Sweating Excessively (Hyperhidrosis)
Contact Information
(608) 263-7502
(608) 265-0499
Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, can affect up to three percent of the population.It usually begins early in life, and 50 to 60 percent of hyperhidrosis patients have a family history of the disorder.
Hyperhidrosis can occur almost anywhere on the body. Usually it affects the palms of the hands, soles of the feet or the underarms.
These symptoms can be socially and professionally debilitating.
Medical Treatments
Medical treatment options for hyperhidrosis include:
- Biofeedback
- Iontophoresis (applying a low-intensity electric current while the affected areas are immersed in an electrolyte solution)
- Topical antiperspirants
- Medical therapy
- Botulinum toxin
Surgical Option
However, not all patients respond to these treatments. For patients with severe hyperhidrosis, surgery is the treatment of choice. Surgeons at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics now perform a new, minimally invasive procedure to safely and effectively treat hyperhidrosis.
The procedure is known as ETS, or micro-invasive endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. It involves removing the portions of the sympathetic nerve chain that cause the excessive sweating: