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What is the Cause of Sweaty Palms?

Are Sweaty Palms Really Psychological…or Physiological?


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About 1% of Americans suffer from palmar hyperhidrosis, more commonly known as sweaty palms. The precise cause of this condition is still unconfirmed; however, a lot of medical experts believe that when the sympathetic nervous system becomes hyperactive, the sweat glands in the hands tend to produce more sweat than necessary, therefore causing palmar hyperhidrosis.

Sweat is produced by the sweat glands in order to maintain the body’s temperature. There are millions of sweat glands found in the body and the hands carry over half of this number. Any form of stress including exercise, severe temperature change or agitation will trigger sweating in order to regulate body temperature to its optimal levels.

There are people who suffer from excessively sweaty palms even if the body’s temperature is normal and there is no need to sweat. This can cause insecurity and can hinder the productivity of an individual at work or even at home. There are various procedures that can treat palmar hyperhidrosis; unfortunately, there is no permanent cure yet and most people continue to suffer the condition for the rest of their lives.

Psychomatic illness used to be associated with palmar hyperhidrosis solely; however, more recent medical experts no longer believe this to be the only cause of the condition. Current medical practice accepts the fact that the cause is more physiologically related than it is psychologically related. Like other types of hyperhidrosis, a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system is the culprit. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight responses and manages the release of various hormones like adrenaline, triggers the constriction of blood vessels and causes sweating. A malfunctioning sympathetic nervous system can trigger fight-or-flight responses even when it is not needed, one of which is excessive sweating of the palms.

A debate continues to surround the link between a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system and palmar hyperhidrosis. It is possible that the malfunction is within the level of the ganglia or perhaps something neurologically related causes the sweat glands in the palms to function incorrectly. Regardless of the root cause, palmar hyperhidrosis has been satisfactorily clarified and that there is treatment available that can help people suffering from the condition to live more normal lives.
Sep 25th, 2012 at 5:54 AM
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