What is the issue with excessive perspiration? What signs does it exhibit? What causes it, and why? How is it handled, too? All this and more you will find in the following article.
Hyperhidrosis is usually harmless, and in some cases doctors do not know what is the main reason behind it, but in other cases this excessive sweating may be caused by another health problem that you should be aware of, important information on this topic in the following article :
Excessive sweating: what is it?
When the body temperature rises, which occurs when you have a fever, exercise, or feel anxious, stressed, or psychologically stressed, sweat is normally produced by the sweat glands and transferred to the skin's surface.
And when there are no stimulating factors for sweating, the sweating process stops, but for individuals who suffer from excessive sweating, the sweating process does not stop even in the absence of any stimulating factor for sweating.
Causes of excessive sweating
This can be classified according to the type of excessive sweating as follows:
1. Primary focal hyperhidrosis
This type is more frequent and results from overactive nerves that send signals to the sweat glands even when there are no external stimuli that would otherwise cause sweating.
This kind of excessive sweating might not have a medical cause, but genetic factors could play a part. It has also been noted that stress and nervousness in individuals with excessive sweating of the primary focal type make the problem worse.
2. Secondary hyperhidrosis
This type of excessive sweating, which is the least frequent, may be brought on by health issues like:
- diabetes.
- Hot flashes due to menopause.
- Thyroid disorders.
- Low blood sugar.
- some types of cancer
- heart attack
- Nervous system disorders .
- infections.
- taking specific drugs, such as those for opioid withdrawal.
Symptoms of excessive sweating
The annoying symptoms of hyperhidrosis can make it difficult to carry out daily tasks and may have an impact on how you live your social life. The following are some of these signs:
- The soles of the feet and the palms of the hands are both wet.
- frequent sweating
- Visible perspiration on clothing.
- skin issues, such as, in some cases, bacterial or fungal infections.
- restricting some people's ability to make physical contact with others.
- There are times when social withdrawal can cause depression.
Diagnosis of excessive sweating
When you see the doctor, he will ask you about your health history and he will assess the symptoms you are suffering from accurately and he may perform one or more tests to help diagnose and determine the cause of excessive sweating, such as conducting blood tests that confirm or exclude the existence of a health problem behind this sweating, and there are other tests that help in the diagnosis They include the following:
- Starch and iodine test: in which an iodine solution is placed on the sweating area and starch is sprinkled over it. For those who suffer from excessive sweating, the solution will turn dark blue.
- Paper test: in which a paper is placed on the place of sweating and wait for a period of time, then the paper is taken and weighed to calculate the amount of sweat.
Excessive sweating treatment
Methods for treating excessive sweating include the following:
1. Iontophoresis
The hands and feet are put in a bowl of water, and then a painless electric current is run through the water.
2. Botox injections
The nerves that stimulate the sweat glands are blocked by botox injections.
3. Anti-cholinergic medications
Improvement is felt after about two weeks, which works to stop the transmission of nerve signals.
4. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy-ETS
A method in which surgical intervention is performed with the aim of cutting the nerves that transmit nerve messages to the sweat glands, and it is considered a last resort after the failure of other methods in severe cases. Because there is a chance of developing permanent impotence, it is not advised to treat the foot issue.
Tips and home remedies for excessive sweating
These tips and tricks include:
- Use aluminum-containing antiperspirants to temporarily block sweat pores.
- To prevent bacterial growth on the surface of the body, take a daily shower.
- wearing loose-fitting clothing made of fabrics that allow the skin to breathe, such as cotton, silk, or any other material.
- Wear moisture-absorbing clothing when exercising.
- Wearing closed-toed shoes could make you sweat more.
- Reduce stress, which can make you perspire, by engaging in relaxation exercises like yoga or meditation.