Diaphoresis

What is Diaphoresis?

When you suffer from excessive sweating due to an underlying medical condition, you are said to usually be suffering from diaphoresis. Note that diaphoresis is not the same thing as hyerhidrosis. The later is a symptom of an overactive sympathetic nervous system that causes excessive perspiration. Most people who suffer from hyperhidrosis do not have any associated medical condition.

Medical Conditions and Diseases that can Cause Diaphoresis

A huge number of medical conditions can cause diaphoresis (excessive sweating). Some of these are very rare, while others such as menopause are extremely common. Many people who suffer from the below medical problems never get any sweating or wetness at all. Some, however, get unlucky and suffer from both the medical condition as well as the uncomfortable diaphoresis side effect.

Below is a list of common medical conditions that can cause diaphoresis:

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) or heart failure.
Diabetes.
Fever.
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).
Lymphoma.
Medical shock (e.g., after a traumatic event such as a car accident).
Menopause.
Obesity.
Parkinson's Disease.
Pregnancy.

A number of much rarer medical conditions can cause diaphoresis symptoms. Among these include nervous system disorders, allergic reactions, certain types of cancers, hypothalmus related problems, spinal injuries and disorders, infections and more.

Drugs and Medications that can Cause Diaphoresis

In many instances, diaphoresis is a side effect of taking drugs and medications. Among the over-the-counter and prescription medications that can cause diaphoresis include:

Pain medication and analgesics such as Celecoxib, Fentanyl, Ibuprofen, Methadone, Morphine, Oxycodone, Vicodin and more.
Antidepressants (both SSRIs and SNRIs) such as Celexa, Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.
Common heart and blood pressure related medications such as Amlodipine, Metoprolol and Ramipril.
Endocrine (hormonal) medications.
Antibiotics.
And many more. For a full list, see here.

Diaphoresis Treatment

Unlike the case with localized hyperhidrosis problems such as sweaty palms, diaphoresis can not be treated with ETS surgery. Moreover, since most people with diaphoresis tend to get significant sweating in large areas of their bodies, the typical hyperhidrosis treatment strategy will not always be applicable.

The most obvious way to reduce diaphoresis related sweating is to try to get rid of the afflicting medical condition causing the perspiration in the first place. If this is not possible, oral anticholinergic medications such as Oxybutynin or Robinul may be a good solution if your excessive sweating is spread across many different parts of the body.