Excessive Sweating - Ways to Cool Down

What is sweating?

Sweating occurs when the sweat glands in your skin secrete a salty fluid called sweat, or perspiration. Sweating is a normal function that serves to cool your body, often in hot or humid environments or when you exercise. How much you sweat depends on how many sweat glands you have. A person is born with about two to four million sweat glands which start to become fully active during puberty. Sweating is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that is not under your control.

Women have more sweat glands then men, but men's glands are more active.

Reasons we Sweat

Sweating is the body's natural way of regulating temperature.People sweat more when it's hot outside, when they exercise, or in response to situations that make them nervous, angry, embarrassed, or afraid. Sometimes however sweating can become excessive.

Excessive Sweating

Excessive sweating means that you sweat much more than normal, even when you are not hot, anxious, or exercising, you make a lot of sweat. It can infringe on daily life and can be extremely distressing for sufferers

Reasons for Excessive Sweating

Primary Focal Hyperhidrosis (PFH) - This is the most common cause of excessive sweating and affects about 1% to 3% of the population, it usually starts in childhood or adolescence. Primary focal hyperhidrosis does not cause illness. Basically, you sweat excessively. Although it is a medical condition, it's not a sign of disease or a drug interaction. People who have it are otherwise healthy. The symptoms of PFH are fairly specific. It's called focal or localised because it only affects specific parts of the body, such as the underarms, groin, head, face, hands, or feet. Symptoms also tend to be symmetrical, occurring on both sides equally.Experts aren't sure exactly why this happens, but it seems to stem from a minor malfunction in the nervous system. There's some evidence that it could run in families.

Secondary General Hyperhidrosis - This less common form of hyperhidrosis causes sweating all over the body -not just on the hands or feet. Secondary general hyperhidrosis is also more serious medically. It's called secondary because it's being caused by something else, such as an underlying health condition.One telltale sign of secondary hyperhidrosis is excessive generalised sweating at night.

There are many possibilities and medical conditions and diseases which can cause this including

• Menopause
• Pregnancy
• Thyroid problems
• Diabetes
• Alcoholism
• Infectious diseases like tuberculosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Cancers like leukaemia and lymphoma

Other Causes of Sweating

• Anxiety - People who are anxious or have actual anxiety disorders may sweat more than others. But experts say that anxious sweating isn't the same as hyperhidrosis.
• Medications - Medications can also cause general excessive sweating, such medications are
• Some psychiatric medications
• Some blood pressure medications
• Some medicines for dry mouth
• Some antibiotics
• Some supplements

Treating Excessive Sweating

While there is no cure for PFH, there are ways to help control the symptoms. They include:

Antiperspirants - Special over-the-counter or prescription sprays, lotions, and roll-ons can help control symptoms.

Iontophoresis - This treatment uses low-level electrical impulses to temporarily disable the sweat glands.

Medications - Some drugs can stop the sweat glands from kicking into action.

Botox - Injections of Botox can temporarily stop the nerves from triggering excessive sweating. It is approved for treatment of excessive underarm sweating.

Surgery - One approach is to cut a nerve in the chest that triggers excessive sweating. Another is to surgically remove some of the sweat glands.

Secondary hyperhidrosis can often be treated too, although the right approach depends on the condition causing it.

Alternative Options for Excessive Sweating

Drink more water - A lot of people are confused by this solution. They think if they drink more water, it will give them that much more fluid to sweat out. This is totally incorrect. Drinking more water cools your core temperature and will alleviate some of the excessive sweating.

Drink Green Tea or Sage Tea at night – These teas contain an astringent property which will dry out oils and prevent excess moisture from escaping the skin. It basically dries you from the inside out. In addition to helping your complexion, green tea will neutralise many of the toxins that create the pungent odour in sweat.

Avoid spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine - Onions, Garlic, Curry, Coffee and a whole host of other ingredients are powerful triggers for hyperhidrosis sweating. Cut out some of these culprits and see gradual but noticeable results.

Sage Leaf Supplement - It is well documented that Sage leaf helps to reduce menopausal sweats. In one study, excessive sweating was induced by medication The sweating was reduced when participants were given an extract of sage leaf. In a further study 40 patients were given dried aqueous extract of fresh sage (440mg) and 40 were given infusion of sage (4.5g) herb daily. Both groups of patients experienced a reduction in sweating.