What is the cause of hyperhidrosis?

Although neurologic, metabolic, and other systemic diseases can sometimes cause excessive sweating, most cases occur in people who are otherwise healthy. Heat and emotions may trigger hyperhidrosis in some, but many who suffer from hyperhidrosis sweat nearly all the time, regardless of their mood or the weather.

What is the treatment for hyperhidrosis?

Through a systematic evaluation of causes and triggers of excessive sweating, followed by a judicious, stepwise approach to treatment, many people with this annoying disorder can achieve good results and improved quality of life.

The approach to treating hyperhidrosis generally proceeds as follows:

• Over-the-counter antiperspirants: Home remedies like these are usually tried first because they are readily available. Antiperspirants containing aluminum chloride (for example, Certain-Dri) may be more effective when other antiperspirants have failed. So-called "natural" antiperspirants are often not very helpful.

Hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition in which a person sweats excessively and unpredictably. People with hyperhidrosis may sweat even when the temperature is cool or when they are at rest.

Causes

Sweating helps the body stay cool. In most cases, it is perfectly natural. People sweat more in warm temperatures, when they exercise, or in response to situations that make them nervous, angry, embarrassed, or afraid.

Exams and Tests

Visible signs of sweating may be noted during a doctor's visit. A number of tests may also be used to diagnose excessive sweating. Tests include:

Tests include:

• Starch-iodine test. An iodine solution is applied to the sweaty area. After it dries, starch is sprinkled on the area. The starch-iodine combination turns a dark blue color wherever there is excess sweat.
• Paper test. Special paper is placed on the affected area to absorb the sweat, and then weighed. The heavier it weights, the more sweat has accumulated.

You may be also be asked details about your sweating, such as:

• Location
  • Does it occur your face, palms, or armpits, or all over the body?
• Time pattern
  • Does it occur at night?
  • Did it begin suddenly?
• Triggers
  • Does the sweating occur when you are reminded of something that upset you (such as traumatic event)?
• What other symptoms do you have, for example:
  • Weight loss
  • Pounding heartbeat
  • Cold or clammy hands
  • Fever
  • Lack of appetite

Hyperhidrosis Treatment:

Important facts about Hyperhidrosis:

• Hyperhidrosis affects between 1 and 2% of the worlds population.
• In certain geographic regions the percentage appears to be more than 2% (Taiwan, Philipines, etc).
• There is no known difference in those who are affected with regard to race or gender.
• Family genetic history is believed to play a major role in hyperhidrosis.
• The most common areas of localized hyperhidrosis are the hands, feet and armpits.
• Hyperhidrosis can negatively affect people both socially and functionally in their daily lives.
• Those suffering from excessive sweating for whom conservative treatments have failed there are now new outpatient surgical procedures available to end hyperhidrosis.
• Historically doctors have underestimated and or misunderstood the significant impact hyperhidrosis has on patient's lives.
• Continual advancements are being made in instrumentation and techniques.
• Conservative treatments have limited success rates.
• There are now unique and highly effective surgical treatments for each type of sweating (hands, feet and armpits)

Hyperhidrosis Treatments:
The wish to control excessive sweating with simple means such as pills, lotions, etc is very old. Doctors have tried to treat excessive sweating with pills, lotions, deodorants, electric devices, acupuncture, bio-feedback. The success rate with these treatment for severe cases of excessive sweating is extremely limited. Surgical treatments were available for the last 50 to 60 years. Obviously the initial surgical approaches were quite invasive and had complications. Since the development of optical surgical equipment, endoscopic surgeries became the yardstick for different procedures. Sympathectomy can be done now on an outpatient basis. There are minimal small incisions and the patient can return to normal activity in a short amount of time. Dr. Reisfeld has been a world leader in the development of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy and now lumbar sympathectomy.

Hyperhidrosis - What Is It?

Hyperhidrosis affects millions of people around the world – nearly 3% of the population according to some studies. So what’s new you might ask. Well this is no ordinary sweat problem; we are discussing a scenario in which your hands feet or underarms are damp sticky or even drenched with sweat from morning to night through to the next morning. In other words you are sweating excessively at all times in different external conditions.

If you display these symptoms it is probably time to read up on hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). In simple terms hyperhidrosis is a medical disorder characterized by excessive sweating. This kind of excessive sweating typically occurs either on your palms in your underarms (axillary hyperhidrosis) on your face (facial hyperhidrosis) or in your feet (plantar hyperhidrosis).

hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating is a common disorder affecting many people. Palmar hyperhidrosis or sweaty palms is the most common form of hyperhidrosis, causing excessive sweating of the hands.

Hyperhidrosis can also cause excessive foot, underarm and facial sweating. It is thought that hyperhidrosis is a result of over activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

Sweating is often uncontrollable, embarrassing and not anticipated . Normal sweating is needed for thermal regulation however in people suffering from hyperhidrosis, sweating exceeds the bodys need for physiological thermal regulation.

Hyperhidrosis is an inherited problem that has been seen in almost every ethnic group. People don’t get used to living with hyperhidrosis but they continue to suffer throughout their lives from it.

Hyperhidrosis can have severe physiological consequences such as cold and clammy hands, dehydration, and skin infections secondary to maceration of the skin. Hyperhidrosis can also have devastating emotional effects on one’s individual life.

Affected people are constantly aware of their condition and try to modify their lifestyle to accommodate this problem. This can be disabling in professional, academic and social life, causing daily embarrassments. Many routine tasks become impossible chores, which can psychologically drain these individuals on a constant basis.