Sweating is Normal and Essential

Sweating is Normal

Sweating is a normal and essential bodily function your body performs under certain conditions and stresses. When your body temperature rises, your body starts to sweat or perspire. The most common areas your body sweats are the face, head, under the arms, palms of the hands, groin area and soles of the feet. When your body sweats, the sweat glands release moisture in those areas.

There are two types of sweat glands: Eccrine and Apocrine. Eccrine sweat glands are light-weight, odorless and located throughout the body. Apocrine sweat glands are heavier-weight and fat-laden, which creates an odor. When apocrine sweat breaks down and mixes with bacteria found in your skin, it produces what people consider body odor. Apocrine sweat glands are concentrated in hair follicles on the scalp, armpits, and groin areas.

Sweating is controlled by the body’s automatic nervous system, completely out of your control. Sweating is the body’s response to the rising internal temperature of your body which can be from increased activity, fever, rising outside temperature that affects your body or from your emotional state, such as when you are nervous, stressed, angry or scared. When you sweat from eating spicy food or when drinking alcohol, this type of sweating is called gustatory sweating. Sweating can also be caused by certain medications, such as for fever-reducing drugs and infections. Menopausal women experience night sweats and sweat during hot flashes due to fluctuations in their hormones.

Sweating is the body’s way of releasing excessive heat and its main purpose is cooling down the body. Sweat is made up of approximately 99% water and 1% mix of salt and fat. The body cools down when sweat evaporates from the skin. Drinking water and hydrating to replenish the water loss is important, otherwise, your body can get dehydrated. If you find yourself excessively sweating, especially from activity, it is important to replenish the electrolytes lost. Gatorade, PowerAde, or water with electrolytes are good sources in replenishing your electrolytes.

Hyperhidrosis is the condition when your body produces excessive sweat, especially from under the arms, hands, and feet. Hypohidrosis is when your body does not produce sweat, which can lead to the body overheating. People with hypohidrosis must be extremely careful when doing activities out in the sun since heat illnesses can escalate.

— This article is written by Chandra Cunningham, DC, one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic testing to various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Kentucky.

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Have you been in a car accident? If you or somebody you know has been in a car accident, be sure that you seek medical attention from a car accident doctor or car accident chiropractor to treat your injuries. Visit Chambers Medical Group  to receive world-class medical treatment for your injuries.

Chambers Medical Group has car accident medical clinics in the following locations:

• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Tampa
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Plant City
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Brandon
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Lakeland
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Sarasota
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Louisville
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Lexington
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Florence