Sweating, a process also called perspiration, is the release of a salty liquid from the sweat glands of the body.
Sweating is an essential function that helps the body stay cool. Sweat is commonly found under the arms, feet and palms of the hands.
Alternative Names:
Transpiration
General considerations
How much you sweat depends on how many sweat glands you have. A person is born with approximately 2 to 4 million of these glands, which start to become fully active during puberty. Women actually have more sweat glands than men, but men’s glands are just more active.
Because sweating is the body’s natural way of regulating temperature, people sweat more when it’s hot outside. People also sweat more when they exercise or in response to situations that make them nervous, angry, embarrassed or afraid.
If sweating is accompanied by fever, weight loss, chest pain, difficulty breathing or rapid heart beats strong, they should consult a doctor because these symptoms may indicate an underlying problem, such as hyperthyroidism. Excessive sweating can also be a symptom of menopause.
See also:
* Absence of sweating
* Excessive sweating
Common Causes
* Alcohol
* Caffeine
* Cancer
* Certain drugs, including thyroid hormone, morphine, drugs to reduce fevers, and medicines to treat mental disorders
* Emotional or stressful situations (anxiety)
* Exercise
* Fever
* Infection
* Low blood sugar
* Menopause
* Thyrotoxicosis
* Spicy foods (known as “gustatory sweating”)
* Warm weather
* Withdrawal from alcohol or narcotic analgesics
Home Care
After sweating, a person must:
* Wash face and body.
* Change clothes and bedding.
* Drink plenty of water to replace lost body fluids.
* Slightly lower room temperature to prevent more sweating.
Call your doctor if
* You sweat a lot or if sweating lasts for a long time or is unexplained.
* Sweating occurs with or is followed by pressure or chest pain.
* Sweating is accompanied or weight loss occurs most often during sleep.
Dermatology
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