Hyperhidrosis Symptoms, Causes, Treatments and Cures

hyperhidrosis symptoms…

Hyperhidrosis symptoms are easy to diagnose.  It is the occurrence of severe Excessive Sweating that is not possible to anticipate and, when it does occur, the sweating is uncontrollable. This condition typically affects the palms of the hands but it can also cause excess sweating of the feet, underarms and the face. It is a source of constant discomfort and embarrassment, and people who suffer from this condition seek long and hard for a cure or some solution to their problem.

Causes of Hyperhidrosis…

While hyperhidrosis causes are unknown, the medical field considers it to be an inherited problem with the sympathetic nervous system, particularly of the nerves located in the chest cavity. Over-activity of this part of the nervous system results in the excessive sweating that can have both physical and social consequences. Hyperhidrosis is found in just about every ethnic group and equally among the sexes. Unfortunately, those who inherit the condition suffer from it for life.

Treatments for Hyperhidrosis and Hyperhidrosis Cures…

While sufferers wish there were a way to cure hyperhidrosis, currently it is only possible to treat it without surgery. Hyperhidrosis treatments may include antiperspirants, medications (both oral and topical), Botox injections, iontophoresis and surgery. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is considered an effective treatment, although it can have unpleasant side effects.

Non-invasive solutions, such as antiperspirants and topical creams, are often tried first to treat hyperhidrosis. In general, antiperspirants work by decreasing production of the sweat glands. However, over the counter antiperspirants often do not work well enough for hyperhidrosis sufferers unless it has a high concentration of aluminum chloride.

If over the counter products do not work, the patient’s doctor may prescribe Drysol, a solution containing 20 percent aluminum chloride. Drysol is applied to the affected body parts at night so that it can be left on for at least six hours. In the morning, the solution is completely washed off. The use of Drysol usually shows some initial success but is, typically, not a long term solution.

If Drysol does not work, there are other prescription antiperspirants that can be tried such as Xertax AC, Odaban and Maxim. Possible side effects of all prescription antiperspirants are skin irritation and allergic effects.

For body areas that are easily submersible in water, such as the hands and feet, iontopheresis is another possible treatment. This method works by the induction of electrical changes into the sweat glands to disrupt the nerves that cause the production of sweat. The hands or feet are placed in water and an electric current is passed through the water. Mild to moderate cases of hyperhidrosis typically respond to this treatment, which must be continued throughout the patient’s lifetime. Initial treatments take about twenty minutes per day and then, depending upon the results, timing is customized to each patient. Side effects, while few, include skin drying out and cracking or mild pain when the treatments first begin.

Hyperhidrosis Medication…

Oral medications are also a way to try and treat hyperhidrosis symptoms. Anticholinergics, such as Robinul, Probanthine and Dirtropan, are used. Unfortunately the high dosages needed to be effective can produce side effects such as constipation, blurred vision, urine retention and mouth dryness.  As topical creams applied to the affected areas, anticholinergics have shown to offer even less success.

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) has been used as a hyperhidrosis treatment. It works because it can temporarily block the transmitters in the nerves that cause the excessive sweat production. The injection of Botox is painful, especially in the area where this treatment seems to work best, underarm (axillary) hyperhidrosis. The patient receives fifteen to twenty injections and improvement is noticed almost immediately. Treatments need to be repeated every four to six months. Unfortunately, the high cost of this treatment, plus the necessity for it to be repeated, can result in some patients having to forgo this possible solution.

In addition to the underarm area, Botox injectins have shown some success in treating hyperhidrosis of the palm (palmar) and face (facial). As with treatment of axillary hyperdidrosis, multiple injections are required and patients show some reluctance to have this type of treatment. In addition, Botox has been known to cause temporary paralysis of hand muscles when used to treat Palmar Hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis Surgery…

Because of the belief that the sweating is only a symptom of the overactive sympathetic nerves in the chest cavity, surgery that results in interrupting the nerves is another hyperhidrosis treatment. Called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS), the surgery is performed through a small incision cut into the underarm area. Performed under general anesthesia, the surgery can involve clamping/clipping or cutting of the sympathetic nerves.

With the surgical method that uses clamps, the nerves are not cut. Instead, a clip or clamp is attached to the nerve, applying pressure so that the nerve signals are interrupted. Since there is no destruction to the sympathetic ganglia, it is theoretically possible to reconstruct the nerves at a later date by simply removing the clamps.

When the nerves are cut, the cutting is physically performed with a scissors. This method makes it very hard to reattach the nerves at some time in the future. Some surgeons perform a procedure that cuts out a piece of the nerve. Effective in the treatment of some type of hyperhidrosis, this procedure also makes it difficult to reconstruct the nerve at a later time.

Unfortunately, a side effect of this surgery is compensatory sweating, excessive sweating of parts of the torso and legs. One way surgeons try to minimize this side effect is by carefully selecting which sympathetic nerves to cut/clip. The sympathetic nerves in the chest cavity are numbered T1 to T12. T2, for instance, is associated with facial blushing or sweating. By cutting/clipping only the T2 nerve, the surgeon’s goal is to improve the Facial Hyperhidrosis without causing sweating of other body parts.

Sufferers of hyperhidrosis should seek out a dermatologist highly experienced in this condition for assistance with relief that can be provided by topical or oral medication. If surgery is being considered, a neurosurgeon should be consulted. While there is still no cure for this condition, new treatments are becoming available and may be able to offer the patient some relief.