Hyperhidrosis Or Excessive Sweating? Here’s All You Need To Know!
Sweating due to some stimulus is one thing and sweating profusely for no reason is an entirely different thing.
One is a natural response, while the other is a medical condition.
If you’ve observed that you’re sweating excessively, you may have questions as to‘why?’ Excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis, can be a discomforting problem to deal with. While sweating is a bodily function, and one that is useful for thermoregulation, for some people, it’s much more than that. Sometimes, sweat can be extreme, embarrassing, and uncomfortable. There are 2 to 4 million sweat glands in your body, and with that many overactive sweat glands a body can produce a lot of moisture. At times it can affect you mentally as well as physically and emotionally.
In this blog, we’re covering the facts on Hyperhidrosis and how you can keep it in check.
What Is Hyperhidrosis? Breaking Down Excessive Sweating:
Profuse sweating can have an adverse effect on you. You may try all tricks to cover up the pool of sweat forming on your palms or underarms — or avoid social interactions. But excessive sweating can also be a medical condition, and solutions are within reach. Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes you to sweat beyond a level that’s physiologically necessary to regulate body temperature. But, there are people with hyperhidrosis who sweat regardless of their mood or their external temperature.The condition affects people of all races and ages, but for many, hyperhidrosis begins as a child or teenager.
Hyperhidrosis & Its Types
Hyperhidrosis is divided into two categories. The two types of hyperhidrosis are: (1) Primary Focal and (2) Secondary Generalized. To combat hyperhidrosis, understanding the difference is important.
1. Primary Focal Hyperhidrosis
- It refers to excessive sweating that is a medical condition.
- It occurs on the focal areas and is usually relatively “symmetric”.
- The most common focal areas are the sweaty hands, sweaty feet, sweaty underarms, and sweaty face or head.
- Your excess sweat impairs your daily activities.
- You stop sweating when you’re sleeping.
2. Secondary Generalized Hyperhidrosis
- It is also known as Diaphoresis, is a rare form of hyperhidrosis.
- It is caused by medical conditions or is a side effect of a medication.
- People with secondary hyperhidrosis experience sweating on larger or other areas of the body.
- People may often experience their sweating symptoms while sleeping.
- It tends to show up suddenly during adulthood.
Hyperhidrosis can have a huge impact on the quality of life of those who suffer from it. Primary focal hyperhidrosis, for instance, tends to kick in right around the teenage years for many sufferers. That can amplify the emotional turmoil teenagers are already feeling.
Hyperhidrosis/Excessive Sweating Symptoms & Signs
In cases of focal hyperhidrosis (where only certain parts of the body are affected), the most common parts of the body to be affected are your:
- Palms of your hands
- Soles of your feet
- Face and chest
How Do You Know if You Have Hyperhidrosis?
- You’re conscious to shake hands with someone or have other physical contact.
- You don’t take part in social activities for fear that they will make your sweating worse.
- You find that excessive sweating is interfering with your job.
- You are having problems with normal daily activities, such as driving.
- Your attempt to cope with the sweating takes up a significant amount of time.
- You become socially withdrawn and self-conscious.
See Also: Symptoms and Signs of Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)?
What Causes Hyperhidrosis or Excessive Sweating?
Sometimes excessive sweating can be the result of some other condition. Here’s more about these conditions:
Hyperthyroidism speeds up the body’s chemical processes, hence the possibility of excessive sweating.
– Some types of cancer can sometimes cause sweating include Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, carcinoid tumours, leukaemia, mesothelioma, bone cancer and liver cancer.
– People with advanced cancer of any type sometimes experience excessive sweating.
3. Certain Medications
– Among the medications that can cause this to happen are some psychiatric drugs, some medications for high blood pressure, and medicines with which to treat a dry mouth, some antibiotics and some supplements.
4. Glucose Control Disorders
Glucose control disorders include types1 and 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and hypoglycaemia (abnormally low glucose levels). Excessive sweating is often a symptom of low glucose levels
– 75% percent of women report hot flushes and sweating during menopause due to fluctuating or decreasing oestrogen levels, which drop dramatically when periods finally stop.
