Problems with Excessive Sweating?

Excessive sweating is a problem that affects several people in different parts f the world. In some cases it could be mild but there are other cases that are extreme. The real cause of excessive sweating is unknown now, and although there are some theories about it, there is no proof that points to one or another. The medical term for excessive sweating is called Hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis can present with excessive sweating in your armpits, palms, feet, or in your head as blushing. The symptoms can be embarrassing and often interfere with the social development of the subject. Although there are several remedies to Hyperhidrosis, their effectiveness varies from subject to subject.

One of the most common treatments is to use a prescription antiperspirant such as Drysol. Drysol's active ingredient is Aluminum Chloride, which is present in most antiperspirants in low concentrations, but in Drysol it is in a 40% concentration. There are possible side effects by using Drysol; one of them is that your skin can become irritable. It is also advised not to use it in broken or irritated skin. The warning label also points that your clothed could be damaged if they come in contact with the chemical.

There are other home remedies such as holding tea bags for 20 minutes once a day. Another remedy is to use the sage herb. Simply make a tea by boiling a cup of water, then placing about 1 tablespoon of sage for about 10 min. There are other claims that tomato juice or even eating charcoal can help with your excessive sweating problems, but results are variable depending n the individual.

For severe cases or a definitive treatment there is only one way out: surgery. The only thing that can be called a "cure" for Hyperhidrosis is a medical procedure called ETS surgery. ETS stands for "endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy". The procedure is very simple, and the type of surgery is one of the least invasive.

The procedure consists in making a small incision of about ½" wide just below your armpits. This gives the surgeon access to the sympathetic nerves that are responsible of sending the signals to your sweat glands to produce sweat. The nerves are then either cut, burned or just clamped in case the patient wants to reverse the surgery for any reason. This prevents the nerves for sending the signals to your sweat glands thus eliminating the excessive sweat.

This surgery is highly effective with success rates of over 95% in reducing excessive sweating from armpits and palms. A common side effect of this surgery is what is called compensatory sweating. Sometimes patients will experience an increase of sweating in their legs or back to compensate for the armpits or palms, but in most cases the compensatory sweating is much more manageable than Hyperhidrosis.