Perspiration plays a vital role in our bodies, helping us regulate body temperature while lubricating our skin, and eliminating waste. However, if you find yourself excessively sweating in your daily life, you may need to consider the possibility of “hyperhidrosis.”
This health condition, which happens regardless of the season, is particularly of concern in the summer when temperature rises.
Professor Kim Kwan Il of the Korean Medicine College at Kyung Hee University explained, “The cause of most hyperhidrosis is unknown, but it’s thought to be related to an abnormality in the autonomic nervous system that secretes sweat which triggers an overreactive response to sympathetic nerve transmission.”
Kim added, “Hyperhidrosis, which causes excessive sweating throughout the body or in specific areas, can interfere with daily life and can lead to social phobia or depression if severe. Therefore, treatment is necessary.”
Typically, individuals are diagnosed with this condition if they have noticeable, excessive sweating in their hands, feet, and underarms for more than six months without any specific disease and meet two or more of the following conditions:
- Sweating symmetrically on both sides
- Excessive sweating at least once a week
- Sweating interferes with daily life
- A family history of hyperhidrosis
- Symptoms appeared before age 25
- Quality of sleep has decreased due to sweating
Hyperhidrosis is broadly divided into localized hyperhidrosis and generalized hyperhidrosis. Localized hyperhidrosis, which commonly causes excessive sweating in the hands and feet, is primarily caused by emotional issues. Generalized hyperhidrosis has a variety of symptoms and causes, including sweating only in the head area, excessive sweating throughout the body when exposed to heat or tension, sweating only at night sweating when eating spicy food.
Kim explained, “The treatments for hyperhidrosis in Western and Oriental medicine are different. In Western medicine, local treatments such as medication, ointments, and Botox injections, as well as surgical treatments that block sweat glands or nerves that transmit sweat secretion signals, are used.”
Kim continued, “In Oriental medicine, instead of using drugs that block sweat glands, we supplement what’s lacking and reduce what’s excessive to balance the overall body and normalize sweat secretion.”
At Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, patients with hyperhidrosis are classified into damp-phlegm type, heat type, and qi-deficiency type based on three tests: body composition analysis, body heat test, and pulse diagnosis. The hospital then proceeds with acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments. For the heat type, Baekhotang is effective; for the qi-deficiency type, Ssanghwatang works well. If blood circulation is poor, Bangkihwanggitang is useful, and for those with insufficient heart blood, Bohyeolanshintang is effective. Prescribing herbal medicine according to the patient’s body constitution and symptoms, encouraging consistent intake to restore internal imbalance, and promoting waste discharge to facilitate sweat secretion function are the primary treatment methods. Iontophoresis, acupuncture, and physical therapy, which can control sweat, are combined for comprehensive treatment.
Kim said, “It is necessary to distinguish and treat the types and causes of sweat based on aspects such as the pattern, area, and timing of sweating. It is important to differentiate whether the heat stimulus is real heat that affects the actual body temperature or false heat (excess heat, deficient heat) due to neurological regulation. The diagnosis and treatment should consider the patient’s physical strength (deficiency or excess) and the degree of internal metabolic circulation (dampness or phlegm).'”
Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with hyperhidrosis, you can alleviate sweating symptoms by improving your lifestyle habits. For example, keep the areas where you sweat clean and dry, and wear breathable, absorbent natural fabrics. Reduce consumption of spicy foods and caffeine as they stimulate the sympathetic nerves. Find peace of mind through deep breathing or meditation. If you usually get hot easily, managing your weight can also help alleviate symptoms.
