Do you often find that you sweat a lot, or perhaps have sweaty arm pits, or other areas of the body? If so, you could have a condition known as hyperhidrosis - basically meaning that you sweat more than normal.

If you are unsure, here are some of the common symptoms of the condition:

• Women who sweat more when undergoing menopause,
• Sweating at times where most people normally wouldn't be sweating at all,
• Sweting more when you find yourself in stressful situations,
• Sweating more either from your armpits, or from areas like your face, feet and hands.

There are a number of different causes of the condition, as well as a number of different treatments. It can affect people of all ages and backgrounds, and has different levels of severity producing different consequences.

There are a number of reasons why a person could develop a problem with sweaty arm pits. The Internet provides a wealth of information on the topic for more in depth research, but here is a quick guide to the most common causes.

Genetics

It is often seen that excessive sweating can be hereditary, where many family members have the problem. It will usually first show itself during adolescence.

Underlying Causes

Sweating can simply be a reaction to other conditions. For example, sweating of the face can be a reaction to anxiety, or sweating could come from conditions like diabetes, menopause and others. For these reasons it's recommended to seek advice from a doctor.

Body Fat

If you have a large level of body fat then you may be more likely to sweat more than others. Losing weight in this case could help to reduce the problem.

These are just the most common causes, and if you need to know more then you should seek professional advice.

For the most comprehensive advice on treatment for sweaty arm pits you should visit your doctor. However, there are a few common treatment options:

Antiperspirant - This may seem simple but it does work in a number of cases of hyperhidrosis. This works by blocking the sweat glands to stop you from sweating. However, if your condition is severe then this may not be enough to stop it.

Clothing - Using light fabrics can really help you to sweat less, as well as inserting sweat shields that will guard your clothes from getting wet.

Hygiene - Keeping clean and washing more is often a simple solution to sweat problems.

Diet - Your doctor could recommend some changes in diet which will help you to sweat less.

There are also a number of other treatment methods, including surgery for severe cases or losing weight.

As well as sweaty arm pits you may experience hyperhidrosis in other areas of the body, though you could also have it in the armpits in isolation.

Other areas where you can sweat excessively:

The hands - This is a common type of sweating and known as 'palmar hyperhidrosis'. It can cause people to feel embarrassed when shaking hands.

The feet - This is common in those who also have sweaty hands, and is known as 'plantar hyperhidrosis'.

The face - This often has a different cause to hand, feet or armpit sweating and can be down to an underlying condition like anxiety. You can look up more information or seek advice from a doctor to see if this might be the case with you.