What should you know about hands that are always sweaty?

Sweating helps regulate body temperature and can increase with heat, exercise, nervousness or pain. When wet palms occur without an obvious trigger, repeatedly disrupt daily tasks or started after a medicine change, a clinician can check for excessive sweating and contributing causes. The pattern may affect both hands or be more noticeable on one side.

Look for accompanying clues such as tremor, racing heartbeat, fever, weight change, night sweats, thirst, skin changes or hand swelling. Sweaty hands alone do not identify one diagnosis. Hand swelling after an injury, for example, needs a different assessment from long-standing damp palms.

Keep the hands cool and dry, pat rather than rub, and carry absorbent cloth when needed. Breathable gloves may help with specific tasks; remove them if moisture makes the skin soft or irritated. Use a gentle cleanser and moisturiser, and avoid changing prescribed medicines without advice. Record timing, triggers, affected areas and associated symptoms before an appointment.

Arrange medical review if sweating is persistent, newly severe, occurs during sleep, or comes with fever, faintness, chest discomfort, breathlessness, confusion, tremor or unexplained weight change. Seek urgent help for chest symptoms, severe weakness or confusion. Sudden hand swelling, marked pain, colour change or numbness also needs prompt assessment.

Could a medicine, thyroid problem, blood-sugar problem or local skin issue contribute? Do I need an examination or blood tests? Which treatments are suitable for my pattern of sweating, and how should irritated skin be protected?