Medical News

People who are suffering from hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating feels that they are alone and that nobody understand what they are going through. Individuals suffering from excessive sweat is aware of their condition but they cannot control it. They are trying their best to improve their lifestyle to accommodate this problem and most of them spend most of their time freshening up, wiping, putting pad under their arms or pockets.

Excessive Sweat puts a heavy toll in person’s life and can be embarrassing especially in professional, academic and social life. They cannot live the activities of daily living without experiencing the discomforts and inconveniences that goes with it. Even a simple task of writing their name is very difficult for them. Some put a handkerchief under their palm or else the paper will be thoroughly wet.

Millions of people are suffering, isolating themselves, and struggling from excessive sweat. This type of medical condition has a severe negative psychological effect. Unfortunately, people whom the affected individuals can count on are the same people who cannot understand the tremendous negative impact that hyperhidrosis can have on one’s life.

Hyperhidrosis is cause by an overactive sympathetic nervous system and is an inherited problem. Until now what causes or triggers it is still a mystery. It has severe physiological consequences such as cold and clammy hands, dehydration, and skin infections secondary to maceration of the skin. It can happen in places that are most prone to scrutiny like the hands, feet, face, and armpit.

If excessive sweating occurs as an effect of another medical problem, it is called secondary hyperhidrosis. Sweating could occur in any specific area, or it may be all over the body.

Many conditions can cause secondary hyperhidrosis such as:

* Acromegaly
* Anxiety conditions
* Cancer
* Carcinoid syndrome
* Certain medications and substances of abuse
* Glucose control disorders
* Heart disease
* Hyperthyroidism
* Lung disease
* Menopause
* Parkinson’s disease
* Pheochromocytoma
* Spinal cord injury
* Stroke
* Tuberculosis or other infections

Of course the symptom of hyperhidrosis is wetness.

Most individual suffering from hyperhidrosis seldom seeks medical assistance, thinking that this is just a simple nuisance to their lives and can be prevented with proper hygiene. But in case you have experienced the following symptoms its time to call your health care provider and seek medical assistance.

Some excessive sweating can be serious and which requires proper diagnosis and treatment.

* Prolonged, excessive, and unexplained sweating
* Sweating with or followed by chest pain or pressure
* Sweating with weight loss
* Sweating that most often occurs during sleep

Sweating with fever, weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath, or a rapid, pounding heartbeat – these symptoms may be a sign of an underlying disease, such as hyperthyroidism.

With the recent advances in the field of medicine, many forms of treatment are available to help cure hyperhidrosis. Medications like topical antiperspirants, iontophoresis, botox, and even surgery have been tried to treat hyperhidrosis. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy or ETS is the most effective method to treat hyperhidrosis.