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That Stinks! What Can You Do About Excessive Sweating?

by — Last updated: 2015-11-06 in Skin & Hair problems

Excessive sweating can be embarrassing, but it can also signal that there is something wrong with your body. How do you know if you are sweating too much, and what can you do about it?

Like flatulence, excessive belching, or constant hiccups, excessive sweating can be an embarrassing social problem that profoundly affects your life. Sweating more than the average person may be a medically harmless annoyance that has a profound impact on your life, but it can also in some cases be a sign of more serious underlying health problems. How do you tell if you are an excessive sweater, how do you know if your sweating is just annoying or actually dangerous, and — what can you do about excessive sweating?

What Exactly Is Excessive Sweating?

Hyperhidrosis, the medical term for excessive sweating, can be defined as perspiring more than you would reasonably expect to under the circumstances. That means sweating lots and lots when you only exert yourself physically a little bit, or when you're inactive and it's not even hot — even when you are not terribly stressed for some reason. You may have hyperhidrosis if no deodorant works for you and if your clothes tend to get wet from sweating in circumstances where you would not expect that. 

Believe it or not, there are actually different types of excessive sweating:

  • Primary focal hyperhidrosis affects between one and three percent of the poopulation, usually commences during puberty or even before, and affects specific body parts. Your armpits, hands, feet, thighs and face may be affected. 
  • Secondary general hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating all over the body. It can strike any person of any age suddenly, and is caused by an underlying condition, also potentially making it more serious. Pregnant women and those going through the menopause can suffer from this type of extreme perspiration, but it can also be a sign of stroke, thyroid problems, diabetes, heart failure, and even cancer. 
  • Note: people suffering from anxiety can also experience excessive sweating, but this is not termed hyperhidrosis.

Should You See A Doctor About Your Stinky Problem?

Any person who believes they sweat more than usual certainly have a reason to see their family doctor for a checkup. It is, however, important to know that different people perspire at different rates. If your sweating problem is localized to a specific area of the body, occurs on both sides where relevant (armpits, hands, feet), and you have been perspiring at this rate since adolescence or before, you are unlikely to be dealing with a serious medical problem. That doesn't mean your excessive sweating does not affect you socially, of course, and you do have some treatment options — more about that later.
If, however, you have any of the following symptoms, you need to see your doctor at the firts opportunity due to the risk of underlying medical issues that require treatment:
 
  • Have you started sweatly abnormally much since starting a medication? You are likely to be dealing with a side effect, and your doctor needs to know about it.
  • Did your excessive sweating have a sudden onset, and is it combined with other symptoms such as increased thirst and urinary output, more hunger, constant fatigue and weakness, or sleeping difficulties? See your doctor, as you may be dealing with diabetes.
  • If your sweating problem isn't limited to a localized body part such as the face, thighs, or armpits, if your sweating suddenly got worse without a reasonable explanation, or if you just started sweating excessively after previously experiencing normal sweat patterns, an underlying medical condition may be at play.
  • Do you wake up in a cold sweat during the night? Are your sheets or your pillow drenched in the morning? Go see a doctor.

Solving Your Sweaty Problem: Treatment Options

The key to treating a physical problem lies in identifying the cause, and excessive sweating is no exception. Treatment options for truly heavy perspiration depend on the underlying issue you are dealing with.

Treating Primary Focal Hyperhidrosis

I'm sorry to have to break it to you, but there is no cure for primary focal hyperhidrosis. It can, however, be managed in such a way as to make you feel more comfortable.
 
 
A good antiperspirant will do wonders. As someone with primary focal hyperhidrosis myself, I am aware of how frustrating it is to try deodorant after deodorant without any result whatsoever, and having to go through life changing your t-shirts three or four times a day. Those who have primary focal hyperhidrosis will want to stop buying random over-the-counter deodorants and ask their family doctor for advice. Specialized antipersirants, creams, and sprays can help you find relief. Some are available over-the-counter, while others require a prepscription. If you want to explode OTC options, look for antiperspirants that contain zinc. 
 
You may want to look into getting Botox. That's right, Botox isn't just there to fight wrinkes. If your excessive sweating is concentrated in your armpits, Botox are an approved treatment that can really work. There is a catch you need to be aware of before you go ahead, though: some people who get Botox to curb excessive underarm sweating suddenly find they perspire more in other places, including their foreheads. Talk this over with your doctor first, in other words, and consider the pros and cons. 
Iontophoresis is a treatment that uses electric shocks to temporarily put your sweat glands out of order. It's something you will want to conssider before opting for surgery — because that's the other option. Yes, surgery. Sweat glands can be severed or removed to help you put an end to your excessive sweating once and for all. This is a radical option that you will want to discuss with your healthcare provider in detail before going ahead, however. 

Treating Secondary Hyperhidrosis

Secondary hyperhidrosis is, by definition, caused by an underlying medical condition. It can often be treated, but the key to putting an end to your excessive sweating is finding out what caused it in the first place. If your secondary hyperhidrosis was caused by a medication, switching to another drug may be the solution. If you're sweating lots because you have diabetes, managing your diabetes will help. If you suffer from thyroid problems that were previously undiagnosed, getting treatment for those problems will address your perspiration. 

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