Excessive sweating: Good or bad?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc - General Internal Medicine - Endocrinology - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. Doctor has more than 10 years of studying, researching and working in the field of endocrinology.

Excessive sweating is a normal physiological phenomenon that helps to balance the body temperature and remove toxins from the body. However, if you sweat a lot all over your body or in certain areas, you may experience increased sweating.

Hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the secretion of the sweat center is increased, causing the body to sweat more than usual even when the body is not hot.
Hyperhidrosis is not excessive sweating all over the body, but usually profuse sweating in areas such as the palms, feet, armpits or head, while the rest of the body remains dry.
Increased sweating makes the body easy to sweat excessively in daily activities. This condition can lead to skin infections in the long run because the skin is constantly wet and moist.

There are many reasons why the body sweats a lot, such as:
Having sympathomimetic diseases Being pregnant Menopause Low blood sugar Overactive thyroid gland (also known as hyperthyroidism) Being obese , overweight Due to the side effects of some drugs Drinking alcohol Being sick, having a high fever Eating foods that are too spicy, too hot Heavy work or playing sports Due to excessive psychological stress With the above causes, if the body is overweight If you can sweat a lot throughout the body even when the weather is cool, do not exercise or exercise too much, besides there are some strange symptoms, the patient needs to seek medical attention soon for treatment. Seek medical attention promptly, as these may be signs of such diseases.

To limit excessive sweating in the whole body or in each area, it is necessary to change daily living habits such as:
Limit eating spicy and hot foods, as well as foods and beverages containing a lot of caffeine (such as chocolate). , carbonated soft drinks...). Increase the addition of foods such as green vegetables, fresh fruits (pineapple, apple, pear...). When stress causes a lot of sweating in the whole body or a lot of sweat in the head, you can calm your mind by taking a deep breath, breathing slowly for about 5-10 minutes. Rest properly, avoid staying up too late, should sleep enough 7-8 hours/day. Keep your mind at ease. Clean and regular personal hygiene, keep the place cool. Wear loose, breathable clothing that absorbs sweat well. Drink enough water every day. Whether it's good to sweat a lot depends on the cause of the sweating. If it is not due to exercise, spicy food or hot weather, if you find that your body sweats a lot for a long time for no apparent reason, the patient needs to see a doctor for advice, diagnosis, and detection. timely illness.
Vinmec Times City International General Hospital is applying the technique of "Throat endoscopic sympathectomy" in the treatment of hyperhidrosis: This is a new technique that has been applied in the past few years and has been bring many positive signals to patients. Surgery is only applicable to people over 18 years old.
Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy, also known as sympathectomy, is surgery to destroy the sympathetic ganglia or the chain of ganglia that governs sweating. Surgery is performed routinely under general anesthesia. Specifically, the surgery is performed with 2-3 small 0.5 cm skin incisions on both sides of the chest wall under the armpits so that no scars are visible, ensuring the best aesthetics. The thoracic sympathetic ganglia is covered by a thin layer of transparent pleura, so it can be easily seen under the endoscopic camera. Then the surgeon uses an electrocautery hook and cuts the sympathetic ganglia from the 2nd thoracic vertebra to the 3rd thoracic vertebrae (the technical term is T2–>T3) for the patients with increased sweating in the hands. ; T2 - T4 for patients with axillary hyperhidrosis.
At Vinmec hospital, patients are screened, operated and checked after surgery according to international standard treatment protocols. Laparoscopic breast surgery for hyperhidrosis gave outstanding results: Instant results, one-time surgery for long-term effects, aesthetics, safety and hospital stay of only 1 day. The advantages of this method are short hospital stay, low cost, drier limbs after surgery, early return to life, and convenience for patients. Many patients treated at Vinmec Hospital, after decades of having to bear the discomfort of wet hands, have undergone many other unsuccessful treatments, recovered immediately after surgery and are completely satisfied. When accepting a slight discomfort is compensatory sweating in another part of the body.