Excessive sweating of the arms and legs is a huge problem for a person. After all, this always happens at the most inopportune moment. It’s scary to take off your shoes or shake hands with a friend. Such a problem in medicine is called hyperhidrosis and can occur for the most harmless reasons: both due to heat or a genetic predisposition, and to signal the presence of a pathological process in the body.
Varieties
The classification of hyperhidrosis is represented by two types:
- The primary type, that is, an independent pathology.
- The secondary type, that is, a disease that appeared against the background of another pathology.
Causes
Hands and feet are sweating against the background of a hereditary predisposition and for the so-called secondary reasons, that is, in the presence of any disease. If the secondary cause is not associated with high temperature in the street, then you must definitely consult a doctor to find out what disease provokes hyperhidrosis.
Endocrine diseases
Pathologies associated with the endocrine system are a common cause. Hands and feet sweat in this case because it is the endocrine system that is responsible for sweating. The most common diseases that cause hyperhidrosis:
In the presence of profuse sweating and one of these pathologies, you need to contact the endocrinologist to adjust the treatment.
Hormonal disorder
Hormonal malfunction can occur at any moment of life. In adolescence, disruptions begin during puberty. Also, this condition is characteristic of the period of bearing the fetus and breastfeeding the baby. In more adulthood, hormonal failure occurs at the time of menopause, when the body is rebuilt again.
Sweating is possible against the background of physical and emotional stress.
It is important to remember, if you do not deal with hormonal failure, then it can take a chronic form, and this is not only hyperhidrosis, but also other health problems.
Stress
Almost every person at the moment of strong emotional experiences feels increased sweating. But in some people, this condition is observed even with the slightest emotional mood swings. It can be fear or joy. The adult's arms and legs sweat due to a tendency to hyperhidrosis. Against this background, such people are very worried about their problem, they are afraid that someone will notice, and sweat even more.
In this case, you can recommend a course of treatment with a psychotherapist in order to try to cope with a constant sense of fear and anxiety.
Adverse environmental conditions
Why sweating arms and legs? The reason may be in high atmospheric temperature. At such moments, the body's thermoregulation is activated so that overheating does not occur.
In this case, there is only one salvation - the rejection of clothing and shoes made of synthetic materials, the use of antiperspirants. It is impossible to eliminate increased sweating in this case - this is a normal protective process in the body. In some cases, if sweat causes great discomfort, it makes sense to resort to cosmetic procedures, for example, laser surgery or undergo iontophoresis.
Fever
At the moment when an infection gets into the body, it almost instantly reacts to it and tries to remove toxic substances from the body through sweat.
For this reason, hands and feet sweat, the whole body, you may even feel a burning sensation in some places. There is only one way to cope with this problem - to recover from a cold.
Worms
Helminthic infestations are not only found in children. They can get in the body with unwashed fruits and vegetables, if standard hygiene rules are not followed.
For this reason, hands and feet sweat heavily. This is due to the fact that the body is trying to remove the toxic waste products of worms from the body in any way possible.
What to do? Of course, he will go to the infectious disease specialist and undergo a course of treatment.
Hereditary predisposition
Hands and feet may sweat due to a hereditary tendency to hyperhidrosis. By the way, this disorder is more characteristic of the male half of humanity. Although it is noticed that this tendency is still passed on to the mother to their children.
It is impossible to recover in such a case, because this is actually a genetic malfunction. Symptoms can be alleviated by frequent hygienic and cosmetic procedures.
Children's problems
The above reasons are equally applicable to any age, but there are those that arise solely through the fault of the parents.
The most common problem when parents violate the temperature of the baby. It is understood that the child is not yet able to express his dissatisfaction, and his parents continue to wrap him up, swaddle and dress him strongly. It should also be remembered that in young children the body temperature is slightly higher than in an adult, so it is not surprising that parents do not understand why the child sweats when there is a comfortable temperature around them. The younger the children, the more comfortable they are at a lower temperature, which should ideally be +20 degrees. As they grow older, it becomes easier for the baby to tolerate a higher atmospheric temperature. In adolescence, a comfortable temperature is already equal to that which is suitable for an adult - at the level of +24 degrees.
Therefore, if parents observe increased sweating in their child, they should reconsider their attitude to observing the temperature regime.
Do not forget that the quality of clothes and shoes is of great importance. The wardrobe of the baby, as well as the adult, should not consist of synthetic things that do not allow air to pass through.
Infectious diseases in childhood also have their own characteristics. Even after the baby's body temperature has been normalized, he can still sweat for some time. In this case, the limbs of the arms and legs sweat due to the fact that in children the healing process is somewhat inhibited, so increased sweating is observed for some more time after stabilization of body temperature.
The most dangerous thing is that childhood hyperhidrosis can be a harbinger of rickets.
The teenager sweats his arms and legs due to hormonal failure, or rather, due to a complex process called puberty. This condition does not require medical intervention, especially if no abnormalities are observed.
