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For the sweat glands, the chemical at the tips of the sympathetic nerves is acetylcholine; too much of this chemical present next to the sweat glands stimulates them to produce large amounts of fluid. Many doctors feel that one of the biggest problems in people with idiopathic hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating due to unknown cause) is the fact that the sympathetic nerves are over stimulated, making the neurotransmitters "go haywire" at the nerve endings. Many activities that stimulate the nervous system, such as strong smells, spicy foods, increased air temperatures, exercise, high emotional excitement, stress or nervousness may cause attacks of excessive sweating through sympathetic nerve over activity. Many people who have hyperhidrosis may also have reddening of the skin, which is most noticeable in the face as blushing, due to the same nerve over-activity.
Since these nerves are extremely small, they are usually reached at areas near the spinal cord, where many nerves run together into structures known as sympathetic ganglia, before they spread out throughout the body. The astringent properties of tannic acid are thought to be partly responsible for its antiperspirant action.
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