The numbers suggest that 1% Americans suffer from the condition but we have to take into account that most people do not actively seek medical care for this condition/disorder and are too embarrassed to even talk about. Whether you are a musician, a sportsperson, or someone who finds themselves in a lot of social situations, sweaty palms can cause serious problems.
When out on a date or in an important meeting, a sweaty palm may send the wrong message (stress)and may cause a lot of embarrassment. Similarly, if you can’t hold onto your baseball bat or drumsticks due to sweaty palms, your social life/career suffers a setback. People who do not suffer from this condition tend to underestimate it, but people who have this disorder know how embarrassing and frustrating it can be.
What is Palmar Hyperhidrosis?
The medical term for sweaty palms is Palmar Hyperhidrosis. The condition can begin in childhood and adulthood alike, and causes the sufferer’s palms to sweat profusely, inhibiting one’s ability to hold items and to physically interact with other people due to embarrassment. If a person sweats more than 20 milligrams/minute from their palms, they can be diagnosed with Palmar Hyperhidrosis.
Causes
The main cause of Palmar Hyperhidrosis is still debatable. Until a few years ago, the disorder was believed to be caused by psychological reasons, but now several medical professionals attribute it to purely physiological reasons. Some even call it a vicious circle, where sweaty palms feed social anxiety which in turn causes the palms to sweat even more.
Our body uses perspiration as a cooling mechanism, and releases sweat when the body temperature rises due to physical exertion, stress, or high temperatures. Our hands contain more than half the total amount of sweat glands in the body, so sweating from your palms is pretty natural.
The sympathetic nervous system controls the fight or flight response in our bodies, this includes increased sweating, increased heart rate, and increased adrenaline flow in different situations. When the sympathetic nervous system starts to malfunction, the fight or flight responses are triggered at the wrong/inappropriate time.
Symptoms of Hyperhidrosis
If you sweat from your palms consistently and have trouble gripping objects, you might be suffering from Palmar Hyperhidrosis. Similarly, if you are embarrassed to shake hands with people, and have been told by your friends and family members that you have sweaty palms, you should look into the remedies of this condition. Being a little nervous in a job interview might cause your palms to sweat, but when you find pools of sweat on your remote control while sitting on your couch, it’s time to seek medical help.
Medical Treatments for Sweaty Palms
If you believe you suffer from Palmar Hyperhidrosis, you should seek medical attention. If your doctor suggests that the reasons behind the disorder are psychological, you may have to seek counseling to learn techniques of managing your sweaty palms.
Tim Salivan, from spiqy.com recommends some dietary changes. If narcotics or alcohol are recognized as the main cause, you might have to refrain from those as well; the same goes for caffeine and nicotine. Your doctor might advise you to avoid excessive physical activities and high temperatures. Although sweating in such conditions is natural, but avoiding them helps determine the extent of your disorder in a controlled environment.
There are several chemical products (such as Aluminum Chloride, and Aluminum Sesquichlorohydrate foam) that you can apply to your palms to reduce and discourage sweating. Your doctor may prescribe medicine, or may even recommend surgery. There are several medical treatments out there for Palmar Hyperhidrosis, so you should not hesitate to seek help for this condition.
Natural Treatments for Sweaty Palms
Sage Tea: Drinking or soaking your hands in sage tea can significantly reduce palm sweat. In some cases, reduction as much as 50% has been reported. You can have a refreshing cup of boiled sage tea with lemon and honey, or you could simply soak your hands in a bowl of water with sage tea bags, it works either way.
Clean Your Hands With Alcohol: You could use an alcohol based hand sanitizer, or a homemade diluted solution. Alcohol evaporates quickly but it would help evaporate all the moisture from your hands and would reduce the temperature of your hands.
Carry a Rosin Bag in Your Pocket: A rosin bag can come in handy when you are about to shake hands with someone. Just reach into your pocket and grab it, the bags will absorb all the sweat and you will be able to shake hands without any nervousness. This will also reduce social anxiety caused by sweaty palms, because you would know that the solution to your problem is literally in your pocket.
Homeopathic Remedies for Sweaty Palms
DeodoRite is a homeopathic remedy that helps reduce excessive perspiration and body odor. It cleanses toxins from the body, and removes bad odor from the sweat in a natural way. While other solutions may suppress perspiration by blocking your sweat glands, DeodoRite does it in a natural way, ensuring that your health and bodily functions are not harmed.
Sweat-Less is another popular homeopathic remedy that reduces Hyperhidrosis. It maintains the perspiration process by balancing bodily fluids, and even curbs emotional triggers that may cause excessive sweating. It is an effective and natural treatment for sweaty palms with virtually no side effects.
We reviewed the causes, symptoms, and different treatments for sweaty palms in this article. Most people suffering from sweaty palms are embarrassed to seek medical help, and miss out on so many solutions to this problem. If you suffer from clamminess, and your palms start sweating randomly, you should take advice from a physician. You can also try one of the natural remedies we have mentioned. In short, if you suspect you have Palmar Hyperhidrosis, you should stop worrying and start trying different treatments.