Posts Tagged ‘sweating treatment’

Best Treatment for Sweating

Friday, May 1st, 2009

For people suffering from excessive sweat, there are several treatments for excessive sweating being offered in the market today. Is there a good cure for sweating on the market today? If antiperspirants, ointments, and powders don’t work, the medical field offers surgeries that can cure excessive sweating in all parts of the body.

This surgery is called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy or ETS. This process involves injecting the patient with total anesthesia. The operation begins by creating a small incision in the armpit small enough to insert an instrument made especially for this type of operation.

The patient can leave the hospital a day after the surgery and he can resume his normal physical activities few days later.

But just like any operation, ETS has side effects, one of which is compensatory sweating. This is defined as excessive sweating in other parts of the body, such as the legs and thighs especially during physical activities and hot weather. It is a normal and expected side effect, and 60% of the patients who go through the operation experience it.

Meanwhile, only 40% actually experience sever compensatory sweating. Although the operation is meant to cure excessive sweating, compensatory sweating is expected after the operation. It can last for a period of six to twelve months but it decreases during that time span.

If it exceeds the twelve month limit though, it could not be cured anymore. Yes, it can still cause discomfort to the patient equal to or worse than the excessive sweating they have taken out of their body through the operation.

People who have chosen to undergo ETS have reported that they have experienced compensatory sweating after the procedure. However, they do not regret it. They say it is better to deal with compensatory sweating for a determined period of time rather than dealing with excessive sweating almost all their lives. But this effect also depends on the person with the case of excessive sweat.

Some who have really bad cases of excessive sweat are most likely to have severe compensatory sweating as well. It is recommended by doctors that patients like these do not undergo the ETS operation at all. To date, there is still no discovered prevention from experiencing compensatory sweating, there are however some treatments available such as systemic medications, topical treatments, and Botox injections. Systemic medications are those taken in by mouth.

Examples of which are anticholinergics, beta blockers, or Clonidine hydrochloride. Topical treatments meanwhile, include antiperspirants. Finally, Botox injection can be considered as a treatment but it depends on the size of the area affected by compensatory sweating. Again, it is best to seek medical advice if Botox is preferred.

If you or you know someone who would want to undergo ETS, it is important to read up on how it is done and it’s possible complications and side effects. There are many available sources online from doctors who are surgeons and do the procedure themselves.

Also make sure that you are prepared for the surgery and ready to face these side effects after the operation. If you have any more concerns, make sure to talk to your surgeon and make him aware of how you are feeling and what you are experiencing.