Excessive sweating: why it occurs and how to deal with it

What is hyperhidrosis?

Our body regulates body temperature in various ways, one of them is sweating. But if this process is too active, we are talking about hyperhidrosis - excessive sweating.
This is an unpleasant disease, because when sweat is released, an unpleasant odor is felt, traces remain on clothes, a feeling of self-doubt and discomfort is created.

Today, television is full of advertisements for new and effective tools that will help solve this problem, you just have to purchase them. But not everything is so simple.

What causes excessive sweating?

In most cases, it is passed down through the genes. If parents suffered from hyperhidrosis, it is likely that the child will also suffer from this disease. But there are other factors that can cause hyperhidrosis, namely:

• Fray's syndrome, in which one side of the face sweats. Such cases are rare if the gland responsible for the production of saliva is mechanically affected;
• drugs prescribed for diabetes, drug therapy for thyroid disease;
• cancers (leukemia and lymphoma can cause sweating flares);
• heart disease;
• menopause in women;
• night sweats may be due to tuberculosis;
• certain antidepressants and blood pressure lowering drugs;
• low levels of male hormones;
• fever.

What should you do if you notice such changes?

Our advice to you, do not delay, do not be shy, but visit a doctor, because excessive sweating can be a warning to your body about the presence of a particular disease. Cold sweat is usually a sign of a serious illness, especially if it is accompanied by pain in the heart or abdomen.

You should also pay attention to the smell of sweat. For example, a fruity smell can be a sign of diabetes, the smell of ammonia can mean problems with the liver or kidneys. There is a condition called fish odor syndrome or trimethylaminuria. It occurs in people with a defective gene that causes sweat to smell like rotten fish. It is advisable for such people not to eat seafood, liver, eggs.

How to get rid of excessive sweating?

When it comes to ways to deal with hyperhidrosis and its symptoms, in most cases it is about the use of deodorants. They are widely available and often help to cope with unpleasant odors, but they work on the principle of clogging the pores, as a result of which sweat is not released to the surface of the skin. That is why, after coming home, the remnants of deodorant must be washed off so that the skin can breathe and rest from such chemicals. Unfortunately, deodorants often cause a negative skin reaction, irritation, itching, redness. Therefore, it is better to limit their use.

If this option does not work for you, your doctor will recommend other treatments for excessive sweating:

• Iontophoresis. This method of treating hyperhidrosis is painless and safe, but its effectiveness is usually equal to the use of deodorant.
• Surgery. For a long time, only a few recognized this option, since the operation was quite complex and voluminous. If excessive sweating was observed only in the armpits, the endocrine glands were removed. Another option is to reduce the nerves that are responsible for the release of sweat in this area. Previously, after the operation, people had to spend a month in the hospital, because during the operation a large incision was required in the chest and spine, where the nerves are located. Today, a small incision is enough, and with the help of a video telescope and small surgical instruments, the operation will be successfully carried out. This method is called endoscopic chest desympathization. But there is no exact guarantee that increased sweating will not start elsewhere.
• Botulinum toxin. Studies have shown that Botox is one of the most convenient and effective treatments for hyperhidrosis, as it blocks the nerves that innervate the sweat glands. But to achieve the desired effect, one procedure will not be enough, and the result may appear only after 3 months.

But before you start looking for a specialist to perform a procedure or operation, you should remember some simple hygiene rules that help minimize excessive sweating:

• shoulder regularly, preferably twice a day;
• it is necessary to dry the body after bathing or showering, because microorganisms are better absorbed in a humid environment;
• when choosing shoes and clothes, give preference to natural materials. It is better not to spare money, but to feel comfortable and not be afraid to take off your shoes or hug someone;
• don't wear the same shoes for several days in a row, because they do not have time to dry overnight, especially in winter;
• if you do sports during the day, change your socks, clothes, preferably also take a light shower;
• Try to eliminate foods or drinks that cause sweating, as well as foods with strong odors.