Though not life-threatening, hyperhidrosis can be a real issue and can negatively impact your quality of life. It can be difficult to deal with or even talk about this condition, but an understanding of the symptoms, as well as how to treat them, can help you regain your confidence.
What is Hyperhidrosis?
In short, hyperhidrosis refers to excessive sweating. What a person considers to be “excessive” is generally accepted to be a level at which the problem begins to impose on his or her life. Hyperhidrosis generally appears in the teenage years or early adulthood. This can refer to the obvious underarm sweating, but also excessive sweating of the feet or hands as well.
What are the Symptoms?
Though, as noted above, hyperhidrosis is not life threatening, that does not mean it isn’t a serious problem. It is unknown what causes this condition, and it is not associated exclusively with anxiety or stress. The main symptoms associated with hyperhidrosis are behavioral, as no real health risk is posed by the issue.
In addition to excessive sweating, symptoms include retreating from social and even regular daily activities due to embarrassment or sensitivity about excessive sweating. Another key symptom is the need to regularly change clothes so as to not appear excessively sweaty to others. Self-confidence is often impacted by hyperhidrosis.
Treating Hyperhidrosis Symptoms
There are many over-the-counter antiperspirants and creams that are designed to help reduce problems with excessive sweating. These can be quite helpful for some people who suffer from hyperhidrosis, but these options may not be effective for all suffering from this condition.
For those who find no relief from OTC products, help is often found via a dermatologist. There are a variety of treatment options available, as this can actually be a rather difficult problem to eradicate. Treatment options include prescription-strength antiperspirants, the use of Botox-like injections to the affected area, and the use of mild electric currents conducted through water. Sometimes, oral medications are prescribed. In severe cases, surgery to remove the sweat glands may be performed.
While excessive sweating may be an embarrassing problem, it can be treated quite effectively in all but the worst of cases. Problems like this can shatter self-confidence and create problems in people’s social, or even everyday lives. Whether through the use of over-the-counter remedies, or through the use of prescription-strength remedies provided by a medical professional, it is possible to effectively manage hyperhidrosis and ensure that it no longer impacts your life.
Featured Image: depositphoto/Koldunov
