excessive sweating(hyperhidrosis)

Almost every person has had at least one experience of excessive sweating, perhaps during an examination or after an intense workout. For a lot of us, this kind of excessive sweating happens only once in a while and maybe becomes slightly annoying.

However, roughly 3% of the residents of the United States of America, excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is a frequent occurrence.

Hyperhidrosis is the name of a condition characterised by excessive and difficult to control sweating. Hyperhydrosis can be visible to other people and for that reason it can make a person anxious and self conscious.

The good news is that modern medicine offers different ways to reduce or completely combat excessive sweating. First of all, let’s take a look at some basic things about hyperhidrosis and that includes it’s cause, symptoms, and how it is diagnosed.

Causes and risk factors of hyperhydrosis

excessive sweating(hyperhidrosis)

Excess perspiration or hyperhidrosis happens as a result of excessively active sweat glands. When your body becomes overheated, sweating is how it cools itself down.

Take for example when your body temperature increases after a workout, your sweat glands become active because thought nervous system signals thought body to cool by producing sweat.

In the case of hyperhydrosis, sweating occurs workout trigger like heat or exercise and is excessive. Even when thought body temperature has got risen, you may begin to sweat. Excessive sweating can occur in different parts of the body including:

  • Hands (palmoplantar hyperhidrosis)
  • Face (craniofacial hyperhidrosis)
  • Feet (plantar hyperhidrosis)
  • Armpit (axillary hyperhidrosis)

The risk factors of excessive sweating includes a family history of hyperhidrosis. If you have any medical condition that causes sweating you may develop hyperhydrosis, or if you are taking any medication that had sweating as a side effect.

Signs and symptoms of hyperhidrosis

excessive sweating(hyperhidrosis)

The major symptom of hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. A board-certified dermatologist based in Los Angeles, Tsippora Shainhouse says “Sweating can become so severe that armpit sweat can drip down your arms and body, and sweaty feet can make it difficult to walk around on noncarpeted floors due to the risk of slipping.”

A person’s tools and feet may appear on the same way it would be if you stay in a bathtub for too long. The skin on a person’s feet may appear white or red or in me probably itch and peel.

Sweating due to hyperhidrosis tends to occur on both sides of a person’s body which means that if you’re sweating excessively under your right armpits you would equally sweat under your left armpit.

Sweating due to hyperhidrosis does not occur when your sleep it only happens when a person is awake.

How do doctors diagnose hyperhidrosis?

A lot of people do not see any reason why they should consult a doctor for hyperhidrosis because it off embarrassing and they also arrive it will stop on its own. It’s unfortunate people are unaware that there are many remedies available to control excessive sweating.

It is vital to note that sweating only is not enough to diagnose hyperhidrosis. However the doctor may diagnose you with hyperhydrosis if your day-to-day live gets disrupted by excessive sweating.

To make a proper diagnosis your doctor will ask about your medical history and also make enquiry into the drugs you have been taken to help him determine whether or not they have contributed to your hyperhidrosis.

Your doctor may also perform some lab tests and physical examinations. the lab tests may include urine and blood test so that your doctor can check for a low blood sugar level and an overactive thyroid. The two aforementioned factors can both be responsible for excessive sweating.

Your doctor might also require you to do a sweat test which will help him to determine what part of your body that has excessive sweating. To carry out this test, your doctor would have to powder some parts of your body with a certain powder substance which would turn purple when you begin to sweat.

Although it is not so serious that you must see your doctor or a dermatologist because of this condition. You should however make an appointment with your doctor if you suddenly start experiencing excessive sweating or it comes along with symptoms such as chest pain, lightheadedness, nausea, and night sweating. such symptoms coupled with hyperhidrosis could be a sign of a serious medical problem.

Are there different types of hyperhidrosis?

There are two distinct types of hyperhidrosis:

1. Primary focal hyperhidrosis:

This type of hyperhidrosis doesn’t happen as a result of another medical condition or as a side effect of a medication a person is taking. in the case of primary focus hyperhidrosis excessive sweating is enough for your diagnosis.

This kind of hyperhidrosis can’t start as early as in childhood or during a person’s teenage years and it’s usually affect both sides of the body like both underarms both feet or both palms.

In most cases of primary focus hyperhidrosis you would discover that some family members of a patient might be experiencing the same thing.

2. Secondary generalised hyperhidrosis:

This kind of hyperhidrosis is the opposite of the primary focus hyperhidrosis which means that it is usually as a result of an underlying medical condition or the side effects of a medication a patient might be taking. Unlike the primary focus hyperhidrosis the secondary generalized hyperhidrosis can cause excessive sweating while a person is asleep.

examples of medical conditions that can cause secondary generalized hyperhidrosis includes menopause, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, tumor, Frostbite, and gout.

Tips on how to cope emotionally with hyperhidrosis advertising to experts

It can be very embarrassing to have hyperhidrosis I mean nobody wants to be walking around with a sweat line around the armpit area it could take both a physical and emotional toll on the person says there is need for some emotional support during this time.

Visiting a doctor might help you cope better during your experience with hyperhidrosis however if you do not want to see a doctor there are other things you can do to help yourself feel better.

Keep a journal to help you identify sweat triggers: some people dealing with hyperhidrosis have noticed that when they kept a diary of the daily activities including the foods they eat they were able to pin down the sweat triggers. you may discover that some particular food you eat including foods that are very spicy could cause excessive sweating.

Mindfulness: if you notice that your hyperhidrosis begins when your extremely stressed then you need to find a way to relax yoga and other mindfulness practices can help you to relieve stress. you may also have to watch the things you consume and cut down on things like caffeine.

Other tips

If you sweat more on your feet, you could apply baby powder before putting on your shoes or opt for sandals so that your feet can be kept dry and cool.

Before you go to bed at night, you could apply antiperspirant to your skin and also ensure to have a bath daily so that you do not smell. Opt for coloured fabrics so that sweat stains can be hidden and also it will be helpful for you to put on clothes that are light so that you do not end up sweating so much.

There are other treatment options like surgeries and medications to combat hyperhidrosis, but you have to discuss with your doctor and weigh the pros and cons before you decide which of the options to go with.

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