Suggest Treatment For Excessive Sweating Of A Diabetic Person

Posted on Wed, 12 Oct 2016

Question: I have begun to sweat only on the left side of my body at times. I have type II diabetes. What is the cause of this??

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (36 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please see the discussion below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome and thanks for your query.
Sweating in Type 2 diabetes is usually due to blood sugar falling below normal. Type 2 diabetes can lead to autonomic neuropathy, a malfunction of certain nerves and this can produce a difference in sweating between the left and the right or between different parts of the body.
If you have a glucometer, please check your blood sugar when you have sweating. Do you experience any other symptom like heaviness or pressure in the chest? If so it would be good to get an EKG also done, if it has not been done recently.
Do get back me with your input.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (3 minutes later)

I have no other symptoms. Just sweating on one side. I know that recently my diabetes has been not controlled due to weight gain and poor diet. I don't think that my blood sugar is low. This happens after I eat, usually worse. Please respond with your thoughts.

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (10 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Likely to be gustatory sweating

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the information. Since the sweating is related to eating it is a sign of dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. It is called gustatory sweating. Though most commonly on the face and neck, it may occur at any part of the body. It is also good to exclude a silent myocardial ischemia by getting an EKG if not done one after the onset of this sweating.
Wish you good health and a great day.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar