Do You Know Why Palms Are Sweaty When You Are Nervous?

Do you ever find yourself sweating when you’re standing to address a crowd or when you go for the interview, or when confronted? While sweating is a natural body mechanism that happens to cool the body. But “why my palms are sweaty” and not another part of the body?

You’re not alone, as this happens to the best of us, and it’s a normal response to a stressful situation. So, your nervous system triggers your sweat glands when your body temperature starts to rise. But we’re here to explain to you the science behind this marvel. 

Why Do Your Palms Get Sweaty?

One of the primary reasons you sweat is your body temperature to cool down. And this could happen when you run or take a jog when the weather is hot or when you’re nervous. The body triggers the response when you’re in-flight mode. 

Primary Hyperhidrosis- You could be wondering “why my palms are sweaty,” and there is no temperature rise. You could be having hyperhidrosis. The most common one is primary focal hyperhidrosis. So, what happens in this condition is a nerve that signals your sweat glands to become overactive despite no physical activity or high temperature. And if the person is stressed or anxious, this worsens, affecting the palms, soles, and even face. 

Since this usually runs in the family, it may have some hereditary component. But it’s not caused by any medical use. 

Secondary hyperhidrosis– In this condition happens due to excess sweating, usually caused by a specific medical condition. A patient is likely to sweat all over the body. But it’s a less common type of hyperhidrosis. Possible issues that may lead to heavy sweating include:

• Menopause (hot flashes)
• Infections
• Thyroid problems
• Heart attack
• Low blood sugar
• Diabetes
• Some types of cancer
• Nervous system disorders

Palmar Hyperhidrosis-If you experience excessive sweaty palms and wonder, “why my palms are sweaty,” you could be having palmar hyperhidrosis. So, one of the root causes of this is emotional stress, or your body could be trying to control its temperature (thermoregulation).

To help you understand better the phenomenon of this effect, let’s look at different types of sweat glands. 

Types Of Sweat Glands

So, there include:

1. Eccrine
2. Apocrine
3. Apoeccrine. 

We’ll look at each of these so we can understand why some of these produce sweat even when you’re not active.  

Eccrine glands: these consist of most of your sweat glands. Their primary role is to control the body temperature. Body areas with the highest concentration of Eccrine glands include the palms, soles of the feet, and the forehead. These are what causes your sweaty palms.

Apocrine Sweat glands: Apocrine exist in your armpits and your genital area. They release a thick, oily, odorless liquid into your hair follicles. And then the bacteria that live on your skin break down the fluid to an odor that you smell when you don’t shower regularly.

 Apoeccrine glands: Like Apocrine, these sweat glands reside in the armpits and genital area. But these develop during puberty-known as Eccrine precursors. These can produce sweat up to seven times faster than Eccrine glands. The purpose of these glands is contentious, but it’s thought to involve people with excessive sweating known as Axillary Hyperhidrosis (excessive armpit sweating).

In essence, “why my palms are sweaty?” Sympathetic fiber triggers your sweat glands. As the name suggests, these nerves react to your sympathetic nervous system. And you tend to sweat when this fight or flight system becomes active. 

Medical Solution for Palmar Hyperhidrosis

There is a myriad of treatments for palmar hyperhidrosis. Your doctor may prescribe a drug that can help you calm down if the cause of sweat is emotional such as Diazepam.

• A doctor may also prescribe topical antiperspirants which contain aluminum salts like aluminum chloride. These salts prevent sweat excretion as they irritate the sweat glands causing them to swell. 
• Iontophoresis is another popular treatment for Palmar Hyperhidrosis, where the patient submerges their hands in water which has a mild electric current flowing through the water. Some doctors believe this can decrease sweating by 50% after about 5-10 sessions. 
• Botox injections have also proved helpful when injected in the area affected. But if these options fail, a doctor may suggest a surgery known as Sympathetic Nerve Reconstruction.

Tips To Overcome Sweaty Palms

If you wonder why my palms are sweaty” all the time, this will help. 

• If you’re having a nerve-racking day, you can take some deep breaths. 
• Before you go to sleep, apply some antiperspirant on your hands at night. It allows this component to soak into your skin overnight and block sweat glands.
• Carry a bag of baking powder or cornstarch in your bag, and apply it to your palms when you know you’ll have a stressful day. It absorbs excess moisture in a pinch. 

When You Need To See A Doctor

Sometimes when you experience excessive sweating, it could signify a medical condition. When you experience the following, you should plan to see your doctor.  

• If you sweat profusely and experience chest pains, nausea, or lightheadedness.
• When sweating starts to disrupt your daily routine
• If sweating causes emotional distress, which may lead to social withdrawal
• When you suddenly begin to sweat unusually.
• Sweating at night for no reason.

Conclusion 

So, why my palms are sweaty” when excited or stressed is because the Eccrine glands in your palms get stimulated by your sympathetic nervous system. While sweaty palms can be a regular thing for most people, excessive sweating can turn out to be damn irritating and embarrassing. Hyperhidrosis, a medical term, is sweating beyond what is necessary for thermal equilibrium. It’s a disorder affecting around 4 million Americans, and a third of those say it affects their daily life.