Sweat producing glands are distributed in different concentrations throughout the body.  Concentration of sweat glands are most intense under the armpits, the palms of the hands, and the soles of your feet.  While other parts of your body such as the lower arms and legs have the least concentration.  Along with your sweat glands, oil glands are at work filtering out salts and oily fluids during the whole sweating process.  These oily secretions are what the bacteria on your skin thrive on, and these bacteria are responsible for the distinctive odor of sweat.

Your body will naturally send impulses through the nerves to the sweat glands when necessary.  When you are excited or in a fearful situation your sympathetic nerves trigger signals throughout the body increasing the flow of sweat.  Also, spicy foods and stress will cause a person’s sweat glands to increase in activity.  Genetics and a number of medical conditions and diseases can be causes for over-productive sweat glands.

If you experience excessive sweating that seems abnormal, or unpredictable, you should check with your doctor to determine if you suffer from hyperhidrosis or another medical condition.  You should also be aware that certain medications will cause the body to sweat profusely.  Some cancer treatments, and some HIV treatments are examples of such medications.

If you have often asked yourself  “Why do I sweat so much?” because excessive sweating has caused you embarrassment, then you should take some steps to solve the situation.  There are a number of natural remedies, over-the-counter antiperspirants, electrical devices (ionophoresis), Botox, and as a last resort invasive surgery, that can be decrease or eliminate your excessive sweating problems.

Stress is one of the major contributors to non-medically related sweating. Examine the lifestyle that you lead, and attempt to decrease the stressful situations in your life.  That is not always possible, so some psychological approaches may be beneficial, such as meditation.  Meditation has been proven to lower stress levels.  By keeping yourself calm and learning how to cope with stressful situations you can prevent your body’s sympathetic nerves from triggering excessive sweating.

Spicy foods have been known to affect the nerve endings in the sweat glands causing them to produce sweat.  Therefore you should examine your diet to see what role it plays in your excessive sweating problem.

You may be able to apply antiperspirants depending on what part of your body is affected.  These antiperspirants contain aluminum-based salts, which act like a gel to clog up the sweat ducts.  This prevents the release of sweat moisture, if only temporarily.  The salts will eventually dissolve so reapplication is needed periodically.

Iontophoresis is a process for a small electrical charge is passed through the skin near the affected area.  This can be a beneficial treatment when large areas of your body are affected by excessive sweating.  The low electrical current used in iontophoresis shock the nerve endings and during this shocked state they are unable to transmit the sweat generation signals.  Sending electrical currents through the body sounds painful, but since a very low charge is used its usually not enough to cause discomfort.  The treatment proves effective for several days before needing to be performed again.

Natural Remedies

The most effective natural treatment for excessive sweating is Stop Sweating & Start Living by Mike Ramsey.  Using this natural treatment should always be your first step when combating hyperhidrosis.  It is non-invasive, non-toxic, inexpensive, and has no side effects.  This sets it apart from all other hyperhidrosis treatments.

We highly recommend you visit Stop Sweating & Start Living to find out how to stop excessive sweating naturally.

Antiperspirants

The active ingredients are traditionally aluminium chloride and aluminium chlorohydrate.  These metallic salts work by blocking the sweat ducts.  Sweat is still produced by the sweat glands, but by blocking the ducts the amount of sweat that reaches the skins surface is reduced.

Basic over-the-counter antiperspirants are usually the first line of defance for underarm sweating, as they are the most readily available.  If these standard antiperspirants fail, stronger formulations are available from your pharmacy.  The prescription-strength antipersirants are much more effective, however the increased strength can also increase the potential side-effects.  When using either type also follow the directions provided with them.

Antipersirants may cause skin irritations, and even allergic reactions due to the chemical compounds in them.  They should never be applied to mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyelids, genitals, anus).  This makes them unsuitable for treating facial sweating, or sweating around the groin.

People especially at risk to antiperspirant side effects include those suffering from eczema, sensitive skin, and contact allergies.

There have been reports linking antipersirants to breast cancer, but there is currently no medical evidence for such a connection.

Deodorants are not antipersirants, and are not designed to stop sweating.  They simply mask the odors that are produced by sweat-eating bacteria.

Medication

A physician may prescribe oral medications for excessive sweating.  These are referred to as anticholinergics and are often a very effective treatment.  Robinul (glycopyrrolate) is one example of this form of medication.

Medications are not suitable for all sufferers.  So always consult with your physician before using any hyperhidrosis medication.

They can produce side effects including blurred vision, dry eyes and mouth, headaches, and mood swings.

Botox Injections

Botox injections are often used for treating wrinkles. However, it is also an FDA-approved treatment for severe underarm hyperhidrosis. Usually it is only considered if antiperspirants or medications are inappropriate due to allergies or other side-effects.

The botox injections are made to the affected area and cause a temporary blocking of the chemical signals from nerves to the sweat glands. Reduced underarm sweating can be expected in the weeks after botox injections.

However, the results from botox only last for 2 months. The treatment must be repeated several times every year.

It is also an expensive treatment, costing hundreds of dollars per session.

Surgery

Finally there is the last resort – surgery.  Endoscopic Thoratic Sympathectomy (ETS) is the medical procedure of interrupting the nerve connections to the sweat glands.  The procedure is effective, but as with any nerve surgery, there are risks to the patient.  Severe hyperhidrosis sufferers should consult a qualified hyperhidrosis specialist to determine if surgery is appropriate.

Anyone suffering from hyperhidrosis should check out Stop Sweating & Start Living because it is the only excessive sweating treatment that is free of side effects.