Sweating on the head

Sweating on the head is nothing unusual, especially when the patient is exerting himself, for example when doing sports or is mentally (cognitively) active. Sweating of the head is therefore a natural (physiological) process that only becomes abnormal or pathological if there is no adequate cause for the excessive sweating of the head. The head, and especially the forehead, is particularly susceptible to excessive sweating because there are many sweat glands in the head and on the palms of the hands.

If the patient is under stress, these sweat glands can use various sympathetic hormones (a nervous system that is activated in stress situations) to ensure that the sweat glands produce more sweat and release it through the forehead. This then causes sweating on the head. Nevertheless, it is also possible that excessive sweating on the head is due to a serious illness. If a patient notices that she sweats on her head without exertion, a doctor should be consulted as it could be hyperthyroidism. Since sweating on the head is difficult to treat or hide, it is important to see a doctor who will discuss with the patient the different treatment options to avoid social withdrawal.

Influence of the thyroid gland

The hormones of the thyroid gland have a decisive influence on the maintenance of various metabolic pathways. Both the regular activity of the cardiovascular system and the functionality of the muscles and skeleton depend on the proper regulation of thyroid hormone release.Furthermore, mistakes in this tight system can also have negative effects on the nervous system and the psyche. Blood formation, regulation of the gastrointestinal tract, control of fat storage and energy metabolism, all these systems are closely related to the thyroid gland.

For this reason, malfunctions of the thyroid gland in the form of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can have serious consequences for the patients concerned. While it is generally assumed that a persistent deficiency of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 tends to shut down all of the organism’s regulatory circuits, an increase in hormone secretion results in permanent stress for the body. Patients who suffer from hyperthyroidism with increased production and secretion of T3 and T4 usually have a greatly increased heart rate, increased irritability, heavy sweating and tend to be restless and aggressive.

Due to the enormous increase in the breakdown of the body’s own fat reserves, people who suffer from hyperthyroidism usually appear very slim or even extremely thin. Due to the large quantities of thyroid hormones that are released by a person suffering from hyperthyroidism, the organism begins to boost the productivity of all glands. In the area of the gastrointestinal tract, this manifests itself in a reduced reabsorption of fluid from the stool.

The affected patients suffer from an increased stool frequency and frequent diarrhea. The functionality of the sweat glands is also strongly influenced by the excess of thyroid hormones. A patient suffering from untreated hyperthyroidism begins to sweat at rest.

Even the slightest physical exertion does not lead to rapid fatigue (the cardiovascular system is, after all, highly regulated), but the patient begins to sweat much more quickly than a healthy person. In addition, fluid excretion during sweating is also enormously increased. People who suffer from hyperthyroidism also often report that they sweat a lot at night and are sometimes even forced to change their pyjamas several times.

Sweating is a perfectly normal function of the healthy organism. The purpose of sweat secretion is to moisten the overheated body surface. When this moisture evaporates, so-called “evaporative cold” can be gained and the organism can be cooled effectively.

For this reason, sweating should not necessarily be avoided during intense physical activity and/or high temperatures. Regular washing of the body surface is basically sufficient to avoid unpleasant odors caused by sweating. Despite the proven necessity of sweating, excessive perspiration is extremely unpleasant for most people.

So how can excessive sweating be prevented without completely impeding the self-regulated cooling of the body? Since, as already described, sweating is intended to spread a liquid film on the skin and to cool the skin surface by the resulting evaporative cooling, it is obvious that sweating can be prevented at least partially by regularly moistening the skin. However, this measure would be very cumbersome and hardly feasible.

However, people who suffer from heavy sweating can already prevent enormous sweating by adjusting their eating habits. In order to prevent sweating in the long term, fruit, vegetables and dairy products should be on the menu. Spicy foods and excessive amounts of salt, on the other hand, should be avoided.

In addition, avoiding alcohol, coffee and tobacco products can help to effectively prevent sweating. Furthermore, in overweight people, reducing body weight can help prevent excessive sweating. In order to provide the skin surface with enough space for heat regulation, people suffering from heavy sweating should wear rather wide clothing.

In addition, natural fibers, such as cotton, linen or silk, are suitable for preventing excessive sweating and thus preventing unpleasant body odor. For people who suffer only temporarily from increased sweating, a cure with sage tea can help to improve the body’s temperature regulation. In this context, those affected should consume approximately one liter of sage tea every day for a period of one to two weeks.In addition, regular physical exercise can also help to prevent sweating or at least permanently reduce excessive sweat production.

This method may sound confusing, as large amounts of sweat are secreted during physical exercise. Nevertheless, targeted, stimulated sweat production causes the body to produce smaller amounts of sweat at rest. In a similar way, regular visits to a sauna can also help to improve the body’s heat regulation at rest and reduce sweating in the long term.

In many cases, however, these simple means are not sufficient to effectively prevent sweating. People who sweat a lot, even with a suitable diet and the use of various household remedies, should consult a specialist. After extensive examinations, a treatment strategy can be worked out with the doctor.

Some of those affected are helped by special mixtures, so-called antiperspirants, which prevent excessive sweating. These mixtures are usually aluminum salts, which are manufactured in pharmacies according to medical requirements. When using antiperspirants, however, it must be considered that a strong irritation of the skin surface is possible.

To prevent excessive sweating, the special mixture should be applied thinly to the skin surface before going to bed. In addition, in pronounced cases the intake of so-called anticholinergics can be useful. These prescription drugs are active ingredients that mimic the function of an important messenger substance in the body.

In this way, the activity of the sweat glands can be reduced and excessive sweating prevented. Anticholinergic drugs should only be taken under medical supervision. The reason for this is that the use of these drugs can lead to pronounced side effects such as constipation and dry mouth.

Furthermore, the nerve toxin botulinum toxin (Botox for short) is particularly well suited to inhibit the activity of the sweat glands and thus prevent excessive sweating. Most patients are more familiar with this substance from the field of wrinkle treatment. When applied locally, however, it can also be used to help people who sweat a lot.

If even these medical measures do not lead to the desired result, surgical treatment can be considered. The surgical removal of the sweat glands in the armpit area is done through a small skin incision. In addition, the smallest nerve fibers, which serve to activate sweat glands, can be destroyed during the operation. However, since the risks of this treatment method are very high, other therapy options should always be exhausted in advance. Furthermore, it should be noted that the surgical removal of sweat glands to prevent excessive sweating is not always covered by health insurance companies.