Do you suffer from excessive sweating?
Excessive sweating can be embarrassing and affect your day to day living as well as you confidence at work and in relationships. It can impact on the choice of clothes you may choose to wear as well as how you interact with people around you.
Why do we sweat?
Sweating is a normal physiologic function of your body. It is regulated by your nervous system to maintain our body temperature in warm or hot conditions. Sweating also in related to physical stress, such as exercise, or emotional stress. However, for some people the amount that the sweat can become excessive and troublesome even in the absence of these triggering factors.
What is excessive sweating known as hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is common with around 3% of the population suffering from a focal (limited to certain parts of the body) or even generalised hyperhidrosis. For some people, this is very troublesome depending on the part of the body affected. In fact, it has been shown that hyperhidrosis can have a more severe impact on people’s quality of life than many serious chronic medical diseases.
Hyperhidrosis exists in 3 forms:
- Emotionally induced hyperhidrosis;
- Localized hyperhidrosis; and
- Generalized hyperhidrosis.
The underarm (or axilla region) is the most common area affected. The palms and feet following closely behind. For others, their hyperhidrosis localises to their face and head.
Importantly but infrequently, hyperhidrosis can be associated with certain medical problems such as overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or as a side effect from medications so it can be important that your doctor check for these.
Are there treatments?
There are a range of treatment options available. It is important to find the right fit for you as all patients can have varying responses to the following available treatments.
There are topical options for hyperhidrosis including aluminium based antiperspirants, topical anticholinergics and glutaraldehyde. There are some patients in whom these work well. However, in others they are not as effective or are associated with staining, contact sensitization, or are irritant to the skin.
Iontophoresis consists of passing a direct current across the skin. The mechanism of how this works remains uncertain. However, it is a safe and effective for some patients but requires continued treatment maintaining the effect.
Oral tablets can be used to treat hyperhidrosis such as anticholinergic medications which help block the bodies sweat secretion chemical (neurotransmitter) acetylcholine. These can be effective in some patients. However, others find the side effects unappealing including dry eyes, blurry vision, dry mouth and constipation.
Injections are available which are effective because of their anticholinergic effects on the nerves in the sweat glands. Adverse effects are possible such as minor muscle weakness at the treated sites (reported when hands are treated), which resolve after 2-5 weeks. Injections must be repeated at varying intervals to maintain long-term results.
Contact us to see how we can help you. Medicare rebates and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) may apply to some treatments including when high dose topical aluminium based antiperspirants are unsuccessfully on the underarms.