Innervation of sweat glands.
Primary Focal Hyperhidrosis vs. Generalized hyperhidrosis.
The differential diagnosis for generalized hyperhidrosis is similar to the differential diagnosis of night sweats
Here are some health conditions that may cause excessive sweating.
Environmental exposure to heat. (the most common cause of generalized sweating)
Idiopathic hyperhidrosis
Primary focal hyperhidrosis
Generalized hyperhidrosis.
Anxiety / Stress / Panic attacks.
Valley Fever (Coccidiomycosis)
Hypoglycemia
Diabetes mellitus (DM related nerve damage)
Endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of the heart)
Fever of undetermined cause
Generalized anxiety disorder
Heart attack
Congestive Heart Failure (NEJM, 1963)
Heat exhaustion
Infection
Febrile illnesses
Bacterial infections; Fungal infections
Abscess
Endocarditis
Brucellosis
Chronic Hepatitis C
HIV/AIDS
Hyperthyroidism/thyrotoxicosis
Pheochromocytoma
Leukemia
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Malignancy (lymphoma, solid tumors)
Malaria
Rx drugs that cause sweating/flushing. E.g. beta-blockers (e.g. propranolol), pilocarpine, TCAs, SNRIs, etc.
Menopause (hot flashes – r/o other causes first)
Food additives
Drug withdrawal: Alcohol, opioids, cocaine.
Obesity
Tuberculosis
Atypical mycobacteria
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
Chronic alcoholism
Neurologic diseases
Carcinoid syndrome
Postorchiectomy
Stroke
Spinal cord injury
Autonomic dysreflexia/hyperreflexia
Autonomic neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy
Burning feet syndrome
Posttraumatic syringomyelia,
Eccrine nevus
Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma
GERD
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Systemic mastocytosis syndrome
Rosacea
Resources/ Reference
N Engl J Med 1963; 268:580-585.https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM196303142681104