6. Psychiatric Problems
– Extreme stress and anxiety disorders can cause excessive sweating. Some psychiatric drugs can also lead to excessive sweating.
See Also: What Are the Causes or Reasons for Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis)?
What Is The Treatment For Hyperhidrosis?
If you sweat excessively, it is likely that we might need to start off with a blood and urine tests to help determine whether there is an underlying medical condition that is causing it. Focal hyperhidrosis usually has no underlying cause (primary hyperhidrosis), whereas generalised or secondary hyperhidrosis is likely to occur as a result of another underlying medical condition. However, there are treatments/ non-medical changes to keep excessive sweating in control.
1. Lifestyle Changes
Changing your lifestyle and daily activities will not cure primary hyperhidrosis, but it can certainly improve your symptoms and make you feel more self-confident. You must avoid known triggers that make your sweating worse, such as spicy foods and alcohol. Avoid wearing tight, restrictive clothing and man-made fibres, such as nylon. Also, armpit shields can help to absorb excessive sweat and protect your clothes.
Regular antiperspirant may not curb the sweat, and in that case, aluminium chloride is often used to treat hyperhidrosis, and it works by plugging up the sweat glands.You will need to apply aluminium chloride at night just before you go to sleep. It is not recommended that you apply aluminium chloride to your face as it can cause severe irritation to your eyes.
3. Botulinum Toxin
Botulinum toxin is a cutting-edge treatment for people with hyperhidrosis. Several injections of botulinum toxin are given in the affected areas of the body, such as the armpits, hands, feet or face.The procedure takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The toxin works by blocking the signals from the brain to the sweat glands, reducing the amount of sweat that is produced.
4. Laser Sweat Ablation (LSA)
Skin City’s LSA is a procedure using laser, during which the sweat glands are destroyed. There is very little risk for complications, and the treatment is effective in approximately 80 percent of patients. The results of this treatment are permanent, so you will no longer need to worry about excessive sweating following sweat gland ablation.
To solve the problems associated with axillary hyperhidrosis, Skin City now offers a noninvasive way to reduce embarrassing underarm sweat without surgery: miraDry®. It is an innovative solution for patients unhappy with excessive sweating and underarm odor. Axillary hyperhidrosis can cause frustration and embarrassment for men and women at almost any age. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration, miraDry® uses concentrated energy waves, applied just below the skin’s surface, to shrink and destroy sweat glands, which do not return.
Also Check Out this, All You Need to Know About MiraDry Treatment Procedure, Cost & Results
However, if you wish to try simple methods to control or reduce sweating,
Here Are Some Of The Natural Remedies To Control Hyperhidrosis?
1. Avoid Chemically Processed Foods
Nearly every health condition is affected by a poor diet. The saying “you are what you eat” is very true.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar offers astringent properties that can help control sweating, and even works as an antiperspirant, forming a coat on the skin to ensure the pores stay closed.
3. Baking Soda
As baking soda is alkaline, it helps to balance out the acids in sweat that encourage bacteria to thrive. In fact, baking soda is one of the most effective natural deodorants there is.
4. Practice Yoga
While you might associate yoga with sweating, particularly power yoga moves, yoga is actually one of the best natural ways to control excessive sweating.
5. Aloe Vera Juice or Gel
Aloe vera offers a soothing, cooling effect on the skin and also helps to regulate excessive sweating caused by heat.
If you suffer from excessive sweating, there’s no need to lose hope. Depending on your budget, health history and the severity of your sweating problem, you can choose from hyperhidrosis treatments that range from natural remedies to irreversible surgery.
See Also: 12 Natural Remedies for Hyperhidrosis
Now, do not let unwanted sweat and odor affect your professional, social, and personal life. Talk to us and we’ll help you find treatments that can help. Contact your nearest Skin City clinic today!