Clammy Moist Skin

While examining general health of a family member, we tend to touch forehead and see whether the other person has normal body temperature or not. The expected responses are many, like normal temperature, low temperature, high feverish temperature or at times, clammy skin. You might be already aware about the other interpretations, except for clammy moist skin. So, what does it mean? And what are the causal factors for clammy skin? Are there any treatment option for the same? Scroll down to get your answers for these health related queries.

What is Clammy Moist Skin?

So, what does clammy moist skin mean? It refers to pale looking, moist and cool skin. These are abnormal symptoms, which may be caused by multiple reasons. And to avoid health complications, immediate medical help is imperative for every individual with cold sweat. Under hot climatic conditions, excessive sweating leaves the skin damp to some extent. These conditions are quite normal, and considered as a part of the body's thermoregulation mechanism. However, having cool and wet skin without exposure to heat are indications of some medical problems.

What Causes Clammy Moist Skin?

A common cause for clammy hands and feet is being exposed to wetness or extremely cold environmental condition. Say for instance, cool skin is one of the symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite. While these are moderately severe problems that can be combated with prompt self-care tips, there are some severe cases of clammy moist skin that should be addressed therapeutically. It is like cold skin accompanied by sweating, which is manifested as skin dampness. Some of the probable causes for clammy skin are listed below:

• Pneumonia
• Influenza (flu)
• Other infectious diseases
• Severe pain
• Severe allergy (anaphylaxis)
• Hypoglycemia
• Low oxygen level in blood
• Heat exhaustion
• Acute anxiety attack
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Heart attack
• Internal bleeding
• Shock

The above listed clammy skin causes are serious medical problems, and should be treated as soon as possible. Upon exposure to stress, the sympathetic nervous system sends signals to increase stress hormones - epinephrine and norepinephrine. As a consequence, vasoconstriction occurs in the dermal layer and cold sweat is secreted in certain areas of the body, especially in the forehead, palms and soles of the feet. This is how, the body secretes cold sweat under stressful situations.

How to Deal with Clammy Moist Skin?

According the underlying disease, clammy moist skin may be accompanied with other medical symptoms, such as shivering, chills, high body temperature and loss of concentration. If manifested symptoms include breathing problems, pain in the chest area and other shock signs, taking a trip to the hospital is necessary. Once in the health care center, the doctor will examine the physical symptoms and take a medical history for the patient. Based on the findings, correct treatment options will be recommended for the patient to restore normal health.

The therapeutic approaches taken up for clammy moist skin vary with reference to the underlying problem. For example, if hypoglycemia is the root cause, delivering sugar is the reliable treatment, while for a patient with heat exhaustion, taking healthy fluids and keeping the indoor temperature within the comfortable range are suggested. In case of heart patients, treatment is focused on restoring normal heart condition. Likewise, for people diagnosed with anxiety shock, prescription drugs along with behavioral therapy are indicated to overcome anxiety.

In a nutshell, clammy moist skin is not always a case of medical emergency. But, as you have seen, abnormal wet skin without apparent cause can be a subject of medical concern. If such is the case, untreated clammy skin may become life-threatening for the individual. So, timely diagnosis and correct treatment are crucial to minimize the risk factors associated with cold and wet skin.