Q What causes hyperhidrosis? How is it different from simply sweating a lot?
A Hyperhidrosis is a condition in which the body produces far more sweat than is needed to regulate temperature. It is divided into primary hyperhidrosis, which affects specific areas such as the hands, feet, armpits, or face, and secondary hyperhidrosis, which is caused by other conditions such as menopause, diabetes, or thyroid disorders.
Detailed Answer
Normal sweating is a temperature-regulating mechanism that responds to exercise or heat, but in hyperhidrosis the sympathetic nervous system is overactivated regardless of any trigger, stimulating the sweat glands more than necessary. Primary hyperhidrosis, which is confined to specific areas such as the palms, soles, armpits, and face, is common in people in their twenties and tends to worsen with stress or tension. Secondary hyperhidrosis is caused by menopause, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, tuberculosis, lymphoma, or certain medications, and usually appears all over the body.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we view hyperhidrosis as a state in which the function of "the Lung governs the skin and body hair" (pyeju-pimo), which regulates the sweat pores (han-gong), has become unstable. When mind-body imbalance or Qi deficiency (gi-heo) disrupts autonomic regulation, the sweat pores fail to close in time, leading to excessive sweating. Reinforcing Qi and blood and restoring the proper rise of water and descent of fire (suseung-hwagang) to stabilize the autonomic nervous system is the starting point of treatment.
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Q
Can hyperhidrosis be completely cured with Korean medicine treatment? Realistically, how much can I expect?
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As menopause set in, I suddenly started feeling hot all over and sweating a lot. Is this also hyperhidrosis?
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Because of sweaty hands and feet, the skin between my toes has become macerated and I've developed athlete's foot. Can this be treated together with hyperhidrosis?
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