Excessive Sweating Hyperhidrosis

What Is Hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, is a common syndrome that produces a lot of discontent. In this situation, people suffer from excessive sweating of the underarms, palms, and soles of the feet. Underarm sweating problem is likely to start in late teenage years, whereas palm and sole sweating often begins earlier around 13 years of age. If this problem remains untreated, then it might continue throughout life.

Sweating can be very distressing, as it stains clothes, and complicates business and social interactions. Severe cases can have serious implications as well, making it hard for people who suffer from it to hold a pen, grip a car steering wheel, or shake hands.

Causes of Hyperhidrosis:

Hyperhidrosis is normally caused by neurologic, endocrine, infectious, and other systemic diseases, but in some cases, it occurs in people who are healthy. High temperature and emotions may prompt hyperhidrosis in some, but many people who suffer from hyperhidrosis remain in sweat nearly all their waking hours, irrespective of their mood or the weather.

Treatment for Hyperhidrosis:

Addressing the causes of hyperhidrosis through logical evaluation, followed by a sensible approach to treatment, many people can achieve very good results and improve their quality of life.

Different tactics to treat excessive sweating are as follows:

  • Over-the-counter antiperspirants contain a low dose of metal salt are usually tried at the initial stage
  • Iontophoresis is a medical device that supplies mild electrical currents while your affected body part is submerged in water.
  • Oral medications such as Anticholinergics lessen sweating.
  • Botox(Botulinum toxin)-A, has been approved by the FDA for treating excessive sweating.
  • MiraDry is another technique that uses microwave energy to permanently kill sweat glands.
  • Lasers can also be used to kill the underarm sweat glands.
  • A procedure called thoracic sympathectomy may also be considered as a last resort.

Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate and Excessive Sweating:

Most doctors start by recommending aluminum chloride hexahydrate (Drysol), a version of aluminum chloride. It is applied just before bedtime2 to 3 nights continuously, then once a week subsequently to retain improvement. This treatment works really well for the patients whose problem is excessive underarm sweating, but it is not satisfactory for those who have palm and sole sweating.

Iontophoresis for Excessive Sweating:

In the Iontophoresis treatment method, a medical device transmits mild electrical currents while your affected body part is submerged in water. The currents are often delivered to block the sweat glands temporarily. Some people feel a slightly itchy sensation during the procedure, but the electrical current isn’t strong enough to jolt you. A maintenance program of treatments will continue after one to three weeks, depending on the patient’s response. This treatment is generally not painful.

Oral Drugs for Excessive Sweating:

Oral medication is typically prescribed for people who have tried first-line treatments without any success.

Botox and Excessive Sweating:

Botox also is known as Botulinum toxin (A)is a nerve toxin that can temporarily paralyze muscle. It is often used to treat wrinkles, but it has actually been used in other areas of medicine. Treatment of excessive underarm sweating is its latest niche.

A small amount of Botox is injected with a very fine needle in around 20 to 25 spots in each armpit. These injections are painful, but with the use of a very small injection needle makes them bearable. This procedure may produce up to 14 months of relief from sweating.

Microwave energy:

miraDry is another procedure that is used for the treatment of excessive underarm sweating. This treatment uses electromagnetic energy that targets heat on sweat glands and destroys them. The procedure is almost an hour long and local anesthesia is used. It can be repeated 2-3 times for the best outcome.

Lasers:

Lasers can focus on a thin beam of heat to destroy underarm sweat glands.

Surgery for Excessive Sweating:

Thoracic sympathectomy is a surgical interruption that is used to treat excessive sweating. Sympathectomy is an operation planned to abolish part of the nerve supply to the sweat glands in the skin. The surgeon inserts a special endoscopic device into the just below the armpit. Sympathectomy is effective and risky at the same time. Even with innovative endoscopic techniques, the complications can include excessive sweating in other parts of the body as well and cause lungs and nerve issues. As many of these complications are severe and not revocable, this option is only used as a last resort.