Sweating is a normal response when the body rises in temperature, and sometimes to certain emotional states. But what about excessive sweating – hyperhidrosis? The causes aren’t always as clear-cut, but here are five things that may be triggering your sweating, as shared by the experts at our Inverness clinic.
Hormones
Did your hyperhidrosis start in childhood? Or as a teenager? It might be something that improves the older you get; in fact, that does happen from time to time. It’s also been linked to an overactive thyroid, menopause and diabetes. If you don’t know whether you have any of these conditions, it might be worth getting checked out.
Anxiety
Stress and anxiety can cause sweating in any case, so it’s no surprise there’s a link to hyperhidrosis. Of course, being anxious about sweating can make it worse. Seeking treatment for your anxiety may help to get your excessive sweating under control, and make it less of a problem.
Genetics
Whether it runs in your family, or it’s a symptom of a condition that runs in your family, it’s possible that your hyperhidrosis could be inherited. It’s best to get an appointment with your doctor if you think this might be the case, and to rule out anything serious.
Diet
While experts aren’t unanimous on this, it’s thought that there could be a link – and that what you eat and drink could trigger the condition. If you suspect that’s the case, why not keep a food diary and see if anything in your diet is causing excessive sweating?
Medication
Certain treatments might cause excessive sweating. You might be able to swap them for different drugs if this happens – just talk to your medical professional. We really hope this isn’t the case, but some conditions can also cause hyperhidrosis. Heart failure – where your heart is too weak to pump the blood or to properly empty of blood – can lead to a build-up of fluid, which causes hyperhidrosis as the body tries to ‘sweat’ it out.
Still unsure whether you have hyperhidrosis?
We know a lot about the condition and effective ways to treat it, too. If you’d like to know more, or book an appointment with us, then get in touch via our contact page. You can call, email or fill out a booking form to arrange your consultation. We look forward to seeing – and treating you – very soon at our clinic here in Inverness.