What is Underarm Sweating?
Underarm sweating is a normal process and is something that most people have to deal with. Unlike many other types of sweating, underarm sweating only begins around puberty and during the first month or two the sweating is generally excessive. In time, this sweating decreases down to a normal and more manageable level.
For some people however, the sweating remains excessive and it can become quite an annoying and embarrassing problem having to deal with large sweat marks on clothing, and managing the body odor that is often associated with underarm sweating. The sweat glands in the armpits differ to the sweat glands in most other areas of the body.
Unlike the eccrine sweat glands, which are all over the body and concentrated in areas such as the head, hands, and feet, the glands present under the arms and in the groin area are called apocrine glands. Where eccrine glands excrete mainly water and salts, the sweat produced by the apocrine glands also contains other substances such as carbohydrates, proteins, fatty substances and pheromones.
The sweat produced in these glands is therefore often associated with body odor as it attracts bacteria and when the compounds are broken down, body odor is the result. When underarm sweating becomes excessive it is referred to as auxiliary hyperhidrosis.
What Causes Underarm Sweating?
While the causes are not clearly understood, it seems to be a condition related to the over-activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS).
The hypothalamus in the brain sends a message through the SNS which is then relayed to the sweat glands. When something goes wrong along this message pathway, hyperhidrosis is often the result. In addition, there are a number of common triggers which can result in excessive sweating and these include anxiety, stress, heat, physical activity, as well as eating hot and spicy foods.
Help for Underarm Sweating
Natural Remedies
Controlling underarm sweating can be a very frustrating problem, but it helps to know that there are treatments available to help eliminate embarrassment and hassle from everyday life. Many people are now turning to less invasive and more natural treatment for management of excessive sweating, and there are a number of natural ingredients that can help reduce sweating and treat some of the underlying causes.
Nat mur. helps to reduce excessive sweating and stop the feeling of clamminess. Lupulus as well as Castoreum and Argentum Nitricum help to address sweating, especially when related to nervousness, panic, anxiety, or obsessive thoughts. Lastly the ingredient Syphilinum helps to control fluid levels in the body, while also helping to control body odor which commonly accompanies excessive sweating.
