HYPERHIDROSIS

Homeopathic Treatment of Hyperhidrosis or Profuse Sweating

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If you have spent any time looking in the local drug store, you will see that there are plenty of products that promise to cure the sweating or perspiration problem. Everything from powders and creams to body sprays, but the trouble is that most of them are just targeting the symptom - excessive sweating - instead of treating the root cause of the problem.

The cause of hyperhidrosis varies, and may at times be caused by a problem with the metabolism, but generally it is overactive sweat glands that are the problem.

There are several things that you can do to treat your hyperhidrosis. From a medical standpoint, there are the over the counter powders and sprays that are available and you can be prescribed a stronger antiperspirant. There are some oral medicines, but these carry a list of side effects that may be as uncomfortable as what they are treating and believe it or not you can even treat your hyperhidrosis with Botox, if you don't mind injecting poison under your skin.

In allopathy or conventional medicine, refractory cases of hyperhidrosis or profuse sweating, topical agents such as aluminium chloride in ethyl alcohol are prescribed for axillary sweating but is often useless for sweating hands. Short term courses of anticholinergic drugs are also useful in severely afflicted patients, but the side effects of dry mouth, drowsiness and constipation frequently occur. They all are frequently prescribed which is merely a short term solution. It just suppresses and continues to suppress the symptom and finally a stage of resistence comes in and surgery is advised.

Endoscopic thoracic sympathetomy or ETS is one of the surgical procedures which are in fashion today. This procedure causes relief of excessive hand sweating in about 80 to 90% of cases. Major drawbacks related to compensatory sweating (i.e. sweating of the back, chest and face) are seen in 60 to 80% of cases. Some patients have also been shown to experience a cardiac sympathetic denervation, which results in a 10% lowered heartbeat during both rest and exercise.

Statistics have shown that when treated for facial flushing and / or excessive facial perspiration, the failure rate of ETS for these two clinical presentations is higher and patients are more prone to side effects.

Many more that suffer from sweating problems have found their cure for hyperhidrosis in the form of natural homeopathic treatments that have helped many break free from profuse sweating or hyperhidrosis.

The homeopathic way of treatment is different from allopathy. Hyperhidrosis is nothing but an expression of the disturbance in the inner hormonal balance and this is expressed in the form of the profuse discharge (of sweat). Hence, it is required to be treated at the inner level rather than treating it by local applications of creams and antibiotics.

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole, which means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution and so on.

Homeopathy provides natural constitutional remedies for treating the root cause of this condition and not just working on the symptom - it repairs the derangement which is causing the hyperhidrosis. It offers excellent treatment which is effective, harmless, and without any side effects. It is recommended even in the most obstinate cases.

Today, homeopathic remedies are the best non surgical solution for hyperhidrosis or profuse sweating or perspiration.

There are 245 homoeopathic medicines which give great relief in hyperhidrosis or profuse sweating or perspiration. However, the correct choice and the resulting relief is a matter of experience and right judgment on the part of the homeopathic doctor. The treatment is decided after a thorough case taking of the patient. Thus, homeopathic remedies for hyperhidrosis are tailor made, unlike allopathy, in which all patients receive the same surgery or drugs - although the trade name of the drugs may be different

Please E-mail dr_ramanand@rediffmail.com for any questions/treatment

• Primary or Essential or Idiopathic Hyperhidrosis : Unknown cause.
• Secondary Hyperhidrosis : Known cause.
• Locations :
  1. Palmar hyperhidrosis (hands)
  2. Axillary hyperhidrosis (armpits)
  3. Plantar hyperhidrosis (feet)
  4. Facial hyperhidrosis (face)
  5. Truncal hyperhidrosis (Trunk)
  6. General hyperhidrosis
• Secondary Hyperhidrosis; hyperhidrosis as part of an underlying condition; some conditions can promote excessive sweating, as a rule involving the whole body :
  • Hyperthyroidism or similar endocrine diseases
  • Endocrine treatment for prostatic cancer or other types of malignant disease.
  • Severe psychiatric disorders.
  • Obesity.
  • Menopause.
• Primary or essential hyperhidrosis; hyperhidrosis without a known cause:
  
