Sweating is a physiological event that helps keep the temperature of the human body constant. Sweating is the body’s way of cooling down. Healthy people sweat. Through the evaporation of sweat, heat is lost, allowing the body temperature to remain constant. On average, about 100 cc of sweat is produced per day; this amount can increase to 1.5 litres per hour during intense effort or in hot conditions. The number of sweat glands in our body is around 2-3 million and the most sweat glands are found in the palms of our hands. Sweat is composed of substances such as water, sodium, chloride, potassium, and urea; an increase in the amount of organic matter in sweat causes it to develop an unpleasant odour.

Sweating also helps to remove various toxins from the body. Sweat is mostly seen in the armpits, feet and palms. How much we sweat is closely related to how many sweat glands we have in our bodies. A person is born with 2 to 4 million sweat glands. During puberty, the sweat glands become fully active. Although women have more sweat glands, men’s sweat glands are more active.

We can list the normal conditions that increase sweating as follows: a rise in ambient temperature, physical exertion, excessive excitement, stress, and entering a humid environment.

Certain health conditions and medications can affect the body’s ability to sweat normally. Excessive sweating can be a symptom of various conditions, ranging from heart diseases to neurological disorders. Another condition that can cause excessive sweating is menopause.

Excessive sweating is also common in infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, as well as in hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid gland is overactive, and in certain other hormonal disorders. In some cancer patients, such as those with lymphoma, night sweats can be a frequent complaint.

Excessive sweating is also a common complaint in overweight people. Diabetes, some heart diseases and the use of certain medications can also cause excessive sweating.