Sweating in response to stress or anxiety, exercise or heat is a normal and healthy bodily response. Frequent excessive sweating, medically known as hyperhidrosis, exceeds the amount of perspiration needed to cool the body and is functionally defined as sweating that disrupts normal activities. Hyperhidrosis can be focal, affecting only the underarms, palms of the hands and soles of the feet, or generalized, affecting large areas of the body.
Home Remedies
Some people who sweat too much can use over-the-counter antiperspirant on their palms, soles of their feet and underarms nightly to control sweating. Antiperspirants, unlike deodorants, contain aluminum salts that inhibit the action of sweat glands. Relaxation techniques such as yoga can defuse stress that can bring on excessive sweating. Natural fiber clothing and shoes allow skin to breathe, and fibers that wick away sweat can minimize discomfort.
Prescriptions
For moderate focal hyperhidrosis, nightly application of prescription-strength antiperspirants to the affected areas might help. These antiperspirants can irritate skin and should be washed off in the morning. For generalized hyperhidrosis, a prescription for anti-cholinergic drugs might help. Anti-cholinergic drugs block a chemical messenger called acetylcholine that activates sweat glands, but they can also cause some generally mild but unpleasant side effects. Patients generally notice improvement after about two weeks, the Mayo Clinic says. Some doctors recommend using anti-cholinergics together with prescription antiperspirants.
Iontophoresis
In this procedure to temporarily block sweat glands, the patient immerses the affected body parts in water charged with low-level electricity. The charge drives salt ions into the skin to inhibit sweat glands. For a few weeks, patients need daily sessions of about 15 to 30 minutes, and after that less frequent sessions can maintain the benefits.
Botox
Injection of botulinum toxin (Botox) into sweat glands blocks the release of acetylcholine to prevent sweating. However, Botox treatment is expensive and painful, and injections must be repeated every five months, according to the Merck Manual.
Surgery
In extreme cases, surgery might be warranted. Removal of sweat glands in the armpits can stop excessive sweating there. Severing the nerves that stimulate sweat glands through endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy can cure sweaty palms, but sweating from other parts of the body could increase.
Underlying Issues
Patients with generalized hyperhidrosis that starts abruptly often have an underlying medical condition or are using a prescription drug that causes the excessive sweating. In those cases, treating the condition or stopping or switching drugs can cure the hyperhidrosis.
