Hypohidrosis

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Skin Itching

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What is Hypohidrosis and how is it different from Hyperhidrosis

When a patient suffers from some skin abnormalities, he may well be having Hypohidrosis; a rare clinically significant condition. Commonly, this focal illness is caused by local skin injury that may be either due to trauma or some type of radiation. Infections such as leprosy, inflammation(s) or atrophy of glands may also be associated and glands atrophy follows from connective tissue disease. Examples of it may include systemic sclerosis, Sjogren’s syndrome etc. Hypohidrosis may also be caused by drugs and drugs with anticholinergic properties have special effects with regards to the disease.

Hypohidrosis Definition

Generally it is described as “Abnormal Lack of Sweat” while in response to heat that may be very harmful; sweating naturally allows heat to be released out of the body; in both humans and animals. There is a typical medical term for this condition and that is “Anhidrosis.” The condition is also known as “Decreased sweating.”

Dermatologists define it as ‘lack of appropriate sweat production’ particularly in response to ‘thermal’ or ‘pharmacologic stimulation.’ In most situations, the same may turn into a ‘medical emergency’ with the following:

  • Hyperthermia
  • Heatstroke
  • Heat exhaustion, and
  • Death

Anhidrosis is also likely to affect the patients’ entire body and may even be segmental while in distribution; the same is divided into:

  • Sweat gland necrosis
  • Anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia
  • Functional defects, etc.

The above are often related to:

  • Autonomic control
  • Thermoregulatory control (involving the central/peripheral nervous systems)

Hypohidrosis Symptoms

Few of the main Anhidrosis signs or symptoms may include:

Impaired Perspiration

Little sweating / complete lack of sweating is one of the common or main sign of Anhidrosis that affects (or may affect) a particular region of patients’ body. It may even affect several parts and regions of the entire body. The more the body parts or areas got affected, the greater becomes the risk for the sufferer(s); to have a heatstroke. However, no ‘Serious’ complications anticipated in case of localized Anhidrosis.

Sweating keeps the heat down and helps maintain normal body temperature. Reduced sweating, naturally causes serious risk to the body.

Rapid Heart Rate

Another common sign may be lack of proper cooling that the body needs by sweating and this may lead to acceleration of patients’ heart rate.

Flushed Face

Anhidrosis patients may often end up with kind of redden faces, they exhibit evident redness on both their faces as well as neck area; a clear sign they have increased heart rate. This particular condition is considered an emergency case, needing immediate medical care.

Dizziness

Decreased sweating patients may also experience kind of reeling sensation that is observed from time to time; the reason behind increased body temperature. ‘Vertigo’ is very common in Anhidrosis.

Fatigue

Physical weakness may also follow resulting from the extreme level of body heat build-up.

Muscular Cramping

No sweating at all or very little sweating eventually leads to causing muscle cramping.

Nausea

When the disease has spread and covered larger body area, Anhidrosis patients do exhibit nauseating symptoms. Following may also follow:

  • Blurred Vision
  • Burning
  • Evident change in Body Odor

Hypohidrosis Causes

Absence of sweating is also found in horses, most commonly in tropical climates thus seriously interfering with the racing calendars. Once affected, the animals start showing respiratory distress while even at rest; absence of sweating leaves the poor animals quite unable to participate in racing events. Disease is akin to human anhidrotic asthenia and is also known as ‘Puff’ disease or ’Dry coat syndrome.’

Listed below are the few causes of the disease:

Causes of a most often going unnoticed or unrecognized disease, Anhidrosis could be:

  • Burns
  • Congenital disorders
  • Ectodermal dysplasia
  • Dehydration
  • Certain genetic syndromes
  • Certain nerve problems
  • Neurologic disorders like Guillian-Barre Syndrom
  • Sweat-gland blocking skin diseases
  • Trauma to sweat glands
  • Constant use of certain drugs
  • Genetic Defect
  • Thyroid Disorders
  • Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia
  • Trauma (sweat glands’ injury)
  • Drugs
  • Horner’s Syndrome

Hypohidrosis Diagnosis

Many Anhidrosis diagnosis are carried out through various tests, indicating the nature as well as the amount of sweating in suffers.

Anhidrosis testing(s) include:

QSART (Quantitative Sudomotor Axon Reflex Test)

This is a non-hurtful way or method of testing for determining amount of sweat; produced from a person’s body in response to given stimulus.

Sweat Imprint Test

This test may also be carried out for detecting the distribution of sweat in patients’ body.

Thermoregulatory Test

This has been observed that above test proves a great way to gauging the extent of a patient’s perspiration problem. This is done by sprinkling a powdery substance on the skin’s affected part of an individual.

Hypohidrosis or Anhidrosis Treatment methods

The treatment for this condition involves curing the causative condition(s) behind the syndrome. Specific drugs to control heart rate may be advised that will also control blood pressure and nausea. Antipsychotic drugs may also be tried for controlling Anhidrosis; resulting from psychiatric problems.

Then there are plentiful natural remedies available that are necessary for Anhidrosis patients’ to recover, along with prescription drugs. In majority of cases, doctors would recommend use of natural treatment method(s) to get rid of the signs and symptoms arising from the disorder.

Natural Treatments may include:

  • Intake of liquids; especially lot of water
  • Use of relevantly loose outfits/dresses/clothes
  • Avoiding, or at least reducing the intake of Alcohol
  • Avoiding any kind of Exercise in Heat
  • Regular Sponge Bath

In Children, the signs and symptoms of Anhidrosis may not be the same as of adult patients rather they exhibit certain signs as rashes. The rash marks mostly target children’s buttocks, back, chest or the skin of their hands and it is strictly advisable that the moment you realize your child suffers from Hypohidrosis or Anhidrosis; immediately consult a doctor.

NOTE:

Hypohidrosis and Hyperhidrosis

It is imperative to note here that the subject two terms must not be confused with each other since they are rather entirely opposite types of disorders. Hypohidrosis and Hyperhidrosis refer to ‘Reduced Sweating’ (also absence of perspiration) and ‘Excessive Perspiration’ respectively.

References

http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/sweating-absent

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmiliarial_hypohidrosis

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/anhidrosis

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/dermatologic_disorders/sweating_disorders/hypohidrosis.html

1 COMMENT

  1. I was born an athletic type person. Jogging, swim team etc. Because of environmental conditions as I grew older I experience decreased sweating. I feel healthier away from high energy sources. I work out on a regular basis. I can increase my heartbeat to 21 bps. My breathing is restful still. I’m sensitive to glycol products that leach into the environment where I live. My carbon monoxide detector went off this cloudy morning. Difficult to breath untill the sun burns off toxins in the air
    My lymph nodes and glands suffer. I do self massage. Herbals. No prescripton or over counter meds taken or prefered. I never get fever. In a healthier environment I can increase my body temperature oNE degree. Increase my heartbeat to 30 beats in ten seconds. I find it very difficult to improve my heath in the environment I’m in. Any advice would be much appreciated. Cindy haycock.

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