Excessive Sweating and Your Ideal Weight

If you suffer from excessive sweating you might not be 100% sure of its cause, but if you are overweight, you might think that has something to do with it. It’s fair to assume a link between excessive sweating and being overweight, but there could be other factors as well.

Excessive sweating, or hyperhydrosis, affects 2-4% of the population. If you are affected, you are probably already miserably familiar with the symptoms. The underlying reason for those problems might be less obvious though. The fact is, there are a number of possible causes.

It’s important to realize that there are actually two different types of hyperhydrosis.

The first – primary hyperhydrosis – often begins in childhood or adolescence. This type can be characterized by ‘symmetric’ i.e. affects both right and left sides of the body simultaneously. It

occurs on very specific areas of the body, most commonly hands, feet, underarms, head or face. Sufferers of primary hyperhydrosis don’t usually have episodes of excessive sweating when they are asleep.

If you believe you have this type of hyperhydrosis, the good news is that it is not usually a result of being overweight. However, the bad news is that it is an actual medical condition, usually a result of genetics. If your family has a history of excessive sweating, that could explain your symptoms. But, there is hope! There are treatments available for this type and a good resource is SweatHelp.org.

The other type of hyperhydrosis is secondary hyperhydrosis. This is where there is another issue and excessive sweating is the symptom. To help to identify this type, sufferers usually experience sweating on a larger, more generalized area of the body. They also experience their symptoms

during sleep.

In the case of secondary hyperhydrosis, the cause could be another health issue or a side-effect of medication. Causes like hyperthyroidism, stress, and the menopause might be to blame. In fact the list of conditions that have excessive sweating as a side-effect is quite extensive. But this list does include obesity and being overweight.

So how do you know whether your weight is a factor? Well, if you are overweight, the only way to know for sure if your weight is the cause of your excessive sweating symptoms is by losing weight and monitoring the effects. If the symptoms reduce–or even stop–when you lose weight, you will have identified the cause of your excessive sweating. Obviously then the challenge becomes to maintain a healthy weight and/or lose more weight. However, at least you have gained the awareness of your condition, which can be half the battle.

Since hyperhydrosis is a recognized medical condition, if you believe you sweat more than is ‘normal’, it’s a good idea to seek advice from your doctor. But regardless of medical advice (recommended medications and surgeries have had mixed results for sufferers), if you believe your

symptoms are linked to your weight, that’s a great incentive to adopt a diet and exercise regime. If you are overweight, a healthy weight-loss program will not have any negative side-effects and it may just resolve your excessive sweating problems. But even if your weight is not directly responsible for your hyperhydrosis, by becoming fit and well, you will improve your overall health and self-esteem – which may inadvertently relieve your symptoms.

About the Author:

Matthew Johnson says there are natural and permanent solutions to excessive sweating problems. For more information and advice, visit our website. http://www.StopSweatingStartLiving.co.uk