The smell of sweat, excessive sweating in the armpits – what could be more unpleasant? In summer, the problem escalates, and in the fight against sweating, women are ready for anything: deodorants and antiperspirants are used, the advertising of which promises to completely get rid of the consequences of sweating. But alas, sometimes even cosmeceuticals cannot help – a person is sick with hyperhidrosis. At the request of Goodshapetips, the doctor tells about what kind of ailment it is and how to treat it.
It’s human nature to sweat! At room temperature, we produce about half a liter of sweat per day, and in the heat, especially when combined with physical activity, we sweat ten times more.
This ability sometimes brings a lot of trouble. At the same time, when we catch a cold, we wrap ourselves in a blanket and drink raspberry tea to sweat!
What is hyperhidrosis? In what case does it not hurt to sweat, and when should sweating be alarming? Let’s try to figure it out…
Types of hyperhidrosis
So, hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating.
Normally, sweating increases in hot weather, during exercise or fever. Excessive sweating can occur reflexively with emotional experiences, pain, hot or spicy food, alcohol and a number of chemicals.
It should be borne in mind that wearing tight clothes and shoes made of synthetic materials, staying in stuffy rooms with high air humidity, and improper drinking regimen also lead to an increase in perspiration. All this – physiological hyperhidrosis, protective function of the body against overheating.
Pathological hyperhidrosis – this is inadequate sweating due to a number of neuroendocrine disorders, which occurs regardless of the temperature effect on the body.
In this case, sweating can increase only on certain parts of the body: face, palms, armpits, soles of the feet. This type of hyperhidrosis is called local (local). In addition to the local generalized (generalized) hyperhidrosis, which disturbs the sweating of the whole body.
Most often, pathological hyperhidrosis is a symptom of various diseases. That is, increased sweating is only a consequence of the underlying disease. She is cured – sweating also passes. This secondary hyperhidrosis.
However, it also occurs primary hyperhidrosis. This is excessive sweating for no apparent reason.
Well, now it’s clear that wet palms on a date are normal and sometimes even romantic, and wet armpit stains in the sun are disgusting, but quite natural.
But what to do if you sweat excessively contrary to all the laws and rules of physiology? How to find out the reason, and where to turn for help?
Causes of Excessive Sweating
To begin, consider the main conditions in which secondary hyperhidrosis develops. It is these diseases that, first of all, will be addressed by the diagnostic search of a general practitioner, to whom you will turn for help.
one. Endocrine diseases and conditions: increased thyroid function (hyperthyroidism), pheochromocytoma, diabetes mellitus, acromegaly, menopause, etc.
2. Pathology of the nervous system and psycho-emotional sphere: vegetative-vascular dystonia, panic attacks, phobic disorders, Parkinson’s disease, polyneuropathy, stroke, etc.
3. Infectious diseases: tuberculosis, malaria, brucellosis, helminthiases, sepsis, AIDS, etc.
4. Diseases of the cardiovascular system: ischemic heart disease, hypertension, etc.
five. kidney disease
6. Tumor diseases
7. Genetic diseases
8. As well as alcoholism, the effect of narcotic substances, mushroom poisoning, organophosphorus compounds.
As you can see, the list is quite long, but even it does not fully cover all the possible causes of excessive sweating.
As a rule, with secondary hyperhidrosis, the whole body sweats, there is no dependence on the time of day, a clear connection with the activity of the underlying disease remains, and, as you recover, sweating decreases.
To search for the cause of hyperhidrosis, you will be asked standard examination, including laboratory and instrumental diagnostics. You may have to visit specialists: an endocrinologist, a neurologist, an infectious disease specialist, a gynecologist, an oncologist, etc.
In the case when the examination does not find reasons for the development of sweating, they speak of primary hyperhidrosis as an independent disease.
For primary hyperhidrosis, local sweating is more common. There are complaints of constant and profuse sweating on the face, palms, feet, in the armpits.
Sweat trickles down the skin, leads to its irritation, contributes to the attachment of infection, the development of fungal diseases. People have serious physical and social problems, the standard of living is deteriorating sharply.
Sometimes primary hyperhidrosis is inherited and is familial. More often it is symmetrical and stops at night.
