Some people have a condition known as hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis causes the person to sweat excessively. Generally, the body sweats as a mechanism for cooling off, your body's way of regulating its temperature. But when you have hyperhidrosis, you sweat unpredictably. You'll sweat when you are hot, which is natural, but you could also start sweating when you are cool. Hyperhidrosis can be embarrassing and frustrating for the person who has the condition.
Two Causes
There are two essential causes for hyperhidrosis: focal hidrosis and generalized hidrosis. Focal hidrosis, also known as primary hidrosis, is the most common, and its root cause, according to the Mayo Clinic, is unknown. Generalized hidrosis, also known as secondary hidrosis, can be caused by a number of underlying conditions.
Focal Hidrosis
Although there is no known cause for focal hidrosis, the condition may have something to do with genetics, since it's been known to run in families. The condition manifests itself during the day and won't typically cause sweating at night when the person is asleep. Focal hidrosis affects certain areas of the body more frequently: the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the armpits. It affects both sides of the body equally, meaning that if one palm is sweating, so is the other one.
Generalized Hidrosis
Sometimes called secondary hidrosis, generalized hidrosis stems from some other condition in the body. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, there is a long list of causes for generalized hidrosis, including tuberculosis, cancer, substance abuse (as well as medication), anxiety disorders, acromegaly, carcinoid sydrome, heart or lung disease, hyperthyroidism, menopause, Parkinson's disease and stroke. Generalized hidrosis can cause sweating all over the body. The sweating will go away once the underlying condition is treated.
