Sweating is actually a very necessary—and healthy—part of living, because it cools the body down and keeps us from overheating. But do you ever feel like you’re sweating more than everyone else around you?
It’s possible that you’re just hot-natured, says internist Ashley Guild, MD, of TriStar Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. “You may be prone to getting hot, and sweat is a normal response to excessive heat,” says Dr. Guild.
But, there may be more scientific reasons you’re sweating often. If you can’t seem to stop dripping, read on to learn more about some of the common conditions that may ramp up your sweat glands.
7 reasons you’re sweating a lot
Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes excessive sweating or sweating when the body doesn’t need to. It’s normal to sweat when you’re nervous or your body is overheated, but when you have hyperhidrosis, you sweat for no clear reason.
“If you have hyperhidrosis, the sweating usually happens in your hands, underarms or feet,” says Guild.
Medications
Many common drugs can cause you to sweat, so it’s important you check with your doctor about prescriptions that may have this side effect, says Guild. Here are some of the culprits:
- Acetaminophen
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen
- Hormone therapy
- Hypoglycemic agents
- Antidepressants
Happy hour
When you drink alcohol, your blood vessels dilate and that increases your skin temperature, causing you to sweat. This can happen as your drinking your favorite glass of wine, or that new must-have beer.
And alcohol withdrawal can cause you to sweat, too. If you drink pretty regularly, but haven’t had any alcohol recently, you might sweat more. If you notice any nausea, shakiness, fatigue or headaches with sweat sessions, see your healthcare provider to determine whether or not you’re having alcohol withdrawals.
Spicy foods
People may notice sweating around their face or lips when they’re eating spicy foods or foods they are sensitive to. This type of sweating is also known as gustatory sweating or Frey’s syndrome, and happens because certain foods cause your brain to think your body temperature is higher, which in turn, triggers sweat. This nerve confusion can also cause you to sweat even when you just think about certain foods, too.
Menopause
One of the symptoms of menopause is excessive sweating. Hormonal changes in the body trigger hot flashes and night sweats.
Your weight
People who are overweight are typically in the group of people who get warmer quicker because they have more fat on their body, says Guild. “Fat is an insulator, so that causes them to be warmer and causes them to sweat easier.”
Emotions
If your hands, feet or underarms sweat when you’re in front of a big group of people or when you’re making an important presentation at work, you may be an emotional sweater, says Guild. When you’re stressed or nervous, sweat glands in the face, palms and soles of your feet and armpits may be triggered.
5 ways to manage and treat sweat
Luckily, many of these sweat causes can be easily managed at home or with medical treatment. Here’s what to expect when it comes to treatment options.
1. Wear an antiperspirant—and get clinical strength if you need it. Antiperspirant sits on the top layer of your skin. As you start to sweat, it’s absorbed into your sweat glands, which signals your body to cut down on sweat production.
2. Drink this. Whether you’re hot-natured or not, drinking water cools the body down internally, says Guild.
3. Try Botox injections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Botox injections to treat sweating, says Guild. Botox is specifically approved to reduce excessive underarm sweating, but may also treat sweating of the hands and feet. The injection blocks body chemicals that cause you to sweat for four to six months at a time.
4. You may need a prescription. If you have excessive body sweat, your doctor may prescribe medications like anticholinergics that prevent the sweat glands from working or beta blockers or benzodiazepines to decrease anxiety and reduce emotional sweat.
5. Surgery is a last resort. If all other treatments are unsuccessful, your doctor may recommend surgery such as sweat gland removal or sympathectomy, a surgery to terminate the nerve signals that trigger your sweat glands.
If you feel like you’re sweating more than others, or you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable about your sweat, see your healthcare provider for a physical exam, and if necessary, a sweat test.
