Sweaty Hand (Hyperhidrosis)

Treatment for Excessive Sweatiness (Hyperhidrosis)

Do you suffer from sweaty hands syndrome? Are excessively sweaty feet or underarms a problem for you? What may seem like an inconvenience and an embarrassment to most of us, can actually be a very real and treatable medical condition. Called hyperhidrosis, this condition affects up to 3% of Americans, usually starting in young adulthood.

What Is Hyperhidrosis?

Besides causing clothing stains, sweaty palm syndrome can interfere with everyday activities most of us take for granted. For example, people with hyperhidrosis have difficulty using a computer because sweat from their hands gets all over the keyboard. Or, sweat can drip on the papers of their school exam. People with this condition tend to keep their fists in their pockets to avoid shaking hands with others or holding the hand of someone they care about.

Unfortunately, many people believe sweaty hand syndrome is something you just have to live with, so they don’t seek medical help. Without treatment, people can suffer from hyperhidrosis without any treatment for a very long time.

What Causes Hyperhidrosis?

The sympathetic nerve chain originates in the mid and lower spinal cord. It is part of our autonomic nervous system, which mobilizes the body’s nervous system when a fight-or-flight response is needed.

One possible treatment is injections of Botox into the hand. Botox is a temporary muscle paralytic. Its effect usually lasts from four months to six months, but results are mixed. Surgery is also an effective alternative for many patients. This minimally invasive outpatient procedure involves a small incision under the armpit. Using a small 5 millimeter camera, your doctor can locate and clip the nerve causing the problem. The procedure is very safe, can have instant results, and is completely successful about 80% of the time. Some patients do continue to experience a sweaty back or sweaty feet afterwards.