Hyperhidrosis - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating , is a common disorder which produces a lot of unhappiness. The excessive sweating can occur in the hands (palmar hyperhidrosis), in the armpits (axillary hyperhidrosis), or in the feet (plantar hyperhidrosis). Although nobody understands the exact cause of this excessive sweating in specific individuals, it is known that the sweating is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. Hyperhidrosis is a disorder that defines individuals who sweat more than the body would normally need to maintain optimal temperature.  It affects approximately 3% of the population some 950,000 Canadians of whom 300,000 have a severe form of the disorder. Hyperhidrosis affects work productivity, confidence, social comfort, emotional well being and wardrobe choices.  Studies show that hyperhidrosis impacts quality of life similar to or even greater than other well-known dermatological conditions, such as severe acne or psoriasis. It has also been shown that only 38% of hyperhidrosis sufferers talk to a health care professional about their condition. People rarely seek help because many are unaware that excessive sweating is a treatable medical disorder.

Causes of Hyperhidrosis

Find common causes and risk factors of Hyperhidrosis :

• Parkinson's disease , is also the main cause of hyperhydrosis.
• Brain tumour, may also lead to the condition of hyperhydrosis.
• To some extent, family history of hyperhydrosis is responsible for it.
• Respiratory failure, may directly affect the functions of sweat glands and thus, inturn leads to hyperhydrosis.

Signs and Symptoms of Hyperhidrosis

Sign and symptoms may include the following :

• Sweating.
• Fissuring.
• Stained clothing.
• Scaling.
• Skin maceration.
• Sweaty armpits.
• Sweaty palms of the hands and/or soles of the feet.
• Change in the odor associated with sweating.

Treatment for Hyperhidrosis

Treatment may include :

• Oral anticholinergic medication, is very effective for the fast recovery from hyperhydrosis.
• Another treatment is the injection of BOTOX into the area of excessive sweating. When a small amount of botox is injected into the armpits or palms, it stops those areas from getting sweaty.
• This is the initial treatment for moderate or light hyperhidrosis. A product such as Drysol is recommended. The medication is less effective on the thick skin of the palms and soles.