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THE MERCK MANUAL MEDICAL LIBRARY: The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
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Hypohidrosis
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Hypohidrosis

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Hypohidrosis is inadequate sweating.

Hypohidrosis due to skin abnormalities is rarely clinically significant. It is most commonly focal and caused by local skin injury (such as from trauma, radiation, infection [such as leprosy], or inflammation) or by atrophy of glands from connective tissue disease (such as in scleroderma, SLE, Sjögren's syndrome). Hypohidrosis may be caused by drugs, especially those with anticholinergic properties. It is also caused by diabetic neuropathy and a variety of congenital syndromes. Heatstroke causes inadequate sweating but is a CNS rather than a skin disorder (see Heat Illness: Heatstroke). A rare presentation is fever of unknown origin.

Diagnosis is by clinical observation of decreased sweating or by heat intolerance. Treatment is by cooling measures (eg, air-conditioning, wet garments).

Last full review/revision October 2007 by Daniel W. Collison, MD

Content last modified October 2007

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