Hyperhidrosis: The Medical Term for Excessive Sweating

Believe it or Not, Sweating in Excess is a Well Documented, Medical Disorder

Imagine your life on a daily basis, living with a medical condition that only gets worse the more you think about it. This is what millions of people living all over the world suffer with every day. The medical condition is called Hyperhidrosis and, while its name may imply a  hyperactive or behavioral problem, the truth is that this disorder affects the body’s ability to sweat. 

While sweating is normal and it is true everyone sweats, those suffering with Hyperhidrosis sweat at a much higher rate than the average person. Since the body’s mechanism for cooling itself is overactive, Hyperhidrosis sufferers may sweat four or five times more than is necessary (Definition of Hyperhidrosis 1). Typically the average person sweats in situations such as warm temperatures, exercising, and emotional types of situations such as being nervous, angry, embarrassed, or scared (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 1). However people with Hyperhidrosis sweat in all types of situations and much more in these specific circumstances. Just thinking about their sweaty hands condition makes those with Hyperhidrosis sweat even more, essentially amplifying the problem and making the situation worse. Primary Hyperhidrosis affects two to three percent of the American population, where the excessive sweating is primarily concentrated on the hands, feet, and armpits. Despite this fact, less than forty percent of those with this condition attempt to seek any medical remedy at all (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 1). If excessive sweating occurs as an indirect result of a preexisting medical condition, it is called Secondary Hyperhidrosis. Some of the common medical conditions that result in Secondary Hyperhidrosis include: cancer, menopause, anxiety, and spinal cord injuries (Medical Encyclopedia: Hyperhidrosis 1). 


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