padma

4 years

I have sweaty palms

I have sweaty palms. I tried soaking my hands in salt water, applying talcum but it only helped me a little. Does sweaty palms mean I have some other medical problem?

Hi there! Thank you for your question. As you have mentioned, you have sweaty palms and you have been using talcum and salt water to improve your condition but it does not help much. As to answer your question, there are possibility of you having hyperthyroidism as sweaty palm is one of the symptoms seen in hyperthyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism is a condition where your thyroid produces excessive thyroxine hormone which can cause symptoms such as:

  • rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
  • commonly more than 100 beats a minute or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or pounding of your heart (palpitations)
  • increased appetite
  • nervousness
  • anxiety and irritability
  • tremor
  • fine trembling in your hands and fingers
  • sweating
  • sudden weight loss even when your appetite and the amount and type of food you eat remain the same or even increase
  • changes in menstrual patterns
  • increased sensitivity to heat
  • changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements
  • enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), which may appear as a swelling at the base of your neck
  • fatigue
  • muscle weakness
  • difficulty sleeping
  • skin thinning
  • brittle hair

There are many conditions which can cause hyperthyroidism such as Graves' disease, toxic adenoma, Plummer's disease (toxic multinodular goiter) and thyroiditis. Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed by medical history, physical examination and blood test. If there is high levels of thyroxine and low amounts of TSH it indicates hyperactive thyroid. As for treatment there are many options, firstly radioactive iodine.

It is taken by mouth and it shrinks the thyroid in 3 to 6 months. It may cause hypothyroidism. Besides radioactive iodine, you can also be treated with anti-thyroid medications which can gradually reduce symptoms of hyperthyroidism by preventing your thyroid gland from producing excess amounts of hormones.

They include propylthiouracil and methimazole (Tapazole). Lastly you can also opt for surgery depending on your severity of your hyperthyroidism. Hence it is advisable to consult a doctor for your condition.

Please click on this link (DoctorOnCall) to talk to us privately online and discuss further about your inquiries. Thank you.

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