Excessive Sweating
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating secondary to overactive sweat glands. It primarily occurs in the axilla (underarms), palms of the hands and soles of the feet but can also affect the whole body. In affected individuals increased sweating occurs without the normal stimuli such as exercise, anxiety or rise in body temperature and occurs in abnormally high amounts throughout the day.
Hyperhidrosis can be caused by a number of medical conditions including thyroid disease, medications, diabetes, infections and menopause. It is important to exclude an underlying cause for hyperhidrosis prior to embarking on any treatment regime. However primary hyperhidrosis for which there is no underlying medical cause affects a significant number of the population. It is a result of an overactive sympathetic nervous system. This condition is embarrassing, uncomfortable and socially limiting to those who are affected. Primary hyperhidrosis can be effectively treated in a number of ways with the injection of muscle relaxants being a low risk, effective and non-surgical option. The use of muscle relaxing injections (which are the same as those used for anti-wrinkle injections), actually work to block the excretion of sweat from the sweat glands and hence relieve the distress of hyperhidrosis.