 What
is hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is a disorder characterized by excessive sweating that occurs
in up to 1% of the population. The sweating most often occurs in the hands,
armpits and feet, but will also rarely manifest in the face, thighs and
lower torso. It is caused by a malfunction of the nervous system.
What part of the nervous system controls sweating?
There are two major parts of
the nervous system. One is the part we can control (muscle movement, etc.),
called the somatic system. Then is the
part that controls the things that we don’t think about – heartbeat,
breathing, digestion, etc. This part is the autonomic system. One of
its functions is controlling body heat, especially the temperature of the
brain.
It is a malfunction of the heating/cooling section of the autonomic system
that causes hyperhidrosis. Despite ongoing research, the reason why this
malfunction occurs is unknown.
What is the best treatment for hyperhidrosis?
Before they come to us, most
people have tried various topical solutions called astringents that try
to dry up the sweat glands. This often works
for mild cases. Another procedure many have tried is called iontopheresis.
This consists of a treatment of electrical stimulation, usually in the
hands. Patients place their hands in a bath through which an electrical
current
is passed. This treatment tends to "stun" the sweat glands and
can decrease the secretion of sweat for periods of 6 hours to one week.
Obviously, having to repeat this over and over is annoying and costly.
Another option is surgery. However, there are always risks and expense
involved with surgery and it is usually only effective on the hands and
armpits. There is also the problem of side effects, the most common of which
is compensatory sweating. Other parts of the body attempt to make up for
the lack of sweating on the area corrected by the surgery. This typically
affects 50-60% of surgical patients.
We have found that the best currently
available treatment is Botox®.
It decreases the transmission of the nerve impulses to the sweat glands,
thereby greatly reducing the amount of sweating. The treatment normally
is effective for up to six months; of course individual results will vary.
Call us and let our professional staff help you determine if Botox® is
right for you.
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