Excessive Sweating in Nampa & McCall, ID and Serving Meridian, ID
Humans have around 2-4 million sweat glands. Our sweat glands help to keep us feeling cool and comfortable by regulating our body temperature. While sweating is perfectly normal after a run, a sweat session at the gym, or even when you’re stressed out about your upcoming work performance evaluation, sometimes our sweat glands go haywire and cause us to sweat too often and far too much. This condition is known as hyperhidrosis. If you’re dealing with hyperhidrosis, here’s how Dr. Ryan Owsley and his team here at Comprehensive Dermatology of Idaho can help.
What are the signs of Excessive Sweating (hyperhidrosis)?
Sweating is a normal bodily function. So how do you know if you’re sweating too much? This is a problem that’s a little more obvious to spot. Those with hyperhidrosis are more likely to experience,
- Profuse sweating, often of the palms and feet
- Sweating that occurs even if you are at rest
- Sweating that soaks multiple shirts a day
- Sweating that makes it difficult to get through your daily routine
- An increase in skin infections such as athlete’s foot
What causes Excessive Sweating?
There is primary and secondary hyperhidrosis. Primary hyperhidrosis simply means that this condition occurs on its own and isn’t caused by another health problem. You may experience excessive sweating in certain areas of the body such as the hands, feet, and underarms with primary hyperhidrosis. You may also experience this equally on both sides of the body.
Secondary hyperhidrosis is the result of a medication or underlying health problem. Causes of secondary hyperhidrosis include,
- Diabetes
- Menopause
- Obesity
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
- Head injury
- Gout
- A side effect of supplement or medication
People with secondary hyperhidrosis are more likely to sweat profusely over their entire body. They are also more likely to experience excessive sweating while they sleep.
If you suspect that your excessive sweating could be caused by a medication or supplement, talk with your dermatologist about the medications and supplements you are currently taking.
How is Excessive Sweating treated?
The cause of your hyperhidrosis will determine how our dermatology team treats your excessive sweating. Sometimes it’s as simple as replacing or stopping a medication while others may require specialized treatment to properly manage chronic health problems such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism.
- Other ways to manage hyperhidrosis may include,
- Special antiperspirants
- miraDry! procedure
- Iontophoresis treatment (an electrical therapy that blocks sweat)
- Botox treatment
- Anticholinergic medications to stop sweat gland activation
- Surgery