Q Whenever I take an exam or give a presentation, my hands sweat profusely and my palms are always clammy. Is it just nerves, or is something wrong with my body?
A Worsening with tension is a classic feature of primary hyperhidrosis. Because the sympathetic nervous system reacts more sensitively than necessary, sweating often occurs even in relatively relaxed situations where there is no tension.
Detailed Answer
In primary hyperhidrosis, the sympathetic nervous system is activated at a much lower threshold than in most people, so even slight tension triggers excessive sweating on the hands, feet, and armpits. It may seem that simply being less nervous would solve the problem, but because the nervous system itself is hypersensitive, frequent sweating continues even in stable situations. In severe cases, the hands and feet can be clammy even while sleeping at night.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, when this pattern of heavy sweating on the hands and feet is accompanied by anxiety and insomnia, we interpret it as a disconnection between the Heart and Kidney (simsin-bulgyo). It is understood as a state in which the upward-floating Heart fire (sim-hwa) and the cool Kidney water (sin-su) fail to interact, destabilizing the autonomic nervous system. We aim to stabilize the overactive sympathetic nervous system with herbal medicine that reinforces Heart yin (sim-eum).
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