Six symptoms of hyperhidrosis to look out for YOU may have hyperhidrosis if:
• You avoid physical contact, such as shaking hands, because you feel self-conscious about your sweating.
• You don’ t take part in activities, such as dancing or exercise, for fear they will make your sweating worse.
• Excessive sweating is interfering with your job – for example, you have difficulty holding tools or using a computer keyboard.
• You’ re having problems with normal daily activities such as driving.
• You’ re spending a significant amount of time coping with sweating – for example, frequently showering and changing your clothes.
• You become socially withdrawn and self-conscious.
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S WEATING is a common physiological phenomenon to many people worldwide, more common to Malaysians as we live in a hot-climate country. Sweating helps to regulate the body temperature by promoting heat loss thereby keeping body cool through evaporation.
Many are used to sweating on a daily basis more so that even when they sweat excessively, it’ s considered a norm. Many individuals are not aware that excessive sweating is indeed a medical condition by itself and not physiological any longer.
This condition is called hyperhidrosis which can affect any parts of the body namely face, palms, underarms( axilla), soles of feet and / or torso.
It is said that there is sympathetic overactivity in the nerves that supply the eccrine sweat glands leading to hyperhidrosis. Patients with excessive sweating will sweat despite being in a colder temperature, even when at ease and with no stress involved which usually disappears while sleeping.
It’ s a permanent condition but treatable with modern medicine.
Types and causes
According to Prince Court Medical Centre General consultant and Thoracic
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Types, causes and treatments
surgeon Dr George John, hyperhidrosis is divided into two main types; primary focal hyperhidrosis and secondary hyperhidrosis.
“ Focal hyperhidrosis occurs at face, palms of hands, soles of feet and / or torso and there is no apparent cause identified to provoke it where else secondary hyperhidrosis can be due to underlying conditions like obesity,
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endocrine diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hyperpituitarism, acromegaly, certain cancers such as lymphomas, carcinoid tumours, pheochromocytomas, pregnancy, menopause, anxiety and many more,” he said.
In Malaysia, most of our patients suffer from primary focal palmo-axillaryplantar hyperhidrosis compared to facial or even secondary hyperhidrosis.
Non Surgical Treatment
“ Apart from anti-perspirants, there are anti-cholinergics drugs which helps in this condition too but they all have known adverse effects like dry eyes and mouth, palpitations and many more, hence usage must be with medical advice and preferably not for long term use.”
“ Other modalities are Botulinum Toxin A( Botox) injected to palms and feet and this too needs repeated sessions every two to six months and its expensive as well,” he said.
Surgical Treatment
He explained that Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Sympathicotomies( VATS) or Needlescopic Surgery also known as Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy is the surgery for this disorder as it is safe with very negligible complications.
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Can balanitis be sexually transmitted? |
BALANITIS is infection of the glance while balanoposthitis is infection of the foreskin. Some patients get balanitis which later leads to them getting balanoposthitis.
Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur visiting consultant urologist Dr Poongkodi Nagappan explained that usually when patients grow older, their foreskin should be able to retract and clean.
“ So, if it doesn’ t, then you could get this infections. The cause may
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be due to hygiene, but it can also be caused by sexually transmitted disease.”
“ In children, the foreskin – it’ s not easy for them to pull it down – because it is still a bit tight known as fimosis. This may cause them to get infected as the urine seeps.
Image shows the inflammation of the head and the foreskin as in those with balanitis
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