Reference
Secondary Hyperhidrosis
Secondary hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating caused by an underlying medical condition or a medication. Identifying and addressing that cause is central to how it is understood.
Unlike the primary form, this type often appears later in life and can involve sweating over larger areas or during sleep. Possible contributors include thyroid problems, hormonal changes, infections, blood-sugar swings, and certain drugs. Because the sweating is a signal of something else, clinicians look for the root cause rather than treating the sweat in isolation. Sweating that is new, widespread, or comes with other symptoms is worth a medical review. Night sweating and generalized rather than focal patterns are features that often point in this direction. Once an underlying cause is found and managed, the sweating frequently changes too. The word secondary reflects that the sweating is a consequence of another problem. A sudden onset in adulthood is often what prompts a search for that underlying cause. Reviewing a person's medications is one common step, since some drugs list sweating among their effects.
Secondary hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating caused by an underlying medical condition or a medication. Identifying and addressing that cause is central to how it is understood.
What secondary hyperhidrosis means
Unlike the primary form, this type often appears later in life and can involve sweating over larger areas or during sleep. Possible contributors include thyroid problems, hormonal changes, infections, blood-sugar swings, and certain drugs. Because the sweating is a signal of something else, clinicians look for the root cause rather than treating the sweat in isolation. Sweating that is new, widespread, or comes with other symptoms is worth a medical review. Night sweating and generalized rather than focal patterns are features that often point in this direction. Once an underlying cause is found and managed, the sweating frequently changes too. The word secondary reflects that the sweating is a consequence of another problem. A sudden onset in adulthood is often what prompts a search for that underlying cause. Reviewing a person's medications is one common step, since some drugs list sweating among their effects.
In practice
Sweating that starts suddenly in adulthood and covers much of the body may point toward secondary hyperhidrosis with an underlying cause. Heavy sweating that appears at night, alongside symptoms like weight change, is another combination that prompts a search for an explanation. Newly starting a medication and then noticing increased sweating is a further pattern that fits this form.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of things cause secondary hyperhidrosis?
Underlying conditions such as thyroid or hormonal changes, infections, and low blood sugar can contribute. Certain medications are another common source.
How does it differ from the primary form?
It has an identifiable cause and often appears later in life. It can also be generalized or occur during sleep, unlike the typical primary pattern.
Sources & further reading
Reputable organizations with more on sweating and related topics. Offered for further reading and general education, not as citations for any specific claim on this page.
General educational information about sweating. Not medical advice, and not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional.