Wet hands are always accompanied by excessive production of sweat. Numerous potential causes face many treatment options and therapies. The easily diagnosed disease is countered by those affected with several preventive measures.
What causes wet hands?
An imbalance in hormone balance can cause excessive sweating on the hands. However, hyperthyroidism is also responsible for moist hands. In the case of moist hands, physicians speak of hyperhidrosis. While this term can also include other areas, hyperhidrosis palmaris refers directly to the hands. Both terms are commonly used. Thus, they refer to an excessive production of sweat. This is responsible for the excessively wet inner surface of the hand. It is important to note that this abnormality does not refer exclusively to sweating under stress. This is normal. Wet hands in relaxed and unexcited situations, on the other hand, are part of the clinical picture. The duration of the symptoms also plays a role. If those affected suffer from excessively moist hands in the long term, hyperhidrosis is present. 60% of patients suffer from the localized form on the hands. Thus, this area of the human body is one of the most frequently affected for this disease. Doctors divide hyperhidrosis into different degrees. In the moderately severe form, sweating is limited to the palms. The severe hyperhidrosis is additionally manifested by excessive sweating on the backs of the fingers and on the lateral edges of the hands.
Causes
The causes of moist hands have unfortunately not yet been investigated in detail or conclusively. However, some constellations exist in which hyperhidrosis generally occurs more frequently. Thus, an imbalance in the hormone balance can cause excessive sweating on the hands. However, hyperthyroidism is also responsible for moist hands. If people suffer from psychological problems, then these can also show themselves through hyperhidrosis. Overweight must also be mentioned among the possible reasons for excessive production of sweat. Finally, even tumors can be responsible for these unpleasant phenomena on the hands. This then goes hand in hand with changes in the hormone balance of those affected, as tumors can also produce hormones. Those who have to take medication should expect side effects. Moist hands are among those. The range of possible causes for excessive production of sweat on the hands is quite diverse. They range from harmless to dangerous reasons.
Diseases with this symptom
- Hormonal imbalances
- Obesity
- Neurosis
- Psychosis
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hyperhidrosis
Diagnosis and course of the disease
A reliable diagnosis is made by the doctor. If affected persons notice that they sweat too much on the hands, they should see a doctor. This asks the patient in detailed discussions about any pre-existing conditions. In addition, ideally the patient’s living conditions are discussed in detail. To this end, it is important for those affected to keep a close eye on their moist hands. Over time, it becomes clear to them whether they produce enormous amounts of sweat on their hands under anxiety, stress or for no reason. With this information, the doctor makes a reliable diagnosis. Some methods exist to determine the exact amount of sweat. Through gravimetry or the minor test, doctors even determine the amount of sweat for a specific unit of time. However, no doctor can predict to what extent the disease will take its course. It manifests itself in different degrees in patients. An individual course of the disease is a hallmark of hyperhidrosis. Accordingly, the frequency or amount of sweat can vary greatly from patient to patient.
Complications
Moist hands are normal during physical exertion, high temperatures and humidity, and after eating highly seasoned foods and during intense emotional arousal. All other cases involve an overproduction of sweat glands in the palm of the hand, hyperhidrosis palmaris. The excessive sweat production is then not controlled by the thermoregulatory center in the hypothalamus, but by another center in the CNS via sympathetic fibers of the autonomic nervous system.The causes of moist hands can be organic or psychological. For example, hyperthyroidism or hypopituitarism can cause hyperhidrosis, or it can be triggered as an undesirable side effect of medication. In some cases, hormone-producing tumors can also lead to excessive sweat production in the hand. Often, however, the psyche (anxiety, stress) or severe obesity are the triggering factors. An important diagnostic tool to identify palmar hyperhidrosis is a careful history. In addition, there is the qualitative iodine–strength test (minor test) with which the skin region of sweat production can be color-coded. In a gravimetric test, sweat production can be measured quantitatively on a specific skin area over time. If the cause of the moist hands is known, possible therapy is aimed at correcting the causes. In other cases, treatment depends on the severity of the condition. In mild cases, treatment with medical antiperspirants containing aluminum salts is recommended. Other treatment options include tap water iontophoresis, direct current treatment, and CT-assisted lumbar sympathicolysis, in which phenol is injected into the ganglion of the sympathetic border cord on the right and left sides of the lowest thoracic vertebra (Th12) to inactivate stimulation of the sweat glands by the sympathetic nervous system for about one year. Treatments with Botox (botulinum toxin) are also possible, but must be repeated every 6 months and may result in restricted hand movement. While psychological problems may develop if no treatment is given, compensatory sweating of other parts of the body may occur after some treatment methods.
When should you see a doctor?
The symptom of moist hands is also known by the technical term hyperhidrosis or hyperhidrosis palmaris. This condition is extremely unpleasant for those affected, and not only during social contacts. The dampness of the palms also frequently causes difficulties in various practical activities at work and in private life. The grip strength suffers under moist hands and moist hands leave undesirable marks on sensitive surfaces. There are therefore enough reasons to seek medical advice if your hands are frequently wet. A visit to the doctor for wet hands can drastically limit the symptom. In addition, in the case of moist hands, it should always be considered whether they are not merely a nuisance or possibly have a medical background that requires treatment. The first contact person for moist hands should be the family doctor. After taking a medical history and conducting initial examinations, he or she will decide whether to continue treatment or refer the patient to a specialist, such as an internist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, nephrologist, neurologist or psychologist. It can also be helpful to have the sweat glands removed by a surgeon. If physical causes for moist hands can be ruled out, a psychologically induced trigger for this can almost always be determined. The range of psychological causes extends from personality traits such as shyness to certain situations perceived as particularly stressful to various phobias. Here, extensive therapeutic discussions can already provide clarity and promising treatment approaches.
Treatment and therapy
As a rule, moist hands are treatable. If tumors are responsible for the excessive production of sweat, it is necessary to remove those. This is associated with the end of the production of disturbing hormones. The therapy for a simpler form of the disease shows how different the treatment can be. In some cases, it is already sufficient to drink sage tea as part of the systemic therapy. The reason for this is the antiperspirant effect of this labiates. Special gels from the pharmacy are also used by patients with moist hands to minimize the excessive production of sweat. With topical therapy, doctors try to block the sweat glands. The principle is similar to that of antiperspirants. Aluminum also acts as an effective ingredient in the treatment. The corresponding products are usually available from pharmacies in the form of ointments or roll-ons. In the case of overweight patients, it is worthwhile reducing their weight. This can have an effect not only on wet hands, but also in many other areas. This can be achieved with sport.It is generally a recommendable factor when it comes to treating hyperhidrosis. Good results can be achieved in the form of yoga. Current therapies or even surgeries expand the scope of action of doctors. In surgical procedures, the sweat glands are removed. If doctors decide to use current therapy, the choice falls on tap water iontophoresis. It minimizes the extent of moist hands in an average of 8 out of 10 patients.
Outlook and prognosis
Wet hands may occur temporarily and disappear on their own, so no explicit treatment is needed. There are several factors in our lives that can cause this symptom. These include, for example, regular consumption of alcohol or the use of inappropriate cosmetic products. If wet hands are caused by the above-mentioned factors, there is definitely no need to see a doctor. There is by no means any risk of consequential damage or a significant worsening of the symptom. However, if the affected person feels severely restricted in everyday life, a visit to the doctor is advisable. A doctor can determine whether there is a disease behind chronically moist hands. This does not necessarily include physical illnesses, but also extreme nervousness, shyness or strong feelings of anxiety. In general, if a person sweats senselessly and without physical activity, this could be a sign of hyperhidrosis. In such a case, treatment is strongly recommended, as this is the only way to stop chronic sweating in the future. Psychotherapy is also very helpful in many cases, because it can solve the connection between wet hands and unpleasant feelings.
Prevention
Preventing wet hands is possible in several ways. The psychological influence should not be underestimated. Those who are already prepared for certain situations in advance, control the production of sweat at the crucial moment a little better. This is possible because he is more relaxed. Handkerchiefs absorb sweat unnoticed when sufferers put their hands in their pockets. Operations to remove sweat glands prevent sweating from the outset, while ointments and antiperspirants block the sweat glands. Overweight people lose weight and tumor patients will feel improvement once the lump is removed.
This is what you can do yourself
Wet hands are unpleasant and cause headaches especially when we are supposed to greet someone with a handshake. Although the trade offers a number of creams and hand deodorants against wet hands, but also with home remedies can be remedied. Franzbranntwein is an age-old, tried and tested remedy and is available in every drugstore. Rubbing a few squirts into the palms of your hands several times a day and massaging it in can reduce perspiration. The remedy is also pleasantly cooling. Sage tea also has a positive effect on sweating. A hand bath with sage can also bring improvement. However, sage works individually and does not have the same effect on everyone. In addition, patience is necessary, because the success is only after a few weeks. Body powder from the drugstore clogs the sweat pores and often relieves. Just like rubbing alcohol, a little powder is placed in the palms of the hands several times a day and rubbed in. Sweaty palms can also be caused by medication. After discontinuing the medication, a change should become apparent fairly soon. If stress is the reason for wet hands, it should be reduced as much as possible. Sometimes, if there is stress at work, a change of company is actually appropriate. Nervousness and anxiety, frequent triggers for sweaty hands, can be reduced through autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation, for example. This also helps against test anxiety.
