2019 Volume 56 Issue 1 Pages 33-36
Segmental hyperhidrosis is a rare sweating disorder reported in various diseases. In majority of cases, however, pathophysiological mechanism of segmental hyperhidrosis remains obscure. On the other hand, in patients presenting with dysesthesia or pain, the sweat test occasionally reveals hyperhidrosis which is often segmental. Reviewing such cases suggests that pathophysiological mechanisms of segmental dysesthesia and hyperhidrosis appear multifactorial, including mechanical irritation, neural cross talk, neurogenic inflammation, sprouting of sensory fibers, altered receptor expression, and augmented spinal reflexes. With respect to segmental dysesthesia alone or in combination with hyperhidrosis, cautious investigations should be done because they are often caused by serious life-threatening diseases.
