Sweat a lot, why?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi My - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International Hospital.

When people sweat a lot, people often think it is due to hot weather or excessive exercise. However, the cause of excessive sweating is not only that. Excessive sweating can also be a warning sign of certain diseases affecting the sweat glands.

Sweat glands are ducts located under the dermis. This duct is usually coiled, sweat is produced in the coil, while the long duct is the line connecting the sweat gland to the surface of the skin, and the nerve cells (sympathetic nervous system) connect to the sweat glands. foul. When psychology affects the sympathetic nervous system, excessive sweating occurs.
Sweat glands are everywhere on the body (except lips and nipples), when experiencing any impact, sweating occurs.
There are 2 types of sweat glands:
Eccrine glands: present throughout the body, but mainly on the hands and feet. Sweat in this gland consists of only water, salts and minerals. This sweat gland is mainly active during puberty and is involved in endocrine and body development. Therefore, it is common to see students in puberty experience sweating a lot. Apocrine sweat glands: mainly found in the armpits, anus and genitals. Sweat in this gland contains both water and salt, as well as proteins and fatty acids. Normally, sweat in the armpit or intimate area will convert to protein components, fatty acids that create unpleasant odors and have a yellow color. Sweating is a normal physiological phenomenon, helping to balance body temperature and eliminate internal toxins. However, if you sweat a lot, it may be an abnormal phenomenon that needs to be investigated and treated.

Diabetes: Low blood sugar is one of the common causes of excessive sweating. Thyroid disorders: Hyperthyroidism speeds up metabolism and can cause weight loss, irregular heartbeat, and excessive sweating. Sleep disturbances: Excessive sweating is a common sign of sleep apnea, which can block airways during sleep and slow or, in extreme cases, stop breathing. Cancer: In some cases, night sweats can be an early sign of lymphoma. More than 32,000 women are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma every year, and this risk increases with age. Other symptoms of the disease include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, chest pain and shortness of breath, etc. Infection: Tuberculosis can cause excessive sweating. Rarely, osteomyelitis can also affect the vertebrae or pelvis in adults and can cause profuse sweating. Bacterial infections can also cause endocarditis, inflammation of the heart valves, and night sweats are common symptoms of an infection. Side effects of medications: There are many medications that can cause excessive sweating. Pain relievers, heart disease medications, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants are all prescription drugs that have a side effect of causing excessive sweating. Other causes are: psychologically being strongly emotional, eating too much spicy and hot food, having a pathology of the sympathetic nervous system, being pregnant or entering menopause.

Depending on the cause of the excessive sweating, there are different treatments:
If the excessive sweating is due to exercise or exercise, there is nothing to worry about. Because in this case, sweating a lot is completely beneficial, helping to detoxify, clean the skin and stabilize blood pressure. Excessive sweating due to stressful medical conditions or other reasons affecting the sympathetic nervous system should be treated at the root. In addition to applying psychotherapy and exercise, surgery can be done to remove the sympathetic nerve ganglia. However, this method of treatment is relatively difficult and patients often have to live with the disease.

Use topical deodorant sprays on areas that sweat a lot (such as armpits, groin, etc.) to eliminate unpleasant odors. Avoid leaving the body severely dehydrated. It is possible to use herbs such as Bach Thuoc, Thien Mon Dong, Son Tu, ... Apply measures such as acupuncture, shoulder massage, acupressure to balance and stabilize the sympathetic nervous system. Excessive sweating can be a warning sign of a number of medical conditions. Therefore, if you sweat a lot or too much, the patient needs to go to the hospital for an accurate diagnosis of the cause of the disease and timely treatment.
Master. American doctor has more than 6 years of experience as an internal medicine doctor at Hue Central Hospital, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital; Tam Tri Da Nang Hospital; Danang Hospital. Currently, he is a General Internal Medicine Doctor at Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.