be healthy

Answer these questions to see if your perspiration is pathological

Most people with primary hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating, which is a hassle, but not deadly) first report the problem as children or teens, says John Eisenach, M.D., an exercise-and- sweat expert at the Mayo Clinic college of medicine. But secondary hyperhidrosis, unusual bouts of perspiration caused by an underlying disease, often begins suddenly in adulthood. Time to get thee to an M.D.

A normal sweat pattern is symmetrical. If one hand is wet and the other is completely dry, you could have a neurological problem. Same goes for sweat that pops up in random patches. Find a neurologist who specializes in the neurophysiology of hyperhidrosis (aan.com/public/find.cfm).

Abnormal sweating (too much or too little) at the site of an old but still painful arm or leg injury is a sign of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). In this disorder, undiagnosed nerve damage not only causes chronic pain, but also affects sweat production in the surrounding area. As with asymmetrical sweating, contact a neurologist.


It's one thing if you wake up drenched because you decided to wear flannel pajamas in July (or dreamed about Molly Sims wearing nothing). Otherwise, "recurrent oversweating during sleep is never normal," says Dr. Eisenach. Possible causes include Hodgkin's disease, HIV, supplemental niacin, or an antidepressant side effect. See your primary physician.