-weight gain and the stress of carrying a fetus also add to hyperhidrosis in many cases.
6. Infections
Some kinds of infections like HIV and tuberculosis can cause an increase in core body temperature when the body is struggling to fight the infection. As a result, people with these conditions can sweat a lot, especially at night. These night sweats can lead to difficulty in sleeping.
7. Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that is one of the underlying conditions associated with hyperhidrosis. This condition affects the nerves in the body. The nerves that control the sweat glands are also affected when the disease progresses and as a result, the body can experience excessive sweating as a symptom.
8. Mental health conditions
Mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress can also release certain hormones in the body that triggers hyperhidrosis. Getting treated for these conditions can bring down excessive sweating.
All these are underlying conditions associated with hyperhidrosis and can cause or aggravate the problem. If you experience excessive sweating, talk with your doctor and get tests done to identify the cause.