Can Medical Conditions Cause Hyperhidrosis?

If excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) starts suddenly and isn't related to typical triggers like puberty or menopause, it could be due to an underlying medical condition. Possible causes include metabolic disorders such as diabetes, thyroid issues, or certain cancers. Some medications can also cause increased sweating as a side effect.

Getting checked out by a doctor early on can provide clarity and lead to appropriate treatment. Many conditions associated with hyperhidrosis are easily treatable.

Possible Underlying Medical Conditions of Hyperhidrosis

"If hyperhidrosis comes on unexpectedly, not during puberty or menopause, a medical condition might be the cause."

Hyperhidrosis often occurs as a result of an illness or other life circumstances. Hormonal changes, like those during menopause or pregnancy, can disrupt the sympathetic nervous system's responses.

Withdrawal symptoms, such as those a few hours after heavy alcohol consumption, can lead to sweating episodes. Significant obesity can cause sweating even with minimal exertion or while eating. Burnout or other chronic mental stress can also trigger hyperhidrosis as a symptom.

Feverish Infections

Infections with fever can cause sweating episodes along with chills. This is a direct result of sweating's thermoregulatory function. While the fever is rising, the person might experience chills, and sweating is used by the body to lower the temperature. Infections with recurring fever spikes can lead to an extremely exhausting cycle of chills and sweats.

Nervous System Problems

Since sweating is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system, neurological diseases and injuries can cause excessive sweating. Examples include damage to the sympathetic nerve from surgery or injuries, as well as from tumors or spinal cord damage. Depending on which nerve branch is affected, this can lead to excessive sweating in the hands, feet, head, or upper body, along with back and neck pain.

Parkinson's disease is a central nervous system disorder that leads to the production of acetylcholine, among other things. This neurotransmitter stimulates the sweat glands, causing excessive sweating, including at night. Diabetic neuropathy, a complication of diabetes mellitus, involves the gradual destruction of nerves. Depending on which nerves are damaged, this can lead to numbness and increased sweating in certain body areas.

Hormonal and Metabolic Disorders

Sudden onset of severe sweating should be evaluated by a doctor.

As seen with increased sweating during pregnancy and menopause, hormonal influences on sweating are significant. Thyroid, pancreatic (insulin), and pituitary hormones have a particularly strong impact.

Hyperthyroidism typically raises body temperature, leading to heat intolerance, increased and frequent sweating, restlessness, and nervousness, along with weight loss. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder causing persistent hyperthyroidism and, consequently, secondary hyperhidrosis. Hashimoto's thyroiditis also affects the thyroid, causing inflammation that leads to hyperthyroidism in the early stages and hypothyroidism later on. Thus, the initial phase includes symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as excessive sweating. In men over 40, hypogonadism, a pituitary disorder, can lead to testosterone deficiency, causing hot flashes and excessive sweating.

Pain Conditions

Pain can activate the sympathetic nervous system, indirectly causing sweating and other symptoms like nausea. Some pain conditions can directly cause hyperhidrosis.

Fibromyalgia, for example, is a poorly understood condition involving muscle and joint pain, occasional swollen hands and feet, and frequent chills or sweats.

Organ and Circulatory Crises

Cold sweats are a common sign of life-threatening or critical organ and circulatory failures. Typical symptoms of a heart attack or angina pectoris include chest pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, and sweating. If these symptoms occur, call emergency services immediately.

Endocarditis can be acute, with fever, rapid heartbeat, chills, sweats, and joint pain, or chronic, with general inflammation and night sweats. A pulmonary embolism can manifest as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, cough, severe sweats, tightness in the chest, shock, or unconsciousness. Call emergency services immediately. Liver cirrhosis, caused by alcohol abuse or chronic hepatitis, can initially present with fatigue, sweating, tiredness, upper abdominal pain, or depression. Acute hypoglycemia can also cause sweating, along with vision problems, intense hunger, tremors, and dizziness. This is an emergency, especially for diabetics!

Mental Health Disorders

Sweating from nervousness is normal, and most people have experienced anxiety sweats. This connection between sweating and the psyche means that some mental health conditions can include increased sweating as a symptom.

Physical symptoms controlled by the autonomic nervous system are typical of anxiety disorders. During a panic attack, sweating occurs along with rapid heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, and nausea. Depression can also involve panic attacks with these symptoms, but more often includes chronic physical symptoms like headaches, increased sweating, dizziness, chest pain, breathing problems, or gastrointestinal issues.

Tumors

Tumors affecting the nervous and endocrine systems, whether benign or malignant, are called neuroendocrine tumors. They often cause autonomic symptoms like increased sweating. They are often benign but can become malignant. Some tumors secrete hormones, leading to dangerous metabolic imbalances. Tumor diseases should always be treated by a specialist!

Pheochromocytomas are usually benign neuroendocrine tumors in hormone glands that secrete stress hormones, causing high blood pressure and hypertensive crises, which manifest as sweating, rapid heartbeat, and headaches. Neuroendocrine tumors, called carcinoids, are usually benign tumors in the appendix, gastrointestinal tract, or bronchi. They cause hot flashes with sweats, abdominal pain and diarrhea, rapid heartbeat, and skin redness. Insulinomas form in the pancreas and produce insulin, causing acute hypoglycemia with symptoms like sweating, vision problems, intense hunger, tremors, and dizziness.

Erstmals publiziert am: 12.05.2011

Aktualisiert: 27.05.2025