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Overview
Hyperhidrosis is considered a medical concern that causes one to sweat excessively. Hyperhidrosis is a combination of two terms: hyper (too much) and hidrosis (sweating).
Sweating is considered excessive when an individual sweat more than normal. Normal sweating is necessary for the human body since it helps an individual prevent overheating. In the case of hyperhidrosis, an individual sweats even when the body does not need cooling. An individual who suffers from hyperhidrosis usually sweats from one or more areas of the body. Palms, feet, underarms, and heads are most involved in targeted regions. Most of the body areas remain dry but two or more targetted regions involved usually would show excessive sweating.
Diagnosis of hyperhidrosis can affect one’s everyday activities. At times, excessive sweating might be present in hands which could be so intense that it can make it hard for an individual to a doorknob or to use a computer. Sometimes sweat marks can also be seen from sweat that soaks in clothes. Due to wet skin, one can develop a skin infection.
Consulting Doctor
The doctor to consult for hyperhidrosis is a dermatologist.
Symptoms
One of the main symptoms of hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. One would feel stressed out in a hot environment, while exercising, and would be anxious or stressed. Excessive sweating is usually present in the hands, feet, underarms, or face and this might be present at least once a week when a person is awake. Usually, both sides of the body are affected by sweating.
-Excessive sweating can disrupt day to day routine of an individual.
-Excessive sweating can make one emotionally distressed and would socially withdraw an individual.
-One would sweat more than usual in case of hyperhidrosis which can be referred as excessive sweating.
-One would experience night sweating for reasons that is not apparent.
Causes
When a person sweats, it can be considered as a mechanism to keep the body cool at times. When this happens, the sweat glands of the nervous system are triggered when the temperature of the body rises. Excessive sweating is sometimes present in the palm region of the body when a person is nervous. The main cause of hyperhidrosis is a faulty nerve signal that would send a signal to trigger eccrine glands and it would become overactive. Sweating would affects the soles, palms, underarms as well as face. No apparent medical cause of this type of excessive sweating is found but it is believed to be running in families.
Hyperhidrosis which is secondary in nature might be caused by certain medical conditions or by taking certain medications. Examples of this medication include pain relievers, antidepressants, diabetes as well as hormonal medications. This type of hyperhidrosis might be caused by sweating that is present all over the body.
This type of condition would include:
1. Diabetes
2. Menopausal hot flashes
3. Problems associated with the thyroid.
4. Few types of cancer
5. Disorders associated with the nervous system.
6. Few types of infections.
Prevention
-If someone bathes daily, it might help to reduce bacterial growth on the body.
-One should develop practice of changing socks often.
-One should always engage in relaxing activities such as yoga, meditation as well as biofeedback.
Diagnosis:
Medical history and symptoms are required by a health care provider that would be used for the diagnosis of this disease. One might also need a physical exam as well as test so that further cause of the symptoms might be easily evaluated.
Lab test used for diagnosis:
Urine test or other lab test might be recommended in case of sweating. Blood test might also be used. Sweating might be a result of overactuve thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Sweat test: Sweat test might be used to pinpoint the area of sweating and also to evaluate severity of the condition. Two of the test are iodine starch test and sweat test.
Treatment
Prescription of antiperspirant: A doctor would prescribe aluminium chloride and one should apply it on the skin before sleeping. Hands should be washed carefully and enough care should be made that drugs do not get into eyes. Once the drug is found to be more efficient, one can scale it back to use it once or twice a week if needed. Skin and eyes irritation are the side-effects.
-Prescription of creams and wipes: Prescription of glycipyrates would help this condition that would affect face and hands. Soaked wipes in glycopyrronium tosylate might help to relieve symptoms present in hands, feet and underarms. Dry mouth and skin irritation are used as side-effects of this product.
-Bloking nerves: Pills that would block the nerves and trigger sweat glands would reduce symptoms of sweating. Dry mouth, bladder dystfunction and blurred vision are some of the side-effects.
-Usage of anti-depressants: Some medications are used to treat depression might cause sweating. These medications might also help to decrease anxiety.
-Injectung with botulinum toxin: Treatment of botulinum toxin would cause blockage of nerve that would trigger sweat glalnd. This procedure of injectong botulinum toxin is painless but numbnes of skin is executed prior to this procedure. Topical anasthesia, icing and massage are executed. It takes few days to see the result and this procedure might needed to be repeated every six months to see the result. Short term muscle weakness might also result from this procedure.
Surgical procedures:
1. Iontophoresis: Hands and feet are soaked in water and device passes mild electric current through water. Nerves that causes sweating are triggered and blocked when electric current passes through the water.
2. Microwave therapy: A device is used to pass microwave energy that destroys sweat glands in arm pits. Sweat glands might be scraped or sucktioned to destroy them.
3. Nerve surgery: Small section of spima nerves are removed to reduce sweating. A permamnent effect might be compensatory sweating or permamnet sweating in your body.
Tests Required for Diagnosis
Urine test or other lab test might be recommended in case of sweating. Blood test might also be used. Sweating might be a result of overactuve thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Sweat test: Sweat test might be used to pinpoint the area of sweating and also to evaluate severity of the condition. Two of the test are iodine starch test and sweat test.
Useful info
There are some of the diagnosis criteria for hyperhidrosis:
1. An individual sweats excessively for 6 or more months.
2. Palms, soles and face are affected by excessive sweating.
3. Sweating pattern is often bilateral and asymmetrical.
4. Sweating is minimal during night time.
5. Sweating is presnet atleast 7 days.
6. A is often 25 years old or younger.
7. Family history might be assocaited with excessive sweating.
References
Brakenrich, J. (2023, January 1). Hyperhidrosis. Statpearls. Retrieved May 29, 2023, from https://www.statpearls.com/articlelibrary/viewarticle/23177/
2. Crissman, K. (2020, October 21). WHICH DOCTORS ARE BEST FOR TREATING HYPERHIDROSIS? Mycarpe. Retrieved May 29, 2023, from https://mycarpe.com/blogs/sweatopedia/which-doctors-are-best-for-treating-hyperhidrosis#:~:text=Hyperhidrosis
3. Crissman, K. (2023, January 1). Hyperhidrosis. Mayoclinic.org. Retrieved May 29, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperhidrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20367152
4. Crissman, K. (2023, January 1). Hyperhidrosis- Diagnosis. Mayoclinic.org. Retrieved May 29, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperhidrosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20367173
