Hyperhidrosis in adults

The secretion of sweat in a person is a rather important function of the body, which helps to regulate body temperature. It is common for a person to sweat in hot weather, during stress, or after eating. But what to do if sweat flows in a stream even in ordinary life – we’ll find out from an expert

Increased sweating is characteristic of many colds, when the body temperature rises – in this way the body tries to cool itself naturally, and this is considered the norm. If the profuse secretion of the sweat glands increases for no apparent reason, the doctor may diagnose hyperhidrosis. What is hyperhidrosis, what causes it and how it is treated – we will learn from a dermatologist.

What is hyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis is a disorder of the sweat glands. Its characteristic feature is excessive sweating for natural thermoregulation. The norm is the production through the pores of the skin from 0,5 to 1 liter of fluid per day. Exceeding the indicators by 2 or more times is already considered a deviation.

Useful information about hyperhidrosis

Type hyperhidrosis	Characteristics
General or generalized	Profuse sweating covers the entire surface of the skin.
Local	The disease manifests itself in certain parts of the body. More often, sweat begins to stand out more abundantly in the areas of the armpits, palms, feet and face.
Primary or Essential	It is expressed by the spontaneous appearance of large volumes of sweat for unknown reasons. It is diagnosed more often in childhood. The manifestation of symptoms intensifies during puberty.
Secondary	Occurs against the background of diseases and functional disorders. Often affects the whole body.

Hyperhidrosis negatively affects the social life of a person. Excessive sweating can lead to problems at home and at work. According to statistics, about 80% of people who experience problems with excessive sweating experience psychological discomfort when communicating.¹.

There are mild, moderate and severe hyperhidrosis. In the first case, the disease does not interfere with communication with people. Moderate hyperhidrosis leads to limitation of daily activities. There is discomfort in close contact with others. The severe course of the disease is accompanied by abundant secretion with a pungent odor. The person begins to experience psychological problems.

Causes of hyperhidrosis in adults

Hyperhidrosis is often detected in neurological and somatic pathologies. It is diagnosed in people suffering from:

endocrine diseases – hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus;
neurological pathologies (for example, polyneuropathy);
cardiovascular insufficiency;
obesity;
chronic infectious diseases (tuberculosis, malaria);
neurosis, panic attacks.

Hyperhidrosis often occurs in women during periods of hormonal changes in the body – during pregnancy and menopause. Some cancers and autoimmune diseases also provoke sweating.².

armpit hyperhidrosis

In the language of medicine, excessive sweating of the armpits is called axillary hyperhidrosis. Most often, it appears with an increase in the production of hormones in the body. Increased sweating in the armpit area is considered a pathology if the clothes get very wet from moisture, an unpleasant odor appears, and deodorants and antiperspirants do not help to cope with the problem.

Hyperhidrosis of the palms

Sweaty palms can cause problems in the social and professional sphere of a person’s life. A person suffering from palmar (palmar) hyperhidrosis refuses to shake hands and dance. It is difficult for him to write or engage in professional activities. More often, sweating of the palms occurs in conjunction with excessive sweat in the feet and armpits.

Hyperhidrosis stop

Excessive sweating of the feet can provoke frequent colds in the cold season. Due to hyperhidrosis of the feet, many people try to wear closed shoes, and this, in turn, contributes to the active reproduction of bacteria and fungus. More often, excessive sweating on the feet (plantar hyperhidrosis) appears in conjunction with sweating of the palms.

Symptoms of hyperhidrosis in adults

The main signs of hyperhidrosis that require a visit to a doctor are the following symptoms:

clothes get wet with sweat;
sweating persists even at rest;
deodorants do not cope with the problem;
the skin turns red, loses its healthy appearance.

In healthy people, sweat does not smell if personal hygiene is observed. With hyperhidrosis, the active reproduction of bacteria begins. This leads to the development of bromidrosis – a pathology, which is characterized by the appearance of a pungent body odor.

Effective treatment for hyperhidrosis in adults

There are several effective treatments for hyperhidrosis. It is important to find a good specialist who will help determine the cause of the disease and find a suitable solution to the problem.

Diagnostics

The main method for diagnosing pathological sweating is the Minor test. It is carried out in the following order:

Areas with increased sweating are treated with Lugol’s solution.
The solution is left on the body until completely dry.
The skin is sprinkled with starch.
The diagnosis is based on changes in the color of the skin.
Purple or black color – too much sweat.

Also, the patient may be prescribed a complete blood count, ultrasound of the thyroid gland, ECG, computed tomography. The list of studies depends on the clinical picture of the disease.

Pills

Taking anticholinergic drugs, such as oxybutynin, can help reduce sweating. This drug has few side effects when used at the lowest effective dose of less than 10 mg per day.³. Other drugs used include amitriptyline, gabapentin, clonidine, and verapamil. They are prescribed for the treatment of the underlying disease, against which pathological sweating has developed.

1. Oxybutynin

The drug eliminates sweating in the areas of the face, feet, armpits. Effectively relieves the symptoms of hyperhidrosis and improves the quality of life.

Contraindications: atony and intestinal obstruction, ulcerative colitis, lactation, glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, children under 5 years of age.

taken in small doses.

causes dry mouth.

2. Clonidine

Drug for lowering blood pressure. Clonidine has a mild sedative effect and helps with hyperhidrosis on the background of arterial hypertension.

Contraindications: atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, arterial hypotension, pregnancy, lactation, age up to 18 years, atrioventricular blockade.

rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system.

may cause side effects from the nervous system: drowsiness, fatigue.

3. Gabapentin

An anticonvulsant drug that reduces the symptoms of neurological conditions that cause sweating. It has a pronounced analgesic effect.

Contraindications: hypersensitivity to components.

effectively relieves pain and cramps, helps fight excessive sweating.

may cause dizziness and drowsiness, headache, dry mouth.

Botox

Injections of preparations based on botulinum toxin are injected into the locations of the sweat glands. The effect can be seen after 48 hours. The procedure helps to get rid of sweating for a period of 6 to 12 months. Botulinum therapy is considered the gold standard in the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis.

Surgery

Surgical intervention, in which the sympathetic nerves are affected, will help eliminate excessive sweating.

With hyperhidrosis of the armpits and hands, a thoracic sympathectomy is performed.

First, the patient is anesthetized, after which a puncture is made in the chest, where a surgical instrument is inserted and the sympathetic nerve is cut. The procedure is effective, but may cause excessive dryness of the skin or the appearance of other undesirable consequences.

Prevention of hyperhidrosis in adults at home

To prevent excessive sweating, you need to choose high-quality clothes and shoes.
You can not take medications on your own – only a doctor can prescribe any medications.
A contrast shower will help to narrow the sweat glands and reduce their secretion.
It is necessary to undergo an annual examination of the body. This will help determine the state of health and identify diseases leading to hyperhidrosis at an early stage.