How to stop profuse sweating
Here’s a question you may be asking.
Why can’t I stop sweating?
This is a great question and one I can speak to personally. I am a sweater. I don’t perspire or glisten, I freaking drip sweat and it doesn’t stop even after stop running. It doesn’t matter if it’s 100 degrees or 10 below, the sweat flood gates are open. Sometimes, even an hour after my run, I’m still hot. What’s a chubby runner to do? How do I manage it?
Cause of profuse sweating
Body coolant system
Sweating is your body’s way of cooling itself. Your nervous system triggers your sweat glands automatically when your body temperature rises. It can occur when you’re nervous or in a tense situation.
Too hard too fast
Sometimes, this sweat nightmare is linked to higher exertion levels as the thyroid kicks out more hormones to help meet the greater demands on your body. But if this only happens when you are doing speed work, it may be just hormonal. To reduce this in the future, you may need to reevaluate your training program. You may be going to hard too fast.
Primary focal hyperhidrosis
The most common form of excessive sweating is called primary focal hyperhidrosis. This is where the nerves that signal your sweat glands are overactive, even if you haven’t done any physical activity. Stress or nervousness exacerbate the problem. There is no medical cause for this type of hyperhidrosis. It may be genetic because it can runs in families.
Secondary hyperhidrosis
Secondary hyperhidrosis is when profuse sweating is due to a medical condition. It can cause sweating all over your body and is much less common than primary.
Excessive sweating can be caused by a number of things, the following are some of the most common causes:
- Diabetes
- Low blood sugar
- Infection
- Menopause hot flashes
- Cancer
- Heart attack
- Nervous system disorders
- Thyroid condition
Diagnosing profuse sweating
Keep a journal of your past runs and track the details to see if there is some common variable. Ask yourself, did the sweat nightmare happen after you ate a whole cheesecake, or when you were going through a stressful experience? You may be able to single out that characteristic and change it in the future and see if that minimizes sweating. If it persists I’d swing by the doctors office to get checked out to see it’s something more serious or just genetic like in my case.
Treatment for profuse sweating
Home remedies
If you have a milder form of hyperhidrosis, there are a number of home treatment remedies that may help. Many of these you can do at home with materials you probably already have. These suggestions may help you cope with profuse sweating and body odor:
Antiperspirant
Many off-the-shelf nonprescription antiperspirants are made with aluminum-based compounds that are designed to temporarily block the sweat pore. This lowers the volume of sweat that reaches your skin.
Astringents
Not just for acne, astringents can be used as an at-home remedy. Astringents contain an ingredient called, tannic acid (Zilactin) that helps to minimize the effects of profuse sweating.
Bathe
This one should be a given, but bathing regularly helps keep minimize the bacteria on your skin. After your bath or shower be sure to dry yourself thoroughly, in all the nooks and crannies.
Socks
It is most common for profuse sweaters to do so through their feet. To treat it, you should wear socks made with natural materials. Change your socks a couple of times per day, thoroughly drying each time. You can also use over-the-counter foot powders to help absorb sweaty feet.
Proper clothing
As a chubby runner, you know that wearing the proper clothing for running helps in many ways. It manages sweat. And you know that when you run, you should wear moisture-wicking fabrics.
Relax
Sometimes sweating is due to anxiety or stress, so consider relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and biofeedback. It can also help you learn to manage the stress or anxiety that may trigger profuse sweating.
Medications
If home remedies are not working to cut profuse sweating, you may have a more serious condition. Consult your physician. Medications and drugs used to treat hyperhidrosis include:
Prescription antiperspirant
Your physician may prescribe a more powerful antiperspirant that contains aluminum chloride (Drysol, Xerac Ac). This is powerful stuff, so if you have a reaction to it, try hydrocortisone cream.
Prescription creams
Glycopyrrolate is a prescription that your doctor may recommend to help hyperhidrosis that specifically affects your head and face.
Antidepressants
Some prescription medications used to treat depression may also decrease sweating. In some cases, these medications may also help decrease anxiety levels, consequently helping hyperhidrosis.
Botox
Botox temporarily blocks the nerves that cause sweating. For treatment, each affected area will need several injections, and the effects can last 6 to 12 months.
Surgical procedures
The most extreme cases of hyperhidrosis require more extreme treatments. These are very rare cases. The good news is there are a number of treatments that can help those with severe cases.
Sweat gland removal
If profuse sweating is just in your armpits, removing the sweat glands may help. There is a minimally invasive technique called suction curettage that may work too.
Sympathectomy (nerve surgery)
In this procedure, the surgeon cuts burns or clamps the spinal nerves that control sweating in your hands. If your sweating is primarily in the head and neck, surgery may not be an option. However, there is also a variation on this procedure that interrupts the nerve signals without removing the sympathetic nerve.
Profuse sweating conclusion
Everyone sweats. Some of us don’t sweat much. Some of us sweat for hours after a run. If it persists for an extended period of time, you may have some form of profuse sweating. Hopefully, some of the remedies and treatments are helpful. If it persists, you may need to chat with your doctor.
For me, my body temp just runs hot. I sweat at night. I sweat all the time. It really doesn’t matter what I do, I sweat. Maybe I should cut down on the cheesecake? Nah. That’s just crazy talk.
