What do sweaty palms or hands mean or what causes it when you have no health problems? This condition is worrying most and can be humiliating when you have it at any age. How can I cure or get rid of excessive palm sweating? Cure without having a grasp of causes could be tricky and challenging.
What do they sweat?
What causes palm-sweating problems and the tendency to diverge from normal cases? Experiencing sweating palms at night, for instance, could be an indicator of a certain infection, condition or abnormality as opposed to perspiration after vigorous physical exercises. However, sweaty palms or excessive cases under normal conditions is not necessary.
Primary Hyperhidrosis, PHH
Primary hyperhidrosis is amongst the major causes especially excessive or (palmar hyperhidrosis.) PHH is caused by the overreacting activity of nerves which stimulate sweat glands. Now, according to Web MD, people with this condition sweat from a certain type of sweat glands called eccrine found in large numbers including the face, armpit, and palms.
Hyperthyroidism or Overactive Thyroid
This is a condition in which the thyroid gland releases too much thyroid hormone. How does hyperthyroidism cause or bring about hand sweating problems? When energy is released by body cells water is produced as a by-product. Higher thyroid hormone levels in the blood mean that your body cells cannot regulate the way energy is used up optimally thus need to get rid of more energy through increased sweating.
If you are interested in treatments, begin with tackling the causes of hyperthyroidism. And here is part of treatment.
- Anti-thyroid medicines – methimazole, propylthiouracil
- If the symptoms grow without persistence use prescribed meta-blocker medicines or
- Removal of the thyroid gland by surgery or radioactive.
Disorders and other Conditions
According to WebMD, anxiety or anxiety disorders – panic, phobia – are some of the factors that interfere with a person’s normal way of life. Some disorders root from childhood, while others may be caused by brain illness.
Hormonal Imbalance
Do hormonal shifts result in this condition? Such imbalances are expected during pregnancy when Oestrogen and progesterone hormone that controls pregnancy tend to change in terms of concentration. Any alteration in hormone may result in anxiety, change in emotions or feelings which dictate how the body may react in such situations one of it being sweat from hands and palms.
More pregnant women than men find it less comfortable and more bothering to have sweating problems at night.
Anxiety disorders
Unlike anxiety, anxiety disorder is considered to be a mental illness. Without narrowing down to specific symptoms, be hard to tell the extent to which the disorders may arouse increased sweat gland activity. Some anxiety disorders may cause palmar hyperhidrosis. Its symptoms tend to vary but webmd.com lists some of the following generally observable symptoms:
- Cold, sweaty hands and feet,
- Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
- Increased heart palpitations, intensity heartbeats, skipped beats or fluttering,
- Loss of full self-control,
- Shortness of breath,
Cure and treatments
What do you need to do before treatment? The best thing you ought to do is to see your doctor once you notice the problem. Your doctor can treat what causes your hands to sweat, recommend palmar hyperhidrosis treatments or prescribe some medical drugs for you. Moreover, there are some important tips, that you expect after this problem cure besides helping you get rid it.
Get Antiperspirants
One of the common ways to deal with it is the use of antiperspirants. They work in a manner that when they get into the skin they form plugs within the sweat gland opening so that little or no perspiration occurs i.e. sweat moving to the skin surface.
If you have a mild case, most Aluminum salt antiperspirants available over the counter are ideal for treating it. This is because they are more effective with very little irritation if any occurs.
Now, for those who sweat too much, you may be required to go for prescription antiperspirant or clinical-strength antiperspirants. For example spray, Drysol which has a concentration of about 30% Aluminum chloride to stop palmar hyperhidrosis. If it causes much irritation on your skin, consider other options.
Iontophoresis
The second way to get rid of this problem is by going for this procedure. Its simplicity and effectiveness rely on the principle of ions. What happens is that a mild electric current is passed through water in which the sweaty palms or feet are soaked. It is highly recommended to seek professional manicure. After a good consistent treatment running for a few weeks, individuals can buy their own Iontophoresis devices and learn to use them at home.
Electro Antiperspirants
In recent developments in technology, this automated device has provided a more reliable solution for excessive sweaty hands, feet, forehead, buttocks and the chest. Some of the features include additional adapters. Furthermore, it is clinically proven and very efficient where you can start to get wanted results in two to three weeks. How it is a bit costly where a cheaper one goes for 500 Euros.
Can you use the device even if you have sensitive skin? Don’t worry because another similar device known as Electro Antiperspirant Sensitive is available, specially designed for women. In fact, it has longer-lasting effects. Alternatively, you may get the full kit for feet and palms. Remember that learning to use the equipment is necessary.
Other Treatments – Surgery, Oral Medications
Before you decide to opt for certain treatments go for a consultation to get highlights over the possible effects and help reach a firm decision.
Medications
You can also control palmar hyperhidrosis by getting an oral treatment. Your healthcare provider may prescribe drugs for you to use for a specified period. They include pills and medications to stop your hands from sweating in a manner not considered as normal.
