Treatment of excessive sweating of the hands and underarms
1. What is excessive sweating?
- Excessive sweating is a common condition in which a person sweats more than normal.
- Commonly affected areas include the underarms, palms, soles, face and chest, or groin, and the condition often affects both sides.
2. Effects of excessive sweating
- Excessive sweating rarely has a serious impact on health, but it can cause worry and stress. This can negatively affect quality of life and may lead to feelings of anxiety.
- In some cases, excessive sweating can cause fungal infections of the skin and nails, as well as folliculitis. Excessive sweating can also cause body odor to spread more quickly, affecting psychological well-being.
There are two main groups of causes
- Primary hyperhidrosis: Excessive sweating without a clear cause, believed to be related to abnormalities of the nervous system. The condition begins in childhood or before puberty, becomes more severe during puberty, and may persist throughout life.
- Secondary hyperhidrosis: Excessive sweating caused by an underlying condition. It usually causes generalized sweating.
- Some causes of secondary hyperhidrosis include hyperthyroidism, diabetes, hypoglycemia, pregnancy or menopause, nervous system disorders, certain cancers, and infectious diseases.
3. When should you see a doctor?
- You should see a doctor for consultation when excessive sweating affects your daily activities or has a significant psychological impact.
4. How is excessive sweating treated?
- Lifestyle changes: Lifestyle changes are generally not the primary treatment, but they can help improve symptoms and increase self-confidence. Some suggested lifestyle changes include avoiding stimulants such as spicy foods and alcohol; avoiding tight-fitting clothing; and limiting clothing made from synthetic fibers, such as nylon.
- Psychological therapy: Feelings of anxiety do not directly cause primary hyperhidrosis, but they can make the condition worse and create a vicious cycle. Psychiatric or psychopharmacological treatment may improve excessive sweating of the hands, but it will not completely treat the condition. Practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation can help you learn to manage stress.
- Medical treatment: There is no specific medical treatment. Medications used mainly include psychiatric medications or antispasmodic drugs; however, they can cause many side effects and are therefore not recommended.
5. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy
- Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy is currently the most widely used surgical procedure for treating hyperhidrosis. It is commonly used for excessive sweating of the palms or underarms.
- The patient receives general anesthesia. Two approximately 5-mm skin incisions are made on each side of the chest. Through these incisions, the surgeon inserts an endoscope into each side of the chest to identify and cut the sympathetic nerves. This prevents signals from being transmitted along the nerves to the sweat glands.
6. How long does the surgical treatment take?
- On average, 1–2 days are required to complete the treatment process, including 1 day for examination and preoperative preparation and 1 day for surgery. Patients may be discharged on the same day.
7. Effectiveness of surgery for excessive sweating
- For palmar hyperhidrosis: In most cases, both hands become dry immediately after surgery. Compensatory sweating in other areas may occur.
- For axillary hyperhidrosis: The effectiveness of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy is considered favorable, but compared with palmar hyperhidrosis, the success rate and degree of compensatory sweating are less favorable.
The information above is for reference purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please contact your doctor for detailed medical consultation.