Many people become cautious about everything from choosing clothes to physical contact with others due to underarm sweat, which can sometimes even lead to social avoidance. Modern medicine calls this excessive sweating hyperhidrosis, and when it is concentrated specifically in the armpits, it is diagnosed as axillary hyperhidrosis. This phenomenon occurs when the eccrine sweat gland, one of our body's sweat glands, becomes excessively active in a specific area. These eccrine sweat glands are primarily controlled by the sympathetic nervous system within the autonomic nervous system.
Just as Donguibogam spoke of heart heat and weakness of defensive qi, modern medicine also views a disruption in autonomic nervous system balance as a major cause. The sympathetic nerve is an emergency mode nerve activated when we are under stress, tense, or excited. As if preparing for battle, it raises heart rate and blood pressure while simultaneously stimulating sweat glands to secrete sweat. However, there are cases where the sympathetic nerve overreacts and secretes excessive sweat even without significant physical activity or high temperatures. This is called primary hyperhidrosis, and while its exact cause is not yet clearly understood, it is presumed to involve genetic factors or hyperactivation of the brain's sweat regulation center.
The underarms, along with the palms and soles, have a dense concentration of eccrine sweat glands and respond very sensitively to psychological factors such as stress or anxiety. You have likely experienced underarm sweat suddenly surging when your heart pounds before an important presentation. This is a classic reaction caused by the amygdala and hypothalamus, the emotional regulation centers of the brain, stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. The greater the psychological pressure, the more active the sympathetic nerve becomes, which can create a vicious cycle of sweating even more. In some cases, excessive sweating may be secondary hyperhidrosis caused secondarily by other conditions such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes, so if it is severe enough to interfere with daily life, it is important to seek professional evaluation and consultation.
Ultimately, modern medicine can interpret the heart heat of Donguibogam as excessive activation of the autonomic nervous system, specifically sympathetic hyperactivity, and connect the weakness of defensive qi to impaired skin barrier function or disruptions in the immune system. It is essential to focus not only on the sweat visible on the surface, but also on the deep internal imbalances that provoke it.
