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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffExcessive sweating is the secretion of sweat in amounts greater than needed to cool the body. Excessive sweating usually affects your palms, soles and underarms. Besides disrupting normal daily activities, excessive sweating can cause social anxiety or embarrassment.
Excessive daytime sweating of the palms, soles and underarms for no apparent reason is called focal hyperhidrosis. This type of excessive sweating typically stops when sleeping and isn't associated with an underlying condition.
Excessive sweating that affects large areas of the body and that occurs while awake and asleep is likely a side effect of a drug or a sign of a disease or condition, such as menopause hot flashes, anxiety or overactive thyroid.
