If you sweat excessively, it is likely that your GP will arrange blood and urine tests to help determine whether there is an underlying medical condition that is causing it.
Your GP will ask you about the pattern of your symptoms, such as whether you sweat at night, which is unusual in cases of primary hyperhidrosis (where there is no obvious cause), and whether your sweating only affects a specific part of your body (focal) or all of your body (generalised).
Focal hyperhidrosis usually has no underlying cause (primary hyperhidrosis), whereas generalised or secondary hyperhidrosis tends to occur as a result of another underlying medical condition.
A confident diagnosis of primary hyperhidrosis can usually be made if:
- No underlying cause has been found.
- You have at least one episode of excessive sweating a week.
- Only specific parts of your body (rather than your whole body) are affected.
- Both of the affected body parts, such as both armpits or both hands, are excessively sweaty.
- You do not have night sweats.
