Home
Rodale Bookshelf
Symptoms, Their Causes & Cures: Sweating

Chapter List

Special Limited Time Offer!
Order today and
Save an Extra 15%!
Use coupon code: LSAVE15

Sweating

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

* Sweat continually soaks and soils your clothes and shoes or trickles down your skin even when the room is cold.

* Sweating impacts on your career or personal life.

* You are also experiencing persistent or recurrent fever, dizziness or rapid heartbeat.

* The sweat has a color, crystallizes on the skin or causes skin irritations.

What Your Symptom Is Telling You

Let's face it: We all perspire, but some people just plain sweat. In buckets. If you're one of them, you don't need anyone to tell you; your wet clothes are probably doing that.

Almost all sweating is triggered by heat, humidity, stress or anxiety; it's the body's means of regulating its temperature. Most excessive sweaters simply have a genetic predisposition to produce a bit more coolant in response to these normal stimuli. It's not a medical problem; their sweat glands are just more exuberant.

Sweating is a perfectly normal side effect of puberty, menstruation, menopause and other hormonal changes. Physical exertion, hot and spicy food, alcohol and smoking are other common causes of perspiration attacks.

On the more serious side, excessive sweating can occur as a result of an infection. "This can be anything from the common cold to a more serious underlying disorder, either of which can produce constant or intermittent fevers," says Hinda Greene, D.O., staff physician of internal medicine with Cleveland ClinicFlorida in Fort Lauderdale. "Sweating is the body's way of dissipating the heat of a fever."

Among the laundry list of conditions that bring on those feverish sweats is Hodgkins' disease, tuberculosis, overactive thyroid, heart disease, cancer, pneumonia, malaria and liver and kidney disease.

Symptom Relief

If you don't want to go with the flow, the following are some doctor recommended remedies that'll leave you high and dry.

Dress cool. "Dress in light, loose-fitting, natural fabrics like cotton to absorb perspiration and let cool air in and warm air out," says R. Kenneth Landow, M.D., clinical associate professor in the Department of Medicine and Dermatology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. "Man-made fibers such as rayon, nylon and polyester will not absorb perspiration or provide ventilation."

Roll out the antiperspirant. Careful. Deodorants are not antiperspirants, but a deodorant may contain an antiperspirant. Most over-the-counter anti-wetness products work well. "The most effective ones contain aluminum chlorohydrate or some other aluminum salt to block the ducts of the sweat glands," says Dr. Landow. "It can be applied to any affected area: the hand, foot, body, even the forehead." Stronger antiperspirants, like Drysol (aluminum chloride), have higher concentrations of these aluminum salts and are available by prescription.

Apply it, don't spray it. Sticks and roll-ons provide more protection and greater coverage than aerosols, says Selma Targovnik, M.D., staff dermatologist at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix. Dry yourself off thoroughly before applying your antiperspirant—moisture will dilute its effectiveness. If using a liquid roll-on, shake it well. The active ingredients may have settled to the bottom.

Zap your glands. "We now have a technique called iontophoresis in which we apply a weak electric current to problem areas to constrict the sweat ducts and keep sweating under control," says Stephen Z. Smith, M.D., a dermatologist in private practice and clinical instructor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky. "These devices are used at home under a physician's direction and can cost several hundred dollars." A similar device called the Drionic is available without a prescription for about $125, but it uses a much weaker current. These nonprescription devices are not as effective, but they're certainly worth a try.

Rub on some alcohol. "A little rubbing alcohol will constrict the pores and hold back sweating for several hours," says Dr. Landow. "This should only be done occasionally because excessive use of rubbing alcohol could cause severe skin drying and irritation."

Take a powder. "For some, it is sufficient to just sprinkle on a lot of powder—baby powder, cornstarch, baking soda, etc." says Dr. Landow. "It doesn't prevent sweating, but it absorbs much of the moisture and leaves you feeling drier."

Immerse yourself in water. Got a job interview and want to avoid sweaty palms or underarms? According to Dr. Targovnik, soaking in cool water will temporarily curb your sweats. A 30-minute soak of the affected parts will shrink pores enough to provide about three hours of wetness protection.

Avoid hot, spicy foods. One reason you sweat every afternoon could be that bean burrito with extra sauce you eat for lunch. Or the soup. Or all that hot coffee. Cut back on those foods that can turn your stomach into a furnace and your body will reduce its perspiration buildup, says Dr. Smith. Finding out which foods turn up your internal thermostat may call for a little experimentation. Try eliminating suspected offenders one at a time, beginning with the most obvious: spicy foods.

Bag the booze and butts. They're not just unhealthy habits, but sweaty ones, too. "Alcohol tends to dilate the vessels in the skin, increasing your body heat, and tobacco increases your body's levels of adrenaline, both of which will make you sweat more," says Dr. Landow.

As a last resort, consider surgery. If all else fails, and you're desperate for relief, you might want to discuss three possible surgical procedures with your doctor. One is a sympathectomy, in which the nerves connected to the sweat glands are severed. The second removes the glands themselves from the affected area. And in the third, liposuction, the glands are sucked out of your skin tissue through a small tube. Dr. Landow warns that all three have risks, including scarring and nerve damage, and in many cases, sweating returns within two years.

Shop with Us: Brands A-Z; Products A-Z; Autoship; Ways to Shop; Member Discounts

Customer Service: Contact Us; Help Desk; Shipping Policy; Return Policy; Ask a question; Track Your Order

My Account: My Account; My Order History; My Shopping Cart

Health Library: Vitamin Guide; Guide to Herbs; Health Concerns; Home Remedies; Seniors Health; Women's Health

About Us: Our Blog; Our Philosophy; Corporate Discounts; Affliliate Program; Terms of Use

Featured Partners

Email Sign up: Weekly health news, sale announcements and coupons!

Call us M-F 9am-5pm: 1-800-439-5506

Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Information about each product is taken from the labels of the products or from the manufacturer's advertising material. MotherNature is not responsible for any statements or claims that various manufacturers make about their products. We cannot be held responsible for typographical errors or product formulation changes. You should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.All discounts are taken from suggested retail prices. Prices are subject to change.