Excessive sweating?

Excessive sweating or medically known as Hyperhidrosis is a
common condition in which a person sweats excessively.

The sweating may affect the whole of your body or only
affect certain areas.Commonly affected areas are armpits,palms of your hands,
sole of feet and your face.

Both sides of the body are usually affected and can be embarrassing
and distressing.

Causes for this condition are thought to be a result of a
problem with a part of the nervous system that controls sweating.  This is known as primary hyperhidrosis.
Hyperhidrosis that does have an identifiable cause is known as secondary
hyperhidrosis. This can have many different triggers including
pregnancy,anxiety,certain medications and low blood sugar  and an over active thyroid gland.

It can be treated in a number of different ways. Powerful
antiperspirants can help.

Antiperspirants containing aluminium chloride is often used
to treat hyperhidrosis. This works by plugging the sweat glands. It is normally
applied at night and washes off in the morning.

Lifestyle changes include wearing loose and light
clothes,avoiding triggers like spicy foods and alcohol that could make sweating
worse. Wearing white or black clothing can also help minimise the signs of
sweating.

There are other treatments that are available to treat this
condition. These include Anticholinergics. These work by blocking the affects
of a chemical called acetylcholine,which the nervous system uses to activate
the sweat glands.

Iontophoresis may help if you have excessive sweating that
affects your hands and feet. It can also be used to treat the armpits although
this is usually less effective. It involves treating affected areas of skin
with a weak electric current passed through water or a wet pad. This is thought
to help block the sweat glands.

There are other treatments out there that also include
Botulinum Toxin injections into the armpits which have been proven to be
successful though the effects are short lived and require re treatment.

Small injections are injected in a grid like pattern in the
armpits. This blocks the transmission of nerves that supply the sweat glands.
Perspiration normally diminishes with 48 hours and effects last for
approximately 6 months. The treatment is then repeated at this stage.

There are a number of treatments that are also available
that include severing/clipping the nerves that control sweating. This is
normally performed under General Anaesthetic though it carries a higher risk of
complications.

Hyperhidrosis is common. It is estimated to affect between
1-3 people every 100 in the UK.

It can develop at any age although primary hyperhidrosis
typically starts during childhood or soon after puberty. Though embarrassing,
there are a number of treatments available to help sufferers of this condition.

revitalise rejuvenate
Mediclinic offer Botulinum Toxin injections to help with this condition. Prices
are £400.

Posted 25.7.15. Comments are closed.