  This is a far more frequent condition than secondary hyperhidrosis or profuse sweating and appears, generally or localized in one or several locations of the body (most often hands, feet, armpits or a combination of them). It usually starts during childhood or adolescence and persists life long. Nervousness and anxiety can elicit or aggravate sweating, but psychological / psychiatric disturbances are only rarely the cause of the disorder.
  
  Primary hyperhidrosis is estimated at around 3-4% of the population, afflicting men and women equally. It commonly has its onset in adolescence. About 30-40% have another family member afflicted, demonstrating a genetic transmission.

Manifestations of Primary Hyperhidrosis :

• Facial hyperhidrosis : Sweat pouring down from the forehead in conditions of stress can be very distressful, inducing the patient to think that others may consider him / her nervous or insecure.
• Palmar hyperhidrosis : Excessive sweating of the hands is, generally, by far, the most distressing condition. The hands are much more exposed in social and professional activities than any other part of our body. Many individual with this condition are limited in their choice of profession, because they may be unable to manipulate materials sensitive to humidity (paper and so on) or reluctant to shake hands; some patients arrive to the point of avoiding social contact. The degree of sweating varies and may range from moderate moisture to dripping. Most patients notice that their hands not only feel moist, but also cold.
• Axillary hyperhidrosis : Hyperhidrosis or profuse sweating of the armpits can be embarassing, causing large wet marks and sometimes a white halo of salt from sweating on the clothes.
• Plantar hyperhidrosis
• Other locations : Less frequently, it is restricted only to the trunk and / or thighs. Other patients suffer from copious sweating in the face.

Many individuals suffer from a combination of the above categories. Sweating can appear suddenly or manifest itself more continuously. It can be elicited by high outside temperatures or emotional stress, or appears without any obvious reason. Generally, it worsens during the warm season and gets better during winter.

For those who never had to suffer from it, it is difficult to imagine the social awkwardness and embarassment that this condition can cause. For example a person who experiences excessive underarm sweating may find it difficult to negotiate everyday social situations that require them to mingle closely with others. For most sufferers, the constant anxiety regarding too much underarm sweat can affect not only their personal and social lives, but their professional lives as well. Typically, these people tend to posess low seft esteem and prefer to remain isolated from their peers.

Excessive sweating of the hands interferes with many routine activities, such as securely grasping objects. Some hyperhidrosis suffereres avoid situations where they will come into physical contact with others, such as greeting a person with a handshake. Hiding embarassing sweat spots under the armpits limits the sufferers arm movements and pose. In severe cases, the shirt must be changed several times during the day.

Additionally, anxiety caused by self-consciousness to the sweating may aggravate the sweating. Excessive sweating of the feet makes it harder for patients to wear slide-on or open-toe shoes, as the feet slide around in the shoe because of sweat.

Some careers present challenges for hyperhidrosis sufferers. For example, careers which require the deft use of a knife may not be safely performed by people with excessive sweating of the hands. Employees, such as sales staff, who interact with many new people can be negatively affected by social rejection. The risk of dehydration can limit the ability of some sufferers to function in extremely hot (especially if also humid) conditions. Even the playing of musical instruments can be uncomfortable or difficult because of sweaty hands.

1. Bathe, shower, or wash yourself thoroughly every day.
2. Change, wash, and dry-clean your clothes often, especially underwear, socks or stockings and anything worn next to the skin. In hot weather, avoid tight clothing and wear sandals, with or without socks.
3. Cotton clothes and leather shoes let perspiration evaporate faster than synthetic materials.
4. Excessive body hair helps to retain sweat and bacteria, so shaving the underarms helps.