In some people, natural perspiration is excessive. This condition is known in the medical field as "hyperhidrosis." Hyperhidrosis is a common disorder. A survey of 150,000 US households found the prevalence of hyperhidrosis to be around 2.8% (see reference). The most common areas where hyperhidrosis occurs are the hands, face, feet, and axilla (armpit). Excessive stimulation of the sympathetic chain leads to sweaty palms, sweaty feet, sweaty armpits, and a excessive sweating of the face. The condition often begins in adolescence but can occur in people of all ages, and often improves with age.
The cause is unknown, but there seems to be a genetic tendency. In one study, 49 of 58 patients receiving surgery for hyperhidrosis had a family member who also suffered from the disorder. People with excessively sweaty palms, sweaty feet or facial blushing often seek treatment because the condition causes great distress. Hyperhidrosis may impair quality of life, causing numerous psychological, educational, and occupational problems.
Fortunately, there ais effective surgical treatment and non-surgical treatment for excessive sweating. Non-surgical treatments include medications, botox for palm sweating, anti-persperants, and iontophoresis. There is also effective surgical treatment for excessive sweating. This is known as endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy, where the sympathetic chain is cut or tied off during surgery. Remarkably, this procedure has relatively small side-effects, and does not affect the function of the sympathetic nervous system on other parts of the body.
The Purpose of Sweat
The human body uses perspiration to maintain body temperature. During perspiration, sweat is produced in specialized glands of the body. As the sweat evaporates from the top of the human body, heat is passed from the body to the surrounding environment. This heat exchange results in cooling of the body.
Sweat is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system, a specialized group of nerves with a primary purpose of responding to fear. When the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, the heart rate increases, the eyes dilate, and blood flow is shifted to the brain and other organs that are key to what is known as the "fight or flight response."
The sympathetic nervous system also controls about five million sweat glands in the body, and about half of these are located in the hands. The signal to produce sweat originates in the brain in an area known as the hypothalamus. This signal then travelsthrough the thoracic cavity (behind the lungs) one major group of sympathetic nerves to control sweating in the body. This bundle of nerves is known as the sympathetic chain. Sweating in the right hand is controlled by branches of the right sympathetic chain that is located within the right chest cavity. Sweating in the left hand is controlled by branches of the left sympathetic chain that is located in the left chest.
Please see the following sections for more information on hyperhidrosis and treatment of excessive sweating:
Treatment of Hyperhidrosis and Excessive Sweating:
Useful Links :
• Hyperhidrosis Information from the National Institutes of Health
• Hyperhidrosis Information from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons
• Information on sweating from the National Institutes of Health
• Excessive Sweating Information from Kidshealth.org
