Blog for all health-conscious: Your Medical Guide

Saturday, 4 August 2012

Your Medical Guide

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 09:27 AM PDT

Is your sweating a sign of an underlying medical condition?

Sweating is a very important temperature-regulation process. Perspiration is also the body's natural way to get rid of toxins through the skin.

But, do you sweat excessively? And if so, does it happen even if there is relatively minimal physical exertion on your part?

Overactive sweat glands can result from a number of underlying medical and physiological conditions. Some of them include cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, anxiety issues, substance abuse, alcoholism, heart disease, lung disease, menopause, stroke, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and infections like tuberculosis.

Consult a doctor to find out what causes your excessive sweating symptoms. If the excessive sweating is caused by an underlying medical problem, then treating the main problem takes care of the sweating symptoms.

Traditional hyperhidrosis treatment methods

Hyperhidrosis, or excessive and unpredictable sweating, are treated via a number of ways depending on the severity of the condition. Hyperhidrosis treatment methods include the following:

Use of antiperspirants. The use of strong antiperspirant products plugs the sweat ducts. Antiperspirants can cause skin irritation, and they are designed to simply mask the problem and not to solve it. But they are convenient and easy to use. Moreover, there's a possibility for the aluminum content of antiperspirants to accumulate in the central nervous system.

Medication. These are prescribed by physicians, and these set of medications, like all drugs, have their side effects.

Iontophoresis. This treatment method utilizes electricity to "turn off" the activity of the sweat glands. Iontophoresis is normally used to treat excessive sweating of the hands and feet. In this method, gentle current is passed through water where the feet or hands are immersed.

Application of Botox or Botulinum toxin type A. Botox injection is usually done to treat hyperhidrosis in the underarm area. Flu-like symptoms as part of side effects may result from this form of treatment.

And of course, there are natural remedies and holistic treatment methods for hyperhidrosis.

Home remedies to prevent underarm odor

Excessive armpit sweating is not only unsightly to look at; it is also embarrassing because it can become a source of body odor. You may use commercial antiperspirants and deodorants. But strong chemical products may only end up "blocking" your pores and hiding the body odor. They do not really solve the problem at all.

On top of basic hygiene (daily showering and thorough washing of your underarms), you can use home remedies to stop the bacterial buildup that causes the unpleasant smell. Mild cases of underarm smell caused by sweating can be addressed by the following natural remedies: lime juice and vinegar. They are cheap and they are effective in combating armpit odor. Do not use these home remedies though, if you have cuts on your underarm, because they are acidic and they sting.

Lime juice. Cut a lime in half. Rub each halved slice against your armpit, like the way you use a deodorant stick. Allow the lime juice to be absorbed by your pores. Do not wipe. Air-dry until the juices have completely dried out before you put on your clothes. The juice can discolor some types of clothing materials, so make sure that it has completely dried out before you wear anything.

Vinegar. This is one of the most popular home remedies and also one of the most effective. Use either the plain white variety or apple cider vinegar. Apply vinegar on your armpits after you take a shower. You may also use it in the evening, and apply a regular deodorant during daytime. Don't worry, because vinegar does not smell after it has completely dissipated from your skin.

This is a guest post by James Horner is the author of "Sweat Free For Good!" To learn more about his book, visit http://www.stopsweatingmagic.com