A common symptom in patients suffering from irritability is increased sweating. There is a strong link between chronic stress levels and amount of sweating. Sweating can be seen as a sign that the sympathetic nervous system is amped up, which often indicates an underlying pathology activating this stress response.
Roots of Irritability
Causes of irritability range from mental disorders such as anxiety or drug withdrawl to medical conditions such as meningitis or hypoglycemia. According to "The New York Times" Health Guide article, "Irritability", this is a symptom shared by a large variety of conditions and should always be fully evaluated by a physician. Regardless of the cause, irritability is essentially the activation of sympathetic nervous system, resulting in the manifestation the "Fight or Flight" state.
Irritability activates "Fight or Flight"
Whether the cause of your irritability is psychological, as in anxiety, or medical, as seen with infections, symptoms such as sweating can be accounted for by the activation of the branch of the autonomic nervous system responsible for activating stress pathways, the sympathetics
Sympathetic Nervous System
The sympathetic nervous system evolved as an emergency power source only to be unleashed under dire circumstances. It is not built to function constantly throughout the day. Therefore, in patients suffering from anxiety, the chronic activation of the "fight or flight" mechanisms leads these systems to exhaustion. This is why patients with anxiety also experience chronic fatigue; their body thinks a constantly a predator charging over a hill to eat them. In situations of certain death, including seeing a real predator, this sympathetic response is appropriate, even welcomed as it promotes survival. It gives us the energy and stamina to escape and live another day. It is not, however, a healthy response to daily stresses.
Expert Insight
According to the article titled, "Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: central role of the brain" published in "Physiology Review," stress acts as the primary communication link between the brain and peripheral organ systems via neural and endocrine mechanisms. It notes that different areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, may undergo structural remodeling as a result of chronic stress and irritability. A symptom such as sweating may require medical investigation to determine the etiology and prevent this structural remodeling.
Take Action
Sweating can be an embarrassing problem. A common approach is often to simply treat the symptom, sweating, rather than the root problem, irritability. It is important to consult with your physician about symptoms of chronic sweating as there may be an important diagnosis you need to uncover.
Member Comments