hyperhidrosis
C1Medical/Technical
Definition
Meaning
A medical condition characterized by excessive sweating beyond what is needed for normal thermoregulation.
The abnormal, often focal and disproportionate, production of sweat that can be primary (idiopathic) or secondary to another medical condition, medication, or substance use.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is inherently negative, describing a medical disorder. It is often used interchangeably with 'excessive sweating', but 'hyperhidrosis' is more clinical and precise.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or spelling. Pronunciation differs slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Identical medical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in everyday language but standard in medical contexts in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
patient + suffer from + hyperhidrosisdoctor + diagnose + patient + with + hyperhidrosishyperhidrosis + is + treated + with + treatmenthyperhidrosis + affects + body partVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sweating bullets (informal for nervous sweating, not precisely synonymous)”
- “breaking out in a cold sweat (often due to fear/illness)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used in standard business contexts.
Academic
Used in medical, biological, and health sciences research papers.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; 'excessive sweating' is more common.
Technical
Standard, precise term in dermatology, neurology, and general medicine.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The condition hyperhidroses primarily the axillae and palms.
- (Note: 'hyperhidrose' as a verb is extremely rare and non-standard; 'causes hyperhidrosis' or 'results in sweating' is typical.)
American English
- (Similarly non-standard) Some medications can hyperhidrose certain individuals.
adverb
British English
- (Extremely rare; not standard usage) He was sweating hyperhidrotically.
American English
- (Not used adverbially in standard English.)
adjective
British English
- She sought treatment for her hyperhidrotic hands.
- The hyperhidrotic condition was socially debilitating.
American English
- He has hyperhidrotic feet, which complicates footwear choices.
- Botulinum toxin is used for hyperhidrotic areas.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He has a problem with heavy sweating.
- Sweating too much can be embarrassing.
- She was diagnosed with excessive sweating, which is also called hyperhidrosis.
- Hyperhidrosis can make everyday activities like shaking hands difficult.
- Primary focal hyperhidrosis, which often begins in adolescence, has no identifiable medical cause.
- Iontophoresis is a first-line treatment for palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis.
- The psychological impact of severe axillary hyperhidrosis should not be underestimated.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
'Hyper' (over/excessive) + 'hidros' (sweat, from Greek 'hidrōs') + 'osis' (condition). Think: 'Hyper-active sweat glands condition'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SWEAT IS A LEAKING FLUID (e.g., 'uncontrollable', 'streaming'), OFTEN NEGATIVE/BURDENSOME (e.g., 'suffers from', 'disorder').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct cognate 'гипергидроз' exists and is standard medical term.
- Avoid calquing as 'hyper + hidrosis' in speech; use established Russian term.
- Do not confuse with 'потливость' (general sweating/sweatiness) which is less clinical.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: 'hyperhydrosis' (incorrect 'y'), 'hyperhidrosis' is correct.
- Pronouncing the 'hidro-' syllable with a long 'i' (like 'hide'). It's short /hɪ/.
- Using it to describe normal sweating from heat or exercise.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes 'hyperhidrosis'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It affects an estimated 2-3% of the population, but many cases are mild and go unreported.
While not always 'curable', it is highly manageable with treatments ranging from clinical-strength antiperspirants and iontophoresis to medications and surgical options.
Primary hyperhidrosis is idiopathic (no known cause) and typically focal (affecting specific areas like hands, feet, underarms). Secondary hyperhidrosis is caused by an underlying condition (e.g., thyroid disorder, diabetes) or medication and is often more generalized.
Primary hyperhidrosis itself is not physically dangerous, but it can severely impact quality of life, mental health, and social functioning. Secondary hyperhidrosis requires investigation of its underlying cause, which may be serious.