Sweaty Palms are also known by their medical term, Palmar Hyperhidrosis . Profuse hand perspiration is by far the most common kind of hyperhidrosis. The term hypersympathetic activity is a more exact term for sweaty palms. This is because extreme perspiration is caused by the heightened activity in the sympathetic chain. The sympathetic chain is a part of the autonomic nervous system. This is situated inside the chest cavity and it doesn’t have anything to do with the motoric or sensory functions of our body.

Extreme hand perspiration can be very harsh and aggravating to the person with the disorder. This normally affects a person’s daily life and affects both fundamental functions and social interactions. In about forty percent of people that are afflicted with severe hand sweating, the problem can be mostly accredited to genetics. Sweaty palms normally develop during early childhood and may become more severe towards the late adolescence and into early adulthood.

The International Hyperhidrosis Society segregates the severity of Palmar Hyperhidrosis or Profuse Hand Perspiration into 4 subgroups. Group number 1 consists of patients that only have mild hand sweating or perspiration.  This group consists of patients that do not experience any functional or social troubles due to their condition. On the other hand are the patients that experience extreme and excessive hand perspiration. This level of moisture experienced by sufferers is described as dripping or drenching and this adversely affects them on a daily basis. Patients portrayed in the latter group rarely have encouraging results from conservative procedures such as Drionic, Drysol, Maxim, Oral Medications or Botox.

The medical surgery called Thoracic Sympathectomy has been developed and improved over the last five to six decades. In the previous decades, the procedure was made either through the lower neck, at the back or on the chest cavity. These methods involved major surgical intervention that required very long hospital recovery. On top of that, the operation also caused pain and excessive scarring to the patient. These are the reasons why the operation was not commonly chosen by physicians – and not very popular with patients, either.

Over the last two decades, improvements have been made and many successful surgeries were done with the aid of miniaturized cameras. This procedure using the aid of miniature cameras is known as Endoscopic Surgery. Access into the body cavities such as the abdomen or chest is done through miniature incisions wherein a probe that contains a camera can be put into. This is a less invasive procedure and it ends up with minimal surgical damage and a speedier recovery for the patient. Most of the surgeries today are done on an outpatient basis – the patient can go back home on the same day that the procedure is done.  The procedure achieves the same if not better results as the open surgeries that were done in the previous decades. Plus, it has the benefit of a short hospital stay and it does not have the side effects of severe pain and excessive scarring.

Excessive sweating at night is called sleep hyperhidrosis, more commonly known as “night sweats.” An individual suffering from night sweats may also experience excessive sweating during the day, although this is not always the case.

Sleep hyperhidrosis can affect anyone regardless of age, but it is more commonly seen in early adulthood (when sweat glands have become more active). Generally, sleep hyperhidrosis is safe, except that it causes distress and discomfort during sleep. It disrupts normal sleep patterns when one is frequently awakened due to drenched sleepwear and sheets.

Research shows that occurrence of excessive sweating is due to some genetic factors. Biology plays a role as well. For instance, women over 40 affected by menopause (or perimenopause) related hormonal changes, can suffer from night sweats. Similarly, pregnant women can experience night sweats due to hormonal changes. In both cases, excessive sweating shouldn’t be a cause for alarm, or be seen as a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

How does one know if excessive perspiration is actually caused by an underlying medical condition? Obviously, one sweats more in a warm environment, during exercise or in response to situations that elicit strong emotions – situations that make them nervous, angry, embarrassed or anxious. Thus, diligent efforts should be taken in keeping the place cool, well ventilated, and clean. Wearing of cool, comfortable sleepwear is also important. Certain foods and drinks that trigger the body to perspire more should be avoided. It also helps to reduce stress, or if at all possible, stay away from stressful situations. Try to control or eliminate all these external factors first. If severe “hot flashes” still occur then, it should be wise to seek medical attention.

Sweat glands release salty liquid through the process of perspiration. It’s a normal and essential body process controlled by the sympathetic nervous system to remove toxins from the body and to regulate body temperature. Perspiration usually occurs under the arms, on the feet, and on the palms of the hand. In some cases, sweating may occur around the face, or worse, all over the body. One is born with about two to four million sweat glands, and not until puberty do these glands become fully active. Interestingly, women have more sweat glands. Men may have fewer sweat glands than women, but their glands are more active.

If sweating gets out of control and become a source of distress and discomfort, several treatment options are available. There are some oral medications to choose from, but patients sometimes complain of certain side effects. Some experience dry mouth, drowsiness, and urinary retention. In the case of “hot flashes” caused by menopause, hormonal treatment will suffice to control the condition. There are also medical procedures that could help relieve the patient from this condition for more lasting results. A unique treatment is the use of electrical current (iontophoresis) to control the activity of the sweat glands. A device known as Drionic is used daily for seven days and results of the procedure last for up to one month. For chronic cases, surgical procedure will have to be done to remove some of the overactive sweat glands.