Before you can begin oral medication, you need to discuss with your practitioner the possible outcomes or what you may expect when undergoing it. For example anticholinergic drugs Robinul, Probanthine and Ditropan are prescription drugs to deal with too much sweating of hands. Unfortunately, they have side effects: causing dryness to the mouth or slight irritation.
Another drug-based medication to treat this problem includes anti-depressants. They are suitable for individuals who suffer palmar hyperhidrosis as a result of anxiety because they cause nerve relaxation. Additionally, depressants could curb deadly depression which may result from chronic stress.
Sweaty Palms Surgery
Surgery is another palmar hyperhidrosis treatment especially when you do not show any responsive feedback to other treatments. In this surgical treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis, the surgeon may cut, do a scrape or apply suction to remove sweat glands. This is a professional procedure so be careful with either a dermatologist or plastic surgeon who carries it out on you.
The other surgery carried out is Endoscopic Transthoracic Sympathectomy. Is ETS effective it a treatment? Yes. Once the sympathetic nerves are identified they are usually cut, burnt or clamped. Only that it is an irreversible process and that it may lead to certain complications and side effects:
- Compensatory sweating results in increased sweating from a different body part to cater for loss of sweat cut down. It could be on the face, underarms, the back or the buttocks.
- A smaller percentage of patients may undergo lung tube-air-leak but it can be removed.
Any Sympathectomy surgical treatment should be the last resolution whatsoever your sweating problems may seem to be.
How to Regulate or Stop Sweaty Hands
Can you stop this problem? Of course, it is possible to prevent or avoid sweaty hands, however, it is not totally permanent because your back of hands needs to remove excess water, salt, and other toxins through this process. Some of the following remedy procedures will be very important in controlling and regulating excessive sweating.
What you do or avoid
First, if you want to prevent palmar hyperhidrosis it is advisable to avoid hand lotions that with petroleum oil unless you have chronic dry hands. Petroleum jelly products such as Vaseline, coconut oil hold back the sweat which otherwise should evaporate and dry out.
The next thing is to keep your hands free of hand-covering items such as gloves and mittens. Otherwise, if you are not outdoors to hide the problem, these gloves cause your hands to sweat more and become greasy.
Consider a Botox injection
Another considerable means to control sweating hands is to get a Botox injection. Research has shown that botulin has the ability to block nerves (sympathetic nerves) can serve as a temporary solution. Even though, the procedure may be accompanied by pain.
Alter Lifestyle and Certain Foods
Certain foods and drinks can alleviate sweating on the hands, face or even the underarms. Avoid garlic, use of hot pepper, too much or hot coffee and alcohol. What they do is to trigger more sweat glands to produce more active. This could have a larger negative bearing or effect on mild palmar hyperhidrosis.
Home Remedies to Get rid or Reduce naturally
As mentioned in the introduction, some treatment methods are aimed at achieving less sweating while carrying out daily chores or back at home.
Baby Powder
One of the home remedies you should try is to get some baby powder and sprinkle it all over your sweaty hands. You may find it necessary because powder can reduce mild cases by absorbing it.
Talcum Powder
As we saw earlier hand lotions and jelly may not work remedy for sweaty palms and that is why powder products are more inviting. Talcum powder is yet another useful kind of baby lotion to get rid of this problem in children and reduce sweating hands for you as well. Make sure to utilize it well by applying daily.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Another remedy for excessive palm sweating is this vinegar solution. It is really simple and can work to better your situation if you constantly make it a daily and nightly routine. What you need to do is mix a glass of apple cider vinegar with five glasses of water in a trough. Soak your hands in the solution for about 25 or so minutes. You may wash your hands afterward.
Apple cider vinegar can, therefore, act as a natural drying reagent.
Sage Tea Soak or Milk Thistle Tea
Apart from vinegar, another natural remedy to treat or get rid of this condition is sage tea. It is great for detoxifying i.e. removing toxins that could otherwise be triggering the sweat glands to release more.
During Pregnancy
Is this a sign of pregnancy? Sweaty hands during pregnancy or menopause is rare. However, if it happens most women experience it during the night or when asleep. There are other conditions that help in explaining this occurrence whether you are pregnant or not:
- Hormonal imbalance caused by a drop in estrogen,
- Certain medicine overdose, hypertensive drugs.
- Infections, local infections – TB,
- Secondary hyperhidrosis,
- Increased metabolic rates and blood flow rates,
Excessive palm-sweating causes
Just as in the case of palms, excessive sweating in the human body is widely due to hyperhidrosis besides the other triggering factors that really contribute to this problem.
From this discussion, your number one reason for this condition would be hyperhidrosis i.e. palmar hyperhidrosis. Besides, other major contributing factors are stress, high emotional changes, and anxiety disorders. Remember that anxiety disorders lack a medical cure but may be analyzed using psychoanalysis approaches.