Hyperhidrosis is a sweating disorder that affects countless numbers of people the world over. In the United States alone, approximately eight million people are suffering from this condition. There are several factors that contribute to excessive sweating, as well as a number of treatments. Hyperhidrosis surgery is one such treatment.
The type of operation a surgeon will perform depends on the location and severity of the patient’s hyperhidrosis.
Those who suffer from excessive sweating of the palms or hands will most likely undergo a procedure called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. For those whom excessive sweating of the feet is the problem, a lumbar sympathectomy might be performed. Overproduction of sweat in the armpits, on the other hand, could be resolved through suction curettage or by surgical removal of the sweat glands. Finally, those suffering from excessive sweating in the groin area may find relief in an operation wherein the skin in the area is excised.
It used to be that a person undergoing hyperhidrosis surgery would need to stay in the hospital for a week after the procedure and suffer a long, painful recovery. Nowadays, most types of surgery for excessive sweating are done on an outpatient basis.
These operations are also less painful and less invasive. In the past, the surgeon would need to make large incisions on the patient’s chest or back to reach the nerves that control sweating. Today, the procedure is done thorascopically. Three tiny incisions are made, and it is through these holes that the surgeon inserts the minuscule fiber optic camera and surgical instruments to be used in the operation.
The surgery does not take long, usually under an hour. The patient is allowed to go home either on the same day or on the next day. Post-operative pain is minimal, which can be easily controlled with painkillers. Most patients are able to resume their normal activities within a few days.
All types of surgical procedures, major or minor, carry with them the risk of complications or side effects, and surgery for excessive sweating is no exception. Though risks such as excessive bleeding are minimal, they do exist, and it’s a good idea to talk them over with your doctor.
Surgical treatment of hyperhidrosis can also bring about certain side effects. Some patients experience what is called compensatory sweating – that is, other parts of the body produce more sweat than usual. Some individuals, on the other hand, find that they start sweating more when they smell or eat food that is spicy or sour; this condition is known as gustatory sweating. For most people though, either of these conditions is preferable to hyperhidrosis.
It must be said you should consider hyperhidrosis surgery only if all other treatments failed to resolve your sweating disorder. The procedure isn’t appropriate for everyone, so talk to your doctor to know the best course of action for you.
You should know that surgery is not your only option. There is a natural treatment that is so effective that it works in as little as 14 days. This treatment is outlined in the downloadable ebook, "Stop Sweating & Start Living". You can learn more about this powerful and all-natural treatment here.