Other reasons
The most common causes are described above, which are quite easily eliminated. But there are other pathologies that can cause symptoms of hyperhidrosis.
Hands and feet in adults may sweat for reasons:
- renal diseases of various etiologies;
- due to the presence of a vegetovascular distance or other problems at the level of the vascular system;
- increased intracranial pressure;
- oncology or neoplasms of a benign nature;
- tuberculosis;
- somatic disorders.
All these pathologies require mandatory treatment, and not the elimination of symptoms of hyperhidrosis.
An interesting fact is that sometimes even due to an overabundance or lack of vitamins, the arms and legs sweat. The reasons, in principle, are understandable, because these substances play an important role in our body. A striking example is the development of rickets due to a lack of vitamin D in the body.
When to worry?
The answer to this question is not so simple. First of all, you should watch your body, at what points sweating intensifies, if it is associated with nervous strain, then you should try to control your emotions. The same goes for teenagers. After the formation of the reproductive system is over, everything will return to normal and hyperhidrosis will disappear.
In other cases, you still have to consult a doctor to determine the true cause.
Therapeutic measures
Before you go to the pharmacy and purchase ointments or tinctures, it is still better to consult a doctor and identify the true causes of the appearance of hyperhidrosis. In fact, all hydrocortisone-based products (or with another similar composition) relieve only the symptoms, but do not relieve the cause, therefore they eliminate the problem only for a short time. It is clear that symptomatic therapy will be used in parallel with the treatment of the main pathology, but it is still better to be prescribed by a doctor.
Botulism Toxins
How to treat? Hands and feet sweat. Are the reasons already known? Then you can go to the beauty salon and get Botox injections. Yes, this substance is used not only to smooth wrinkles, but also to alleviate the condition of hyperhidrosis.
What is the secret of this substance? Everything is very simple: Botox does not allow the transmission of nerve impulses to the sweat glands. As a result, if there is no signal, then there is no sweat.
The technique of introducing botulism toxin is used recently. However, it should be understood that this procedure is purely cosmetic and allows you to cope with the problem only for a short period of time, from 2 to 6 months.
Iontophoresis and laser technique
Treatment of the causes of sweating of the legs and hands can be carried out using iontophoresis. The essence of the technique is that the patient immerses the limbs in a bath with a special liquid. Through the liquid weak discharges of electric current are passed.
The effect of treatment lasts up to 6 months, but it will take from 10 to 15 procedures.
The laser technique involves the introduction under the skin of optical fibers that damage the walls of the sweat glands, and thereby neutralize their work.
Other traditional techniques
In some cases, patients manage to solve the problem with ordinary compresses and lotions with pharmaceutical drugs.
The doctor may recommend wiping problem areas with a solution of aluminum hexachloride, thiamine and other similar means with a similar effect. However, it should be understood that these drugs often cause allergies and solve the problem only for a short time.
Therefore, if traditional medications do not help, surgery may be recommended. According to statistics, 95% of all patients who decide to have surgery forget about hyperhidrosis forever.
The essence of the operation is that the nerve endings that are responsible for the work of the sweat glands are removed. The operation can be carried out by making incisions or through punctures. The postoperative period is short.
Folk remedies
Hands and feet sweating? The reasons we have already figured out. And recipes from the grandmother's chest will help remove the symptoms.
A good way to get rid of excessive sweating in hands is ammonia. In one liter of water, one or two tablespoons of ammonia is diluted. The resulting composition must be wiped with palms several times a day.
You can use vinegar, a teaspoon of which is added to a glass of water. Wipe problem areas with a mixture before bedtime and in the morning.
You can also make decoctions of medicinal herbs and wipe them in places of heavy sweating. To prepare the broth, nettle, sage, oak bark, chamomile are suitable. Components can be used individually, but can be mixed.
Daily Rules
In the presence of hyperhidrosis, it is recommended to abandon the use of too hot and spicy dishes. To get rid of toxins, which are then eliminated and give it an unpleasant odor, visit the sauna regularly. If you have problems with weight, you should lose weight.
Do not wear shoes or clothing made of artificial materials. In this case, this is not a whim. Even if the problems are only in the area of the palms and feet, you should not think that clothes do not affect the profusion of sweat. Synthetic materials do not allow air to pass through, the body, in turn, tries to regulate body temperature by removing sweat. And most of the sweat glands are located precisely on the feet and palms.
Inconvenient, low-quality and artificial-made footwear is not only a strong perspiration, but also a huge risk of developing fungal diseases.
And the most important thing is personal hygiene. When bathing, problem areas should be thoroughly washed with soap. It is recommended to do a contrast shower, which allows you to cleanse your pores well.
Compliance with these simple rules, along with the treatment recommended by a doctor, will reduce the symptoms of hyperhidrosis and feel like a full member of society.