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Hyperhidrosis - what hyperhidrosis is and how to treat it


The term hyperhydrosis is the medical term for for excessive sweating or perspiration, and can be a problem anywhere on the body.

The human nervous system controls sweating in the skin pores, and if the particular nerves in question go a bit haywire, it can cause some not-so-fun problems with extra and excessive sweating.

Excessive perspiration usually occurs in areas such as hands, feet, body trunk, face and armpits.


Primary hyperhydrosis


Primary hyperhydrosis presents as a disorder primarily in adolescence or childhood and continues on into adulthood.

It shows itself rather quickly and repeatedly due to emotional stress, extreme temperatures, or sometimes for no reason at all.

It seems to be inherited as a dominant trait, so if one of your parents has it, you probably do as well.

Man surprised by his under arm sweating

Secondary hyperhydrosis


Secondary hyperhydrosis is frequently linked to health problems such as hyperthyroidism, endocrine treatment for prostate cancer, some other forms of cancer, intense psychiatric disorders, menopause and obesity.

While it may be difficult to treat until the underlying cause is addressed, secondary hyperhydrosis will usually go away on its own once the overall health condition is resolved.

Primary hyperhydrosis, on the other hand, will be a problem for life.


Hyperhydrosis of the palms of the hands, feet, face, and in the armpits


Hyperhydrosis often manifests strongly on the palms of the hands, on the face, in the armpits and on feet, none of which lead to great social confidence.

In addition, hyperhydrosis can make any career that involves gripping or fine manual dexterity, such as cooking, music, or any career that involves a lot of handshaking quite difficult, to say the least.

While hyperhydrosis is rarely fatal, the deleterious effects it can have on quality of life usually make finding some sort of effective treatment an absolute necessity.


Hyperhidrosis Treatment


People who suffer from mild hyperhydrosis in the armpits or on the face may make use of prescription level doses of aluminum chloride (hexhedrate) solution, which is commonly used in lower doses for over the counter antiperspirants.

This normally doesn't work on the hands or feet, but palmar or plantar hyperhydrosis does respond to a different therapy called iontophoresis, which is a treatment where doctors apply electric current to the soles or palms while they are immersed in an electrolyte solution. Both of these options have to be used regularly and continually to have any beneficial effect.

There aren't many medications that treat hyperhydrosis effectively with just a few doses, and many of them cause a variety of equally unpleasant side effects, such as drowsiness, dry mouth, and visual problems.

Recent studies have shown that an injection of botulinum type A given at four to eight month intervals can disable the sweat glands and temporarily cure the problem, and the FDA has recently approved the treatment. However, not all insurance companies will pay for it yet, so check into your health plan before going in for this particular therapy.

Also, Stop Sweating Remedies can be extremely useful with hyperhidrosis.


Hyperhidrosis Surgery


Surgical treatment such as lumbar sympathectomy or other nervous system surgery can help with specific expressions of primary hyperhydrosis, such as on the hands or feet, but of course carry their own risks. Thes procedures usually involve cutting the nerves which transmit signals to sweat glands. Nerves releasing sweat in the face, feet and hands are present in the cavity of chest. In the past, this type of surgery involved an open chest operation, which meant that many people chose to just deal with the problem.

Recent endoscopic surgery allows surgeons to cut nerves with the help of tiny scopes. Doctors insert those into the patient's chest through small incisions and carry out the surgery without the need for opening the ribcage. Even with this advance, it can still be more of a risk than some people want to take, and should be discussed carefully and only as a last resort.


Hyperhidrosis Concluding Remarks


With enough research and a commitment to proper management, hyperhydrosis can usually be adequately controlled to allow anyone to live the life they want. Keep looking, get educated, and all the best of luck!

Main write Loni Ice, Editing and quality control by Donald Urquhart