Hyperhidrosis is a condition resulting in sudden or continuous excess sweating from parts of the body including the palms, feet, armpits and face. The condition can also induce blushing and has many psychological side effects that often result in nervousness and feelings of self-consciousness.
The excessive sweating is uncontrollable through conventional methods such as over-the-counter deodorant and is unaffected by climate changes. A key attribute of hyperhidrosis is that it doesn’t matter what the temperature of your environment is. It can be a cool autumn day or a warm spring day and you’ll still be perspiring profusely.
The human body perspires to maintain a constant internal body temperature. Sweating is regulated by the Sympathetic Nervous System, which controls about five million sweat glands in the body. Hyperhidrosis is characterized by the hyperactivity of these sweat glands. The root cause is thought to be genetic.
You’re not alone in this condition. Up to 1% of the entire population including 3 million Americans suffer from Hyperhidrosis. The excessive sweating can occur in many regions of the body including:
the Palms (palmer hyperhidrosis)
the Feet (plantar hyperhidrosis)
the Armpits (axillary hyperhidrosis)
the Face (facial hyperhidosis)
the Torso, Back, Chest and Groin (truncal hyperhidrosis)
The Triggers of Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis sweating can be triggered by common emotions, stress, and moderate exercise. The condition is exacerbated by social interaction and anxiety driven by others finding out about the sweating.
For example, shaking hands may be very uncomfortable because the person with the condition knows that the person on the other end of the handshake will walk away with wet, sweaty hands. The apprehension of this situation alone can increase the persons excessive sweating.
Another example is someone who knows they will need to take their shoes off in front of another. The fear of their condition being exposed can lead to increased plantar hyperhidrosis sweating.
Obviously many of the symptoms are driven by psychological triggers but the underlying cause of the sweating is physical. The hyperactive sweat glands are always the real culprit.
Hyperhidrosis is caused more often than not by hyper activity in a person’s Somatic Nervous System. This is a system in the body (along with the hypothalamus) that controls thermoregulation – body temperature.
The Sympathetic Chain, a connection or nerves in the chest cavity, is a major player in the Somatic Nervous System. This chain of nerves sends signals to the sweat glands in the major body areas mentioned above, triggering the release of perspiration to cool body temperature. The result is the continous, uncontrollable sweating that has led you to this site.
2 Major Types of Hyperhidrosis
Although hyperhidrosis can be classified depending on the part of the body it affects (palmer hyperhidrosis, plantar hyperhidrosis etc.), there are 2 MAJOR types of the disorder. These 2 types point to the specific cause of the problem rather than the area that excretes the sweat.
Primary Hyperhidrosis is a genetic condition that causes the continuous or spontaneous sweating of the palms, feet, armpits and face.
Treatments for this condition include:
Botox Injections
Sympathectomy Surgery (ETS)
The Natural Remedies Listed throughout this site
Clinical and Prescription Deodorants
Iontophoresis
Secondary Hyperhidrosis is brought on by underlying factors such as:
Hyperthyroidism
Infections
Malignancy
Autoimmune disorders
Obesity
Menopause
Diabetes
Psychiatric disorders
Treatment for secondary hyperhidrosis involves eliminating the underlying condition.
There ARE natural cures available for primary hyperhidrosis. I highly recommend you check out Mike Ramsey’s Stop Sweating & Start Living natural cure. It’s worked for hundreds of people and ends 95% of hyperhidrosis symptoms in two weeks. You can check out this natural solution HERE.
Tue, Jan 5, 2010
Education