Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis) – Definition, Causes and Possible Solutions

Hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessive sweating. It affects up to 4% of the entire population, but not all patients ask for medical advice. Excessive sweating is not necessarily dangerous,  and it can often be solved with appropriate treatment.

Causes of Hyperhidrosis

In some cases the reason behind hyperhidrosis remain unknown. However, there are some factors that have been linked with the occurrence of excessive sweating:

• Genetic predispositions.
• Anxiety disorder or irritability.
• Malfunctioning of the spinal cord.
• Unhealthy eating habits and consumption of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine on a regular basis.
• Increased body weight or obesity.
• Underlying medical conditions like autoimmune disorders, thyroid problems diabetes.
• Allergic reactions to foods.

Two Forms of Hyperhidrosis

From a medical point of view, there are two forms of hyperhidrosis: Primary and Secondary.

• Primary Hyperhidrosis – medical specialists believe that it is caused by a malfunctioning or over stimulation of the Autonomous Nervous System, which results in excessive sweating in certain body parts such as the armpits or palms.
• Secondary Hyperhidrosis – excess sweat occurs as a result of another underlying medical condition (for example: diabetes, neurological problems, hormonal imbalances, etc). This form of hyperhidrosis could affect the entire body.

It is extremely important to consult with your medical practitioner.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR HYPERHIDROSIS

Lifestyle changes

• Improve your diet -  you should not consume the foods that are known to cause excessive sweating. It seems that spicy foods, beef, garlic and spicy curry, coffee and green tea (anything with caffeine) seems to trigger excessive perspiration in most people. It is also believed that trans fats could also be a factor. Generally speaking, there aren’t any foods that can reduce hyperhidrosis, but it is an ideal first step to avoid those mentioned above.
• Increase water intake -  6 to 8 glasses of water are recommended daily. This is vital because water intake regulates body temperature and flushes away toxins.
• Avoid tight clothes – Loose clothes will allow the air to circulate and to cool the skin. This is very important, especially for excess armpit sweat.  In the absence of proper ventilation, your body will heat faster and will produce more sweat. Tight clothes can also cause more discomfort and thus even more sweating.
• Learn how to cope with stressful situations – Many people have the tendency to sweat more when they are exposed to stress or when they find themselves in tense situations. Relaxation techniques, including breathing techniques and yoga, and positive thinking could help in managing such situations more effectively.

Drugs and Medical Procedures

• Over the counter antiperspirants – this is the first treatment options in all hyperhidrosis cases. Doctors usually recommend clinical strength antiperspirants for being applied on the most problematic areas. The most effective products include Secret Clinical Strength, 5 Day, Certain Dri and Degree Clinical Protection.
• Prescription antiperspirants – these are usually recommended when over the counter ones don’t work. They contain aluminum chloride and they have to be applied on the skin in the evening. It is important to clean the skin after approximately eight hours because prescription antiperspirants can have side effects like irritated skin, swelling or itchiness.
• Iontophoresis – this is a medical procedure involving low electric charges targeted towards the areas affected by excessive sweating. It is done using a device supplied with electricity and water saturated wool pads which conduct the electric impulses. The purpose of iontophoresis is to modify the structure of the skin so that it doesn’t allow the sweat to come out anymore. Although there are not known safe effects, the efficiency of Iontophoresis is still under debate.
• Oral medication – excessive sweating can sometimes be reduced by anticholrigenics administration. These impair the nervous activity and prevent nerves from sending signals to sweat glands. Sweat can be inhibited with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and the activity of the nerves can be decreases with clonidine.
• Botox injections – injecting botox in the nerves that control the sweat glands will temporarily “paralyze” them. Up to twenty injections containing a small botox amount might be needed. Doctors first run some tests in order to determine exactly where the botulinum toxin should go. In order to minimize the pain that sufferers might feel during the procedure, local anesthesia can be used. The area can be numbed by taking oral anesthetics, intravenous ones or by applying local creams.
• Surgery – this option is normally reserved for persons who experience severe hyperhidrosis and who have failed in controlling it with any other method. There are two ways of surgically solving the problem of excessive sweating. One involves “cutting off” the connection between the sweat glands and the nerves that send them signals and the other one implies taking out some sweat glands. The first option prevents hyperhidrosis because, even though the sweat glands remain in their place, they don’t receive any nervous impulses anymore and they are inactive. The sympathetic nerve can be either clipped or partially removed. A newer procedure called sympathotomy can also be used. It implies cutting off nervous impulses without taking out the nerve. This newer procedure is considered safer because the risk of excessively sweating in other body parts is reduced. Regardless of the type of procedure that is performed, surgery is serious and potentially risk. It is important to discuss all the possibilities with a good medical professional.

Natural and Herbal Remedies

• Sage (Salvia Officinalis) - belonging to the Lamiaceae family, Sage has numerous medical properties including the ability to fight bacterial or fungal infections and the ability to reduce blood sugar. It is also an anhidrotic, a toner and an antispasmodic agent. It is believed that sage can keep the sweat function of the body under control.
• Chinese Peony Root or White Peony Root – belonging to the Paeoniaceae family, it can be useful in spontaneous and night sweating. It could be used together with cinnamon, or accompanied by arborvitae seeds.
• Astragalus – belonging to the Fabaceae family, Astragalus can either increase or decrease the sweat production, as needed.
• Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey – Taking a mixture made of two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and an equal amount of honey, has also been beneficial for some people.  This is best taken first thing in the morning.

Antiperspirants

Naturally, the first thought that comes to people’s mind when experiencing hyperhidrosis is to buy antiperspirants. These are available in different strengths and most are all based on the same ingredient: aluminum chloride. Antiperspirants should not be mistaken with deodorants. Deodorants do not reduce sweat production in any way, but just mask the odor.

Aluminum chloride

This active ingrediant is used in most supermarket and clinical grade antiperspirants.  The concentration of the solution can be gradually decreased until it reaches 1%. At that point, using it only once a week should be enough. Aluminum chloride works because it blocks the sweat glands. It should not be used on recently shaved or irritated skin.