Do I Have Abnormally Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis)?

Do you sweat when you are not exerting yourself?

Do you sweat when you’re sitting?

Have you suddenly begins to sweat more than usual?

Do you often see beads of sweat on your skin or have sweat-soaked clothing?

Does sweating interfere with your everyday activities such as driving, holding a pen, walking, or turning a doorknob?

Does excessive sweating interfere with your job (e.g. you have difficulty holding tools or using a computer keyboard)?

Does your skin turns soft, white, and peels in areas where you sweat profusely?

Does your skin stay wet for long periods?

Do you get frequent skin infections on the parts of your body that sweat heavily (e.g. athlete’s foot and jock itch)?

Do you avoid physical contact, such as shaking hands, because you feel self-conscious about your sweating?

Are you spending a significant amount of time coping with sweating - for example, frequently showering and changing your clothes?

Are you become socially withdrawn and self-conscious due to profuse sweating?

Do you experience night sweats for no apparent reason?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have abnormally excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. It is completely normal to sweat when you are too hot, exercising or nervous. Your body needs to sweat to cool down and prevent overheating. However, people who sweat when their body does not need cooling may have hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that refers to excessive sweating for no apparent reason. Hyperhidrosis is a common condition that affects about 3 percent of people in the United States. It can begin at any age, but usually begins in childhood or soon after puberty.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have abnormally excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. There are two types of hyperhidrosis: primary and secondary. Primary focal hyperhidrosis affects one or more areas of the body in otherwise healthy people. It sometimes runs in families. Secondary hyperhidrosis means that excessive sweating has an underlying cause such as another medical condition or a side effect of medications you are taking, or food supplements. Regardless of the type, hyperhidrosis affects a person’s quality of life. It can cause you to feel embarrassed and anxious. Diagnosing is based on the starch-iodine test, paper test and other laboratory tests.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have abnormally excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. There are several million of sweat glands distributed all over your body. There are two types of sweat glands: the eccrine glands that secrete odorless, clear fluid that helps regulate your body temperature, and the apocrine glands, which are found in the armpits and genital area, that secrete a thick fluid responsible for your body odor. In hyperhidrosis, certain nerves signal your sweat glands to become overactive, particularly eccrine glands, producing more sweat than is needed. Treatment includes ointments or balms that "dry out" the sweat glands, medications and surgery.