Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis affects between 1 and 2% of the population in the United States. It’s even more common in some other countries. Yet, despite being so common, hyperhidrosis is still widely misunderstood.
Many doctors don’t know anything about it at all. Some sufferers go years without even having a name for what they’re going through. After years of disappointment, many sufferers give up looking for a doctor who understands them.
Every day, we see patients who have spent a lifetime struggling with the simple things. They’ve had to sit out basketball because the ball slid through their hands. They’re embarrassed to shake hands, let alone try to hold hands with a date. They worry constantly that their feet smell, even though they change their socks three or four times a day. They can’t buy clothes or shoes they like.
Throughout an average day, our bodies naturally perspire as a way to regulate heat. However, some individuals (as many as 1 to 2 % of the population) sweat excessively and unpredictably in the face, hands and/or feet — even in cool temperatures or when they are resting. This condition, known medically as Hyperhidrosis, is defined as the production of perspiration beyond what is necessary to control body heat.
The process of sweating is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, which maintains the five million or so sweat glands throughout the body (about two-thirds of these sweat glands are located in the hands alone). The answer to the problem of Hyperhidrosis lies with these nerves. Doctors have found that “supercharged” nerves cause this excessive sweating.
Family genetic history is believed to play a major role in the incidence of hyperhidrosis, but gender and race have not been determined to be contributing factors.
Hyperhidrosis can cause significant physical as well as emotional discomfort, and patients seeking treatment for the condition may wish to try a surgical alternative when other treatments have not worked.
Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy – This procedure is used to treat excessive sweating in the hands or face. The surgeon makes 2 or 3 tiny surgical cuts under each arm and uses an endoscope inserted into the patient’s to guide the process of “inactivating” the nerves that control sweating in the problem area. The success rate for this surgery is 98-99%.
Endoscopic Lumbar Sympathectomy – This procedure is used to treat excessive sweating in the feet. An incision is made from the abdomen around to the back just above the buttocks. The muscles are separated, and the appropriate lumbar nerves are located and cut. Sympathectomy is done on an outpatient basis. Since the incisions are minimal, the patient can return to normal activity in a short amount of time. The success rate for this surgery is 95-97%.