Sweaty feet can be a normal and necessary part of controlling your body temperature. But when you have sweaty feet regardless of temperature or physical exertion, it may be a condition known as plantar hyperhidrosis.
Plantar hyperhidrosis can cause several telltale signs related to sweating. You may have symptoms such as:
- Excessive sweating from both feet
- Feet or socks that are constantly damp
- Slipping inside your shoes or while barefoot on hard floors
- Foot odor
You may also sweat excessively in other parts of your body, including your palms, face, and underarms.
Sweaty feet may be its own condition or a symptom of other causes.
Primary Plantar Hyperhidrosis
Your body typically sweats to cool down or in response to triggers such as exercise, nervousness, anger, fear, or anxiety. With primary plantar hyperhidrosis, sweating happens without a trigger.
Researchers aren’t sure why. There seems to be a genetic link, and the trait can run in families. Inheriting certain genes may affect the activity of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates physical responses like sweating.
This type of foot sweating without another medical cause may last for six months or more, and be less active at night or during sleep.
Medication Side Effects
Some medications may cause your sweat glands to become overactive. These medications can include:
- Dopamine agonists: These drugs, which include Mirapex (pramipexole), Requip (ropinirole), and others, may help treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
- Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—such as Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and Paxil (paroxetine)— and tricyclic antidepressants—such as Elavil (amitriptyline) and Pamelor (nortriptyline)—may also cause excessively sweaty feet.
- Antipsychotic drugs: Common antipsychotics include Abilify (aripiprazole), Haldol (haloperidol), and Clozaril (clozapine).
- Stimulants: These drugs include Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine), Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), and others.
Chronic Alcohol Use
Alcohol widens your blood vessels, which increases blood flow and raises body temperature, triggering a sweating response. If you’re prone to sweating, drinking can make the symptom worse.
Certain Diseases
Excessive sweating may also be a symptom of some diseases. These include:
- Diabetes: With diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or process this hormone correctly, leading to high blood sugar levels. Symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, blurry vision, hunger, uncontrolled weight loss, and fatigue.
- Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism, produces too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms vary and include nervousness or irritability, fatigue, muscle weakness, tremor, trouble sleeping, rapid heartbeat, and goiter (an enlarged, fluid-filled growth on your neck).
- Parkinson’s disease: This neurological disease affects parts of the brain controlling movement and coordination. Tremors, problems with balance, stiff movements, difficulty swallowing, infrequent blinking, and stooped posture are among other symptoms.
- Lymphoma: Along with sweats, lymphoma (a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system) may cause swollen glands in your neck, fatigue, fever, coughing, and weight loss.
- Tuberculosis: This bacterial infection causes breathing difficulties, cough, coughing up blood, fever, fatigue, and weight loss. Excessive sweating is another sign, especially at night.
Primary hyperhidrosis on your feet is not typically dangerous, but if it bothers you, reach out to a doctor. Some people are embarrassed by their sweaty feet, which can lead to:
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues
- Problems at work, school, or in your personal life
A doctor can connect you to care, including mental health counseling as needed.
It’s also important to seek medical care if you believe your sweaty feet may be due to a health condition or medication you’re taking. A doctor may be able to make adjustments to your care to help decrease your sweating.
Addressing any underlying cause of sweaty feet may help reduce your sweating.
To address sweaty feet themselves, these techniques may help.
- Home remedies: Washing your feet often can help reduce odor-causing bacteria and improve mild cases of sweaty feet. Going barefoot, wearing sandals, or choosing breathable fabrics may help keep you more comfortable, too.
- Antiperspirants: Deodorants and antiperspirants may help reduce odor and sweating. For foot sweat, try applying over-the-counter Drysol (chloride hexahydrate 20% topical solution) nightly as needed. Prescription-strength options are also available.
- Anticholinergic drugs: These drugs help reduce sweat production. Options can be taken by mouth or applied to your skin. Qbrexa (topical glycopyrrolate), an FDA-approved drug that comes in the form of medicated wipes, may cause fewer side effects than oral options for reducing sweat.
- Botox injections: Injections of Botox (botulinum toxin A) can temporarily paralyze nerves associated with sweating.
- Iontophoresis: A healthcare provider may suggest this option if other approaches haven’t worked. This therapy involves placing your feet into a tub of water and applying low levels of electric current, which blocks sweat gland activity.
- Surgery: In very difficult cases, a doctor may consider surgery to cut nerves associated with sweat production or to remove sweat glands.
Having frequently damp feet can increase your risk of athlete’s foot, an itchy fungal infection. You may also be at risk for toenail fungus, which causes discolored and brittle nails.
Understanding what’s causing your sweaty feet can help you find the right approach to managing it, which may include home remedies like wearing more breathable shoes and socks and using an antiperspirant on your feet.
If home treatments don’t work, consider talking with a doctor about your other options. Several prescription medications and therapies may help reduce your sweating.
