Spa Of Embarrassing Illnesses 2
Factsheet: Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) is a distressing condition. Whilst it is not physically harmful it is a socially afflictive disorder which means everyday tasks such as shaking hands become uncomfortable. Here are the facts.
What is hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the body sweats excessively and inappropriately. Usually this sweating happens for little or no reason and can be so profuse as to dominate the sufferer's life because of the amount of wetness produced.
What are the symptoms of hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis of the hands creates difficulty with handling paperwork, keyboards and sports equipment. Where feet are affected there is inability to wear loose sandals like thongs and slipping on tiled or polished floors is a daily hazard. Other sufferers have problems with wetting bedding due to nocturnal sweating.
How is hyperhidrosis different to normal sweating?
It is well recognised that there is a wide range of what is considered "normal" sweating and this is an important part of the body's temperature regulating mechanism. Hyperhidrosis is well outside the accepted range of so-called normal.
It is also known that some disorders mentioned above can alter the body's metabolism with resulting alterations in the normal sweat production. Hyperhidrosis is however different in that there is no detectable abnormality in the patient's metabolism and furthermore only a segment of the body may be affected.
It is not the same as the excessive sweating which occurs in association with medical conditions such thyrotoxicosis or carcinoid syndrome, and it is not the same as the hot flushes which occur during a woman's menopause
Who is likely to suffer from hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is not recognised as a hereditary condition. The problem is usually most noticeable in young adults although most sufferers report that they were first affected during their childhood. Young women are affected almost three times more commonly than young men. Hyperhidrosis is less frequently seen in older people. There is no racial difference in incidence.
Where are the most common sites for hyperhidrosis?
The most common sites for hyperhidrosis are the armpits, hands, feet, face and scalp. It can affect any other part of the body and is sometimes troublesome in the groin, on the back, or the natal cleft between the buttocks.
Hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the body sweats excessively and inappropriately. Usually this sweating happens for little or no reason and can be so profuse as to dominate the sufferer's life because of the amount of wetness produced.
What are the symptoms of hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis of the hands creates difficulty with handling paperwork, keyboards and sports equipment. Where feet are affected there is inability to wear loose sandals like thongs and slipping on tiled or polished floors is a daily hazard. Other sufferers have problems with wetting bedding due to nocturnal sweating.
How is hyperhidrosis different to normal sweating?
It is well recognised that there is a wide range of what is considered "normal" sweating and this is an important part of the body's temperature regulating mechanism. Hyperhidrosis is well outside the accepted range of so-called normal.
It is also known that some disorders mentioned above can alter the body's metabolism with resulting alterations in the normal sweat production. Hyperhidrosis is however different in that there is no detectable abnormality in the patient's metabolism and furthermore only a segment of the body may be affected.
It is not the same as the excessive sweating which occurs in association with medical conditions such thyrotoxicosis or carcinoid syndrome, and it is not the same as the hot flushes which occur during a woman's menopause
Who is likely to suffer from hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is not recognised as a hereditary condition. The problem is usually most noticeable in young adults although most sufferers report that they were first affected during their childhood. Young women are affected almost three times more commonly than young men. Hyperhidrosis is less frequently seen in older people. There is no racial difference in incidence.
Where are the most common sites for hyperhidrosis?
The most common sites for hyperhidrosis are the armpits, hands, feet, face and scalp. It can affect any other part of the body and is sometimes troublesome in the groin, on the back, or the natal cleft between the buttocks.
