Stop Excessive Sweating. Causes And Remedies For Excess Sweating (Hyperhidrosis)

Some people naturally sweat more than others, but if you’ve got uncontrollable sweating, without any obvious cause, then you need to consider that you may have hyperhidrosis. Before going to see a doctor, consider the following tips, and see if they help you to decrease the amount you sweat…

Is it what you’re eating and drinking?

It’s a fact that certain foods can boost sweat production… because they stimulate the nerous system such as caffeine, alcohol and spices. If you drink lots of fizzy drinks, check to see if they contain caffeine. You may be surprised to see that lots of common fizzy drinks (carbonated drinks) contain large amounts of caffeine which is added as a stimulant. When it first came out, Coca Cola contained cocaine and caffeine as stimulants, but the cocaine has since been removed! Did you know that cocaine came from the coca leaf, and caffeine from the kola nut, giving the product the name “coca kola”… which was changed to Coca Cola for marketing reasons? So, there may be reasons for your uncontrollable sweating hidden in the foods you eat, and beverages you drink. Try to cut back on consuming food or drinks containing caffeine, alcohol and spices because they all activate the sweat mechanism. Of course, hot drinks and hot foods will activate the natural sweat mechanism too, so try to limit the amount of hot food and especially hot drinks you have each day.

Is it what you’re wearing?

Check your clothing labels! Products that are made from non-natural fibres can cause heat to get trapped between your skin and your clothing, which leads to uncontrollable sweating. Try to wear clothes that help your skin to breathe such as cotton fabrics. White colored cotton will also help to disguise any sweating that does occur.

Is it how you’re feeling?

The more you worry about sweating, the more you sweat… and the more you worry about it. Pretty soon you’re in a nasty feeback loop which results in uncontrollable sweating! If you can try to relax and remain calm, you’ll help to moderate one of the main causes of sweating, and you’ll avoid the nasty feedback loop! Try to do breathing exercises and mentally picture yourself somewhere relaxing at the first signs of stress so that you maintain your calmness and prevent sweating from starting. Of course, you’ll get better at this with practise, so don’t stress because the de-stressing isn’t working!

Is it where you are?

People often ignore their immediate environment as a potential cause of sweating, but we naturally sweat more in hot, humid environments. If you think this may be a problem for you, see if you can’t get a portable air conditioner installed where you spend most of your time.

Is it all of the above?

It’s easy to overlook the cumulative effect that small lifestyle changes can have, but imagine a man wearing a man-made suit in a warm office building while making a stressful business decision and drinking a Coke after two cups of coffee. That man could be sweating uncontrollably and wondering if he has a medical problem, while the reasons are immediately obvious, if you know where to look.

If you’ve already considered these factors, it’s time to consider using anti-perspirants, especially strong anti-perspirants available from your physician or pharmacist. Other possible solutions to uncontrollable sweating are iontophoresis and botox injections.

We advise that, before getting surgery or taking any medication, anyone thinking about getting treatment for uncontrollable sweating should consider natural treatments and remedies first. We recommend the ebook, “Stop Sweating and Start Living” by Mike Ramsay as a introduction to hyperhidrosis and what you can do to control your sweating naturally and cheaply.

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What Causes Uncontrollable Sweating?

Uncontrollable sweating can be very unpleasant. It’s important to work out whether you have uncontrollable sweating because of primary hyperhidrosis, or because of a different underlying condition (secondary hyperhidrosis). Here’s how you can tell…

Is your Uncontrollable Sweating Primary Hyperhidrosis, or Secondary Hyperhidrosis?

If there are other symptoms, such as pain, headaches, nausea or a high temperature, and your uncontrollable sweating is generalized, ie, you sweat all over your body,  then your uncontrollable sweating is unlikely to be primary hyperhidrosis, but is more likely to be related to the condition which causes excessive sweating as one of the symptoms. For example, people with the flu can have uncontrollable sweating, but that’s a generalised sweating relating to infection with the influenza virus, which also causes other symptoms. 

Excessive sweating, when it’s generalized, and accompanied by other symptoms, is called secondary hyperhidrosis. Sweating from one or more specific locations (usually the feet, hands, head, face, back or underarms, which isn’t accompanied by other symptoms, is known as primary hyperhidrosis, or focal hyperhidrosis.

Health  issues that can cause secondary hyperhidrosis include diabetes, cancer, hyper-pituitarism, hyper-thyroidism, chronic infections (tuberculosis), menopause, spinal cord injury, neurological conditions,  gout, hypoglycemia, angina, heart attack or another cardiovascular problem and drug / alcohol withdrawal. Also, certain types of medication can cause excessive sweating too.

It’s not known what causes primary hyperhidrosis, although an overactive sympathetic nervous system is thought to play a significant role in stimulation of the sweat glands. Of course, the question then  becomes what causes the overactive sympathetic nervous system?

If you suspect you have primary or secondary hyperhidrosis, you should see a doctor, preferably a dermatologist. You may also want to read more articles on this site to help you understand hyperhidrosis better and learn about some of the ways other people have tackled their uncontrollable sweating problems. An excellent ebook about hyperhidrosis is, “Stop Sweating and Start Living” by Mike Ramsay. It explains all about hyperhidrosis and what you can do to control your sweating naturally and cheaply and is highly recommended.

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