How to Cure Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is a medical term that describes the body's inability to control the amount of perspiration produced. The condition may be activated by a number of different things including environment, activity, or diet. Certain medications and alcohol are also known to trigger hyperhidrosis in some people, as is emotional upheaval in others.
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Instructions
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Determine the cause of hyperhidrosis
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Identify where excess sweating is taking place in your body. It most often occurs under the arms, on the palms of the hands, at the soles of the feet and around the face and neck area. It can also be present under women's breasts or around the sexual organs in both males and females.
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Keep a log noting each excessive sweating episode. Note what you were doing at the time and what the environment was. Write down any foods or drinks consumed prior to the event. To relieve or cure hyperhidrosis, you must understand what may have activated it. A log may give you and your physician clues.
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Check your blood sugar frequently if you are diabetic. According to Right Health, many physicians see a direct correlation between low blood sugar and hyperhidrosis.
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Make a doctor's appointment for help in zeroing in on the specific cause of your condition. This may require testing to rule out medical conditions like hypoglycemia, insufficient testosterone levels, high thyroid levels, menopause and others that are commonly linked with hyperhidrosis. It may also involve psychological testing to rule out conditions like manic depression or dementia.
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Follow the doctor's regimen to see if his suggestions help. For example, hormone replacement therapy may eliminate hyperhidrosis for menopausal women, while high-strung thyroid glands may be calmed by iodine medications.
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Bathe more frequently. Ramping up hygiene can ensure that less bacteria make their home on your body.
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Meditate regularly. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, sometimes reducing physical and emotional stress can help decrease excessive sweat.
Cure hyperhidrosis
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Stop eating or drinking any foods or liquids directly linked to a hyperhidrosis incident. Eliminating those items might alleviate the condition.
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Avoid environments that seem to repeatedly trigger hyperhidrosis.
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Discontinue activities that lead to hyperhidrosis. If a strenuous sport always triggers an episode, it may be in your best interest to discontinue it.
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Drink lots of water to help hydrate the body. According to Medicine Net, dehydration might trigger hyperhidrosis in some people.
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Use a deodorant that is approved for the condition. If over-the-counter brands don't do the trick, a physician can prescribe a stronger one with aluminum chloride or a compound of hexhydrate.
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Try natural treatments for hyperhidrosis. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, ginger and ginseng have been used as natural treatments for the condition, although no scientific studies confirm that they work.
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Take any anticholinergic drugs prescribed by your physician. As reported by Right Health, it is believed that such drugs are effective in blocking signals sent from the nervous system that trigger the body's perspiration system.
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Try Botox treatments. As reported by the Center for the Cure of Hyperhidrosis, one or more Botox injections may be required before real results are seen. The purpose of the injections is to paralyze perspiration-producing nerves. A treatment will last for approximately three months.
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Try iontophoresis. This is a mild electrolysis treatment applied to the part of the body where the excessive sweating occurs, according to the Hyperhidrosis Organization. Treatments might be given for a few days or a few weeks before the body slows its perspiration to that site. Once sweating decreases, treatments are reduced to weekly or monthly.
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Consult a surgeon if none of the other treatments work. Surgery removes sweat glands and works best for patients who experience hyperhidrosis in only one
area.
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Tips & Warnings
An iontaphoresis treatment is typically done in the doctor's office or at a local clinic. In some instances, however, a physician may prescribe the machine for in-home use.
Prescription deodorants can cause skin irritation, rash and burns in some individuals. If that happens, stop use and consult a physician. There are side effects to anticholinergic drugs. These include blurry vision, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, inability to taste or change in the sense of taste, a state of confusion and decreased urine. Botox has side effects that can include headache and upset stomach. Women who are pregnant or plan to get pregnant, as well as those who are still breastfeeding, should not have Botox injections.
