Sweating

Key takeaways

• Sweating is when your sweat glands release liquid as a way for your body to control its temperature.
• Common causes of sweating include consuming caffeine, drinking alcohol, engaging in strenuous activity, eating spicy foods and getting menopause-related hot flashes.
• Some treatment options include changing your diet, wearing breathable fabrics, using prescription antiperspirants and treating any underlying health condition.

Overview

What is sweating?

Sweating is one of the ways your body controls its temperature. When you sweat, your sweat glands release liquid. When that liquid turns into vapor, it makes your skin feel cooler. Therefore, sweating helps you maintain a normal body temperature.

It's common to sweat when it's hot outside, when you have a fever or when you're performing strenuous physical activity. Some people sweat more than others and some experience excessive sweating. Excessive sweating is when arms, legs, underarms, and face produce more sweat, usually unrelated to body temperature or exercise. And sometimes people experience night sweats – excessive sweating when sleeping.

Although sweating is natural, sometimes excessive sweating or night sweats can be a sign of an underlying health condition.

Other names for sweating?

Diaphoresis, Hyperhidrosis

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Possible Causes

What can cause sweating?

Some common causes of sweating include:

• Hot temperatures
• Strenuous physical activity
• Low blood sugar
• Eating spicy foods
• Consuming too much caffeine or alcohol
• Fever due to an illness or infection

Excessive sweating and night sweats could be a potential sign of a health condition such as:

• Hot flashes associated with menopause
• Certain thyroid condition
• Drug or alcohol withdrawal
• Side effect to certain medications

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Treatment & management

How can sweating be treated?

It's important to work with a health care provider to determine the cause of your sweating so that it can be treated appropriately. Your provider may recommend:

• Reducing your intake of caffeine
• Limiting alcohol
• Eliminating spicy foods or eating them less often
• Wearing a prescription-strength antiperspirant

MinuteClinic offers a variety of services that can help with diagnosis and treatment.MinuteClinic offers a variety of services that can help with diagnosis and treatment.

Plan your visit

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When to seek medical care

Go to the hospital or call 911 if:

• Excessive sweating is accompanied by chest pain
• Heavy sweating occurs with nausea and lightheadedness

Contact your provider if:

• Sweating has a negative impact on your life
• You begin sweating more than usual for no apparent reason.

In general, if you're concerned about your sweating, check in with a health care provider. You can find a variety of services at a MinuteClinic near you.

Plan your visit

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This material is for reference only and should not be used to determine treatment for specific medical conditions.

Please visit a healthcare provider for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of any symptoms you may be experiencing. If you're experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 or visit your local Emergency Department.

References used as sources for this page

1. Sweating. Source from MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003218.htm. Accessed on May 2023.
2. Sweat. Source from MedlinePlus https://medlineplus.gov/sweat.html. Accessed on May 2023.
3. Two Types of Hyperhidrosis. Source from International Hyperhidrosis Society https://www.sweathelp.org/home/types-of-hyperhidrosis.html. Accessed on May 2023.
4. Hyperhidrosis: Diagnosis and Treatment. Source from American Academy of Dermatology Association. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/hyperhidrosis-treatment. Accessed on May 2023.
5. Botox Injections One Way to Reduce Hyperhidrosis Sweating. Source from UCLA Health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/botox-injections-one-way-treat-hyperhidrosis-sweating. Accessed on May 2023.
6. Hyperhidrosis: Signs and Symptoms. Source from American Academy of Dermatology Association. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/hyperhidrosis-symptoms. Accessed on May 2023.

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