Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating): Causes, Symptoms, And Homeopathy Treatment

Sweating or sweat formation is a natural process of our body wherein the body cools down itself naturally. Sweating can also be described as a process of excreting liquid (predominantly water) and a few salts from the body. Our skin has got sweat glands, which help in expelling these liquids. The number of sweat glands varies from 2 to 4 million in humans. When this sweating, a productive function, becomes counterproductive or over-productive (i.e. the sweat glands start discharging the liquid at a very high rate at a very little frequency), you may get drenched in your very own sweat at all times. This condition of generating excessive sweat from the body than usual based on controlling factors, such as surrounding temperature, physical activity, and stress level of a person, is defined as Hyperhidrosis.

Excessive sweating may become a menace once it starts affecting your daily life. You can get a feeling of embarrassment from your colleagues, relatives, and even dear and near ones. So, it becomes all the more important to address this condition before it turns worse. Before addressing this issue, let us try to understand how sweating occurs in our bodies.

Like we have discussed earlier, our body consists of sweat glands in the range of 2 to 4 million. The sweat glands are further divided into the eccrine and apocrine gland, the former being more as compared to the latter.

Eccrine glands are responsible for secreting an odorless, clear fluid, which helps in maintaining the body temperature through evaporation. Eccrine glands are commonly found in the soles of feet, palms, forehead, cheeks, and armpits. Apocrine glands produce a thick fluid, and, when it comes in contact with the bacteria on the skin surface, it produces a potent body odor which may be different in each individual. Apocrine glands are found in armpits and genital regions.

Eccrine and apocrine glands are activated by nerves which respond to various stimuli such as:

• Stimuli from the brain indicating that our body is becoming too hot
• Physical activity
• Change in emotions
• Hormonal secretions within the body

In Hyperhidrosis, the sweat glands, particularly the eccrine glands, overreact to the various stimuli resulting in excessive discharge of liquid in the form of sweat.

Causes of Hyperhidrosis:

Hyperhidrosis and its causes are further divided as follows.

(i) Primary focal Hyperhidrosis: In primary Hyperhidrosis, the sweat glands, particularly the eccrine glands, overreact to various stimuli resulting in excessive discharge of liquid in the form of sweat. This is primarily due to overactive sweat glands. Various areas of the body that experience profuse sweating are the forehead, hands, armpits, trunk, and thighs. Also, you may experience copious sweating on the face.

(ii) Secondary focal Hyperhidrosis: Excessive secretion of sweat owing to a certain health condition or dependency on certain medication is classified under secondary Hyperhidrosis. The various secondary factors are:

• Fever
• Heart attack
• Malaria
• Leukemia
• Stressful
• Physical Activity
• Side-effects from over-the-counter drug usage
• Hyperthyroidism

Symptoms of Hyperhidrosis:

The basic symptom one will exhibit is profuse sweating than normal when one is exposed to a hot environment, after physical activity, working under stressful conditions, etc.

• Sweating will occur on both sides of the body
• Sweaty palms, slippery sweaty feet, sweating on your face, and uncontrollable sweating underarms
• Body odor
• Difficulty in writing

Homeopathy Management for Hyperhidrosis:

Homeopathy has got some excellent solutions for people suffering from Hyperhidrosis. The effectiveness of homeopathy medicine lies in the understanding of the physical and mental aspects of the patient. The medication can also be vivid depending on the symptoms that the patient experiences. Some of the most common homeopathic remedies suggested for Hyperhidrosis are:

 (i) Calcarea Carb: It is best suited to a person who complaints of excessive sweating, particularly during the night times. Excess of sweat on the head, chest, and neck areas indicate this remedy. In children, the sweating will be more from the head area. Perspiration may smell sour in some patients.

(ii) Sulphur: Sulphur is ideal for treating hyperhidrosis causing excessive sweating of hands. The patient will have dry skin and great thirst. Excessive sweating in armpits smelling like garlic indicate this remedy.

(iii) Silicea: Silicea is a common remedy for hyperhidrosis symptoms, such as excessive sweating, particularly on the hands, feet, and armpits, and offensive sweating on the hands, feet, and axilla. The patient’s extreme nervousness to all impressions indicates this medicine.

(iv) Jaborandi: Jaborandi is considered an excellent remedy for hyperhidrosis symptoms, such as profuse perspiration beginning on the face and head and extending all over the body. The patient may experience vomiting of sour mucous also in a few cases.  

(v) Mercurious Sol: It is an excellent remedy for patients with symptoms, such as sweating profusely over the whole body, particularly during the night time, and offensive or sour-smelling sweat. Salivation may also be profuse in these patients.

(vi) Psorinum: Psorinum is also recommended as a medical remedy when the patients complain of profuse sweating, which is offensive. Fetid foot sweats also indicate this remedy.

Bovista, Graphites, Acetic acid, pulsatilla, Sanicula, and caladium are some of the other common homeopathic remedies for Hyperhidrosis.

So, if you happen to suffer from hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating, count on homeopathy without a second thought to treat it effectively and safely without any side-effects.