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What is Hyperhidrosis?

HYPERHIDROSIS



Hyperhidrosis
is excessive sweating. This condition is a common disorder that can affect one specific area (focal hyperhidrosis) or the whole body (generalized hyperhidrosis). Around 7.8 million Americans have hyperhidrosis, and about 2 to 3 percent of Americans suffer from this disorder in their underarms (axillary hyperhidrosis) or in their palms or soles of their feet (palmoplantar hyperhidrosis).

This condition is not life-threatening, but it can be extremely uncomfortable and bring people psychological distress. Most people who suffer from this disorder find the condition to be embarrassing as the excessive sweating can stain clothes and get in the way of business, social, and romantic situations. When a person has a severe case of hyperhidrosis, he or she can have trouble shaking hands or gripping items.

Palmoplantar hyperhidrosis can begin around age 13, while axillary hyperhidrosis is known to start around late adolescence. However, hyperhidrosis can be present from birth.

Hyperhidrosis Symptoms

When a person has hyperhidrosis, the excessive sweating disrupts their daily life and activities. Excessive sweating episodes will occur at least once a week with no clear explanation. Hyperhidrosis symptoms include:

  • Frequent sweating
  • Clammy/wet palms of the hands and/or soles of the feet
  • Noticeable sweat soaking through clothing.
  • Irritation/painful skin problems (fungal or bacterial infections) in area with hyperhidrosis.

When a person has hyperhidrosis, he or she may be: hesitant to make physical contact with others, self-conscious, socially withdrawn, depressed, selective with who they see, worrying about his/her body odor.

Causes of Hyperhidrosis

The causes of secondary hyperhidrosis vary, and yet, the causes of primary hyperhidrosis are not well understood. Hyperhidrosis can either be due to an underlying condition or have no apparent cause at all.

Primary idiopathic (unknown cause) hyperhidrosis is usually localized. Secondary hyperhidrosis is due to an underlying health condition like obesity, menopause, gout, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, a tumor, or mercury poisoning.

Primary hyperhidrosis used to be linked to a person’s mental and emotional state (a person who was stressed, anxious or nervous) but recent research has shown that a person who has primary hyperhidrosis is no more prone to those psychological feelings than the rest of the popular. Mostly, if a person is feeling stressed or anxious it’s because of the hyperhidrosis, not the other way around. Other studies have shown that certain genes can play a role in hyperhidrosis, so it could be inherited. Many patients with this disorder also have a parent or sibling with it, as well.

Like stated above, there are several causes of hyperhidrosis, here are a few more causes:

Spinal cord injury, anxiety, alcohol abuse, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, pregnancy, respiratory failure, shingles, some cancers, some infections (HIV, TB, malaria), some antidepressants and other medications, and substance abuse.

For some people, heat can trigger an episode of hyperhidrosis, but for the most part, people sweat throughout the entire day with this condition despite the weather or even their mental state.

HYPERHIDROSIS

Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. This condition is a common disorder that can affect one specific area or the whole body.


SYMPTOMS

Symptoms can vary depending on the severity and the condition. These can include frequent sweating, clammy palms to soaking of clothing.


TREATMENT

Treatment for hyperhidrosis is varied. A doctor will evaluate a person’s triggers for hyperhidrosis, along with possible causes. After this evaluation, the doctor will come up with a treatment plan that can lead to positive results and an improved quality of life.

HYPERHIDROSIS TREATMENTS

These can vary from Endoscopic Thoracic Sympatectomy to Boutlinum Toxin Injections.


RECOVERY

This depends on what treatment options was administered. In most extreme cases if ETS is performed, most patients leave the hospital in under 24 hours and their recovery is generally complete within two weeks.


SELF-MANAGEMENT

At-home lifestyle changes, like wearing loose clothing, armpit shields, eating non-spicy foods and using clinical strength antiperspirants, can reduce symptoms.


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Tampa Robotic Lung Surgery Center | Dr. Peter Mikhail

Dr. Peter Mikhail is a thoracic and cardiac surgeon in Tampa, Clearwater, and New Port Richey, Florida who specializes in Robotic Lung Surgery. He received his Medical Degree from McGill University in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. He then completed his General Surgery residency at the University of Toronto.

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