Troubled by Profuse Sweating? It Must Be Hyperhidrosis

I know of some people who sweat profusely and I'm sure they find their condition rather embarrassing. Even with such simple movements, as in taking a few steps up the second floor of a building or in merely reaching for a book deep inside a shelf, they experience excessive sweating. The medical field has a term for this unpleasant condition - hyperhidrosis.

The usual suspect that causes hyperhidrosis is intense emotion (nervous tension, anxiety, or fear); it may also be the consequence of some underlying medical condition, such as diabetes, undulant fever, exophthalmic goiter, and tuberculosis. In many cases, hyperhidrosis is usually controlled when the underlying cause is counteracted. It is certainly a good idea to see your doctor for this purpose.

In hyperhidrosis, portions of the skin surface (or even the whole of it) are affected - usually the forehead, brow, hands, or feet. In cases when small, circumscribed parts of the skin are involved, heightened activity of the autonomic ganglia (clusters of neuronal cell bodies and their branched projections, or dendrites) may be responsible.

Of course, perspiration contributes to the useful and vital functions of cleansing and cooling the body. This means, therefore, that you should never try to stop it. But excessive sweating can also pose some problems. 'Heavy' underarm sweating is what I often hear some people complain about. Shaving the armpits is likely to increase sweating inasmuch as the hairs offer an ample evaporating surface.

Cleanliness is the primary essential in neutralizing the disagreeable features of hyperhidrosis. Experts on skin-disease treatments recommend regular bathing and changing of underwear and hose. A change to better-ventilated clothing or shoes may be helpful. Another suggestion is to dab a five percent solution of zinc sulfate in 70 percent alcohol on the affected skin areas, and then allow to dry on. For hyperhidrosis in the underarms, the use of antiperspirant often works well. The most effective commercial antiperspirant preparations are those containing aluminium chlorohydrate. These preparations, however, may cause skin irritation; stop their use at once if this happens. Also, the combined effect of shaving and chemicals can result to inflammation and infection.

Oral medications are also available for checking hyperhidrosis. But such medications should be used only in radical instances since these may also cause some unwanted side effects. If a particular case of hyperhidrosis appears to exhibit resistance to all forms of treatments and medications mentioned here, surgery may be the ultimate recourse. [Read the Original Article]