Many people are unaware that excessive perspiration or sweating is a medical problem known as hyperhidrosis, which can be treated to enhance one’s way of life. The cure for hyperhidrosis depends on its kind and can be discussed with your dermatologist. In this article, let’s learn about hyperhidrosis causes, its signs, and the treatment options.
What is Hyperhidrosis?
Excessive sweating is known as hyperhidrosis. This condition results in your body sweating more than it should be for no reason. Although it is quite a common condition, it can make someone feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. You can experience excessive sweating in your underarms, feet, palms, scalp, and face. This condition can also lead to situations where people cannot shake hands, hold a pen, or hold the steering wheel of a car. You must speak with your doctor and discuss hyperhidrosis treatment options to manage its symptoms. They may ask you to start medications, antiperspirants or even go for therapies.
Types of Hyperhidrosis
Primary focal and secondary are the two kinds of hyperhidrosis. Both types result in excessive sweating, but there are still some differences.
The hyperhidrosis causes also differ depending on the type.
- People who have primary focal hyperhidrosis have no evident medical condition and are healthy.
- Whereas hyperhidrosis causes in the case of secondary is because of any other situation, such as an underlying medical condition.
What are Hyperhidrosis Causes?
The excessive sweating causes in the body is due to cholinergic receptor overstimulation on the eccrine glands. Eccrine glands are most frequently linked to this condition since they are concentrated in regions like the cheeks, palms, soles, and axillae. There are no hyperhidrosis causes for the primary type. Whereas for secondary, as the name suggests, excessive sweating causes are due to either a medical condition or a side effect of a medicine.
Here are some medical conditions that can result in excessive sweating causes or the secondary type in the body:
- Acromegaly
- Tuberculosis
- Diabetic hyperglycemia
- Pheochromocytoma
- Fever of unknown origin
- Neurologic disease (Neuropathy, Parkinson’s disease, etc.)
- Hyperthyroidism
- Menopause
- Infection
- Leukaemia
- Malaria
- Lymphoma
Symptoms of Hyperhidrosis
Listed below are some hyperhidrosis symptoms for your reference:
- Excessive sweating in some body parts (can be one or more parts).
- Sweating excessively, especially after you wake up in the morning.
- Sweating that disrupts daily activities.
- Wet or clammy palms
- Wet or clammy feet soles
- Sweating that can soak clothes
Hyperhidrosis causes may also lead to skin irritation and other bacterial or fungal infections. People may also experience some non-visible symptoms, like:
- Stained clothes
- Excessive body odour
- Hesitating to make physical contact
- Anxiety or depression
- Social withdrawal
- Embarrassment or feeling of self-consciousness
Your dermatologist or doctor will advise you on the diagnosis and cure for hyperhidrosis based on your symptoms.
Hyperhidrosis Diagnosis
Diagnosis will be advised based on the hyperhidrosis symptoms and causes. Your doctor may suggest lab tests like the ones mentioned below to rule out this condition.
Based on the diagnosis, the physician might provide hyperhidrosis treatment options to manage the condition and enhance the patient’s quality of life.
Hyperhidrosis Treatment Options
The treatment for excessive sweating starts with antiperspirants that generally help the patient treat this condition. However, if it doesn’t work, your doctor may advise you to go on oral medication to control hyperhidrosis symptoms. These medications may help reduce the stimulation of your sweat gland, thus reducing sweating.
Oral medications are the cure for hyperhidrosis for people with excessive face sweating or overall sweating. Your doctor may also suggest therapies or Botox as a treatment for excessive sweating. If the hyperhidrosis condition is severe, patients are also advised to undergo sweat glands removal surgery or disconnecting nerves associated with sweat production.
When is Hyperhidrosis Serious?
Primarily, hyperhidrosis is not a medically serious condition. However, the secondary type can worsen if left untreated. You will have the secondary condition when it affects your entire body, not just one specific part. This condition also occurs mainly when you sleep, unlike the primary one, which happens only when awake.
If you experience all-over body sweating, you must visit a doctor and discuss your condition. This may be the start of a more significant underlying medical condition that may require immediate attention from the doctor.
Final Thoughts
Hyperhidrosis is a common condition that affects many. However, people are mostly unaware of it. Before exploring the treatment plans, you must understand hyperhidrosis causes and signs and consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. The treatment for excessive sweating due to the primary reason can be antiperspirants. However, for the secondary type, the treatment varies per the underlying medical condition.
