Excessive sweating is also know as Hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is a condition that millions of people suffer from. Seek medical advise to rule out genetic or medical causes for the condition. Once this has been done, consider other factors.
Anxiety and stress is a major cause of excessive sweating. If you are a victim of one or both of these factors, try evaluating the cause to change it. Meditation exercises are very useful in dealing with these issues. Learning to calm yourself and how to cope in a different way are excellent ways to fight against this problem. By learning these techniques, you can offset the body’s sympathetic nerves from overproducing the neurotransmitter chemicals that trigger excessive sweating.
Diet is also something you should examine. Spicy foods will trigger the nerve endings that move to the sweat glands producing Hyperhidrosis.
Treating Hyperhidrosis is approached with topical applications of antiperspirants that contain aluminum mineral salts that clog the pores and prevent the sweating for short periods of time. An application must be reapplied when worn off to continue the prevention of sweat. These antiperspirants are prescribed by a doctor.
Oral medications can also be prescribed by a doctor to treat Hyperhidrosis. This treatment is not as common anymore because of the numerous side effects caused by the medication.
Iontophoresis is a procedure that is also used to treat excessive sweating. Iontophoresis is using a small electric charge to deliver a medicine or other chemical through the skin. The procedure is described as an injection without the needle. Iontophoresis is a non-invasive method of propelling high concentrations of a charged substance, normally medication or bioactive agents, transdermally by repulsive electromotive force using a small electrical charge applied to an iontophoretic chamber containing a similarly charged active agent and its vehicle. This can be a very expensive treatment.
Botox is injected into the armpit in approximately 20 spots. This is also a cosmetic treatment. Doctors say this could give up to 6 months relief from the excessive sweating. Now that this treatment is FDA approved, many insurance companies are covering the procedure.
Surgery is also performed to treat Hyperhidrosis. The procedure is called Sympathectomy. The operation destroys part of the nerve supply to the sweat glands in the skin. Surgery is performed with a special endoscopic instrument into the chest between two ribs just below the armpit. The lung is deflated shortleyto better visualize and destroy the nerves. Sympathectomy is both effective and risky. This procedure is often used as a last resort.
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