A huge number of methods have been proposed to assess hyperhidrosis. Most of them have no practical significance for diagnosis, and exist only for scientific research, are used during preparation for surgery and to confirm the effectiveness of the treatment.
These techniques can be reduced to determining the loss of body weight over certain periods of time, the absorption of sweat in special chambers. Apply electrometric methods based on changes in skin resistance in the process of sweating.
They use the ability of various substances to change their color when combined with sweat, which makes it possible to qualitatively determine the location of hyperhidrosis zones. Exist provocative tests with the introduction of various substances that stimulate or inhibit sweating.
So the diagnosis is clear. How can you get rid of this disease?
Treatment of hyperhidrosis
Alas, despite the fact that modern medicine offers many solutions to the problem, the answer to this question will be prosaic. Hyperhidrosis can be cured, but…
Firstly, treatment for hyperhidrosis is long-term. There is a need for repeated courses. Second, get ready to significant financial outlays.
Thirdly, among physicians there is no consensus on the priority treatment method. The superiority of various methods is constantly challenged. To date, there is not enough information about the results of treatment.
And conclusions about the preference of one method or another have to be drawn mainly on the basis of literary reviews, private studies and monographs. Apparently, the search for the optimal method of treatment is a matter of the future.
Thus, a person suffering from hyperhidrosis finds himself in an extremely difficult position and is forced to take an active part in choosing a method of treatment. Let’s try to sort through the main medical techniques and recommendations, weigh their effectiveness, safety, cosmetics and cost.
It is necessary to exclude from the diet foods containing caffeine and theobromine – substances that stimulate sweating. Such products are: tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, cola, etc.
It is advisable to take a shower twice a day. You should wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict movement, made of natural or artificial (viscose) fibers, leather shoes in size. Don’t buy synthetic clothes!
Such as “Drisol”, “Odoban”, “Maxim” instead of the usual antiperspirant deodorants. The use of these drugs significantly reduces sweating. But, unfortunately, in some cases there is irritation on the skin, and the treatment has to be stopped. The cost of an antiperspirant is on average about 1000 rubles.
Including the Drionik device. Sessions are held once a week, the effect is usually very good, it comes after 8-9 sessions. Burns, skin irritation, redness and itching are possible. It is necessary to constantly repeat courses of treatment. The cost of an electrophoresis device is about 8,000 rubles.
Atropine, propranolol, klonopin, Prozac, etc. Treatment with effective doses of drugs is often accompanied by dry mouth, drowsiness, visual impairment, development of glaucoma, constipation, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, etc.
Gives the best and most stable result in axillary hyperhidrosis. But repeated injections of drugs are required every 6-8 months. One course of treatment will cost you an average of 40,000 rubles.
Operations consist in crossing (irreversible sympathectomy) or clamping with a clip (reversible sympathectomy) the nerves that innervate the sweat glands. The method is especially preferred when combining axillary hyperhidrosis with palmar.
Improvements are noted in 40-80% of patients. The effect lasts for several years. Side effects: compensatory increased sweating, sweating when eating, drooping eyelids, arrhythmias, etc. The cost of the operation is about 40,000 rubles.
This is scraping the skin from the inside through a small incision. Curettage is indicated for isolated axillary hyperhidrosis. In most patients, there is a cessation or a significant decrease in sweating.
Over time (after 6 months), sweating may return. Complications: cicatricial changes in the skin, necrosis (death) of the skin of the armpit, insufficient curettage. On average, manipulation costs 14,000 rubles.
Used for underarm sweating. Gives 100% results with extensive excision of the skin. But it often leads to a rough cicatricial process and a violation of the mobility of the upper limbs.
Conclusion
Statistically, hyperhidrosis affects 1% of the world’s population, according to the international nomenclature, this disease is assigned the code 780.8.
In the same time, only in Sweden and the United Kingdom, the cost of treating hyperhidrosis is covered by health insurance. In most countries, hyperhidrosis is not distinguished as a separate pathology.
Despite this, in recent years, the development of new methods for diagnosing and treating excessive sweating has been actively conducted. Medicine does not stand still and, perhaps, the search for the optimal method of treatment will soon be crowned with success!
Natalia DOLGOPOLOVA,
general practitioner
Are you choosing the right cosmetics?
DISCOVER
