I sweat sometimes during or after I eat a meal. Do I need to go see a doctor? Could this be something serious?

I sweat sometimes during or after I eat a meal. Do I need to go see a doctor? Could this be something serious?

Scott Myers, M.D., is an associate professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology & hepatology at Drexel University College of Medicine.

In general, sweating may be a response to many factors such as vigorous exercise, fever, medications, diabetes or medical conditions involving the thyroid gland, nervous system or other bodily processes. In and of itself, it is not always a problem, but may indicate an underlying medical condition.  

A more common cause of sweating during or after meals is the result of eating spicy foods such as peppers. If one does ingest a lot of spicy foods this could lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is also known as heartburn. People with GERD feel a burning sensation travelling from their chest moving towards their mouth. They may also have regurgitation or a sour taste. This is important to know as untreated GERD can potentially lead to difficulty swallowing or precancerous changes of the swallowing tube (esophagus).

It is important to discuss your symptoms with your primary care physician.  If, in fact, you also have symptoms of GERD you should consider seeing a gastroenterologist for further evaluation and recommendations.

Frey's Syndrome and diabetic gustatory sweating are also possibilities, but very unlikely. Talk to your physician if you suspect you may have those conditions.

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