Hyperhidrosis
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Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating. It can be an embarrassing and serious problem. It can affect social, professional, and intimate relationships.
Hyperhidrosis can be localized. This means it affects a specific part of the body, most commonly the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, or armpits. It can also be generalized, which means it affects the entire body.
Scientific Papers
Read the scientific papers and presentations about Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy for Hyperhidrosis by Dr. Mark Krasna, medical director of The Cancer Institute at St. Joseph Medical Center:
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Causes
Hyperhidrosis is divided into two categories: primary and secondary.
Primary has no known cause. If you have primary hyperhidrosis, a sweating attack may be triggered by:
- High emotional states (eg, intense sadness, fear, anger, stress)
- Spicy foods
- Hot climates
- Certain medications:
- Fever-lowering medicines
- Insulin
- Meperidine
- Emetics (vomit-inducing medicines)
- Alcohol
- Pilocarpine
Secondary is caused by an underlying condition. These include:
- Menopause
- Fever
- Infection
- Cancer, such as lymphoma
- Thyroid disease
- Acromegaly or anterior pituitary tumor
- Hypothalamic disorders
- Adrenal tumor
- Parkinson's disease
- Nervous system disorders
- Diabetes
- Tuberculosis
- Drug withdrawal
- Certain medications:
- Fever-lowering medicines
- Insulin
- Meperidine
- Emetics (vomit-inducing medicines)
- Alcohol
- Pilocarpine
Risk Factors
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. The main risk factors that have been identified for hyperhidrosis are the conditions that cause secondary hyperhidrosis, which are listed above.
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- Sweaty palms of the hands and/or soles of the feet
- Sweaty armpits
- Change in amount of sweating
- Change in pattern of sweating
- Change in the odor associated with sweating
- Stained clothing
