Sweat Signals

by Vicki Salemi

Perspiration. Emitting moisture. Good old-fashioned sweat. No matter what you call it, your sweat could be trying to warn you about a possible medical condition. Find out what symptoms like excessive sweating or no sweat at all are trying to tell you.

Salty Sweat

If your sweat is particularly salty, a sweat test is typically conducted to determine cystic fibrosis, which is an inherited disorder of the lungs, intestines and sweat glands. "There are no needles involved in the procedure. In the first part of the test a colorless, odorless chemical known to cause sweating is applied to a small area on an arm or leg. An electrode is then attached to the arm or leg, which allows the technician to apply a weak electrical current to the area to stimulate sweating. The second part of the test consists of cleaning the stimulated area and collecting the sweat on a piece of filter paper or gauze or in a plastic coil. The collected sweat is sent to a hospital laboratory 30 minutes later for analysis," explains Doris Day M.D., Director, Day Cosmetic, Laser and Comprehensive Dermatology.

Cold Sweat

"Perspiration is a window to what's going on in the body," according to Boyd Lyles, Jr. M.D., chief medical officer of US Preventive Medicine. If you're experiencing a cold, clammy sweat despite the fact that it's warmer outside, this could signal a variety of causes, whether it's the flu, an infection or mononucleosis.

Night Sweat

Dr. Lyles explains, "Most of the time this is a result of a patient's bedroom that's too warm or has too many comforters." However, a persistent night sweat that literally soaks through the sheets can imply a chronic medical condition. "This can be a chronic infection, lung infection, tuberculosis, thryoidism or cancer like lymphoma." Consult a doctor if you are experiencing consistent, soaking night sweats.

Excessive Sweating

If the drops of sweat keep on comin' even when it's not hot outside, you may have a problem. Excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis, typically occurs in the hands or soles of the feet, although any part of the body may be affected. Experts say this could demonstrate disorders of the thyroid, tumors, gout, certain drugs or menopause. Dr. Lyles explains, "You can usually trace this to other sources, but it's socially embarrassing and difficult to control." One way is to prescribe a prescription strength antiperspirant to help control sweating under the arms.

Uncontrollable Sweat

Hot flashes, anyone? This may be the first symptom of menopause for women. "Night sweats, or the daytime version (hot flashes), include profuse sweating [followed by] a brief but intense wave of heat, usually in the face and chest," notes Dr. Day. Hot flashes are typically indicative of changes in hormonal levels and may last from two to 30 minutes.

Lack of Sweating

"This occurs when your body doesn't have enough fluids to carry out its normal functions," says Dr. Day. "Dehydration is common when you have an intense bout of diarrhea and vomiting, when you have a very high fever or when you sweat excessively and don't replace lost fluids. Dehydration can also occur when you have increased urination - often as a result of undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus." She adds that alcohol and certain medications (i.e., diuretics, antihistamines, blood pressure medications and some psychiatric drugs) can cause dehydration as well.

Odors

Not the most appealing of topics, but let's face it: without proper deodorant excessive sweat on a regular basis would be rather unappealing. "Certain people never sweat and never smell," says Dr. Daryl Jonas of internal medicine. "However, people who have illnesses will have a classic kind of odor." He notices it's a typical sweat odor and other sweat indicators, such as sweating as a result of infections, or in conjunction with a fever and the chills, that are more compelling indicators of medical conditions, such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Sweat Rash

When trapped sweat leads to irritation or prickling and itching, a rash of small blisters usually results. It usually occurs when sweat is trapped between two layers of clothes or between skin and clothes. But, it can also be a symptom of more serious conditions like malaria, a common ailment in hot and humid conditions. Sweat rashes occur when the sweat gland ducts get blocked due to dead skin cells or bacteria.

Morning Sweat

If you're sweating excessively in the wee hours of the morning, consider this an altered version of night sweat that just occurs a little later on. Night sweats are not simply sweating a lot at night, but rather any time one literally drenches the bed. "This can imply a chronic medical condition, infection, cancer, and unusual amounts of stress like divorce," notes Dr. Lyles.