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hello. I’m Dr. Sangchul Hwang, the director of Ddukdukduk Oriental Clinic. Hyperhidrosis is different for men and women, different for different ages, and different for different constitutions. There are many people who suffer from sweating, but if you only look at the sweaty areas and think “hands and feet, face”, it is easy to miss the actual cause and situation. In today’s first installment, we’re going to talk about how female hyperhidrosis is different from male hyperhidrosis.
Female hormones are the biggest reason for the different patterns of hyperhidrosis in men and women
The biggest difference between men and women is female sex hormones. Female hormones are so important to the female life cycle that they can sometimes feel like they control so much of your body, creating mood swings and physical symptoms. The two main female hormones are estrogen and progesterone, which compete or cooperate with each other to regulate the female life cycle and influence everything from secondary sexual characteristics during growth to the aging process after menopause.
Why female hyperhidrosis worsens around ovulation
In women, characteristic changes occur after the onset of menstruation and around ovulation. These changes typically include increased body temperature, edema (swelling), and mood swings, and a pattern of temperature increases of 0.2 degrees to as much as 0.5 degrees or more can be very irritating for people with hyperhidrosis. Humans are thermophiles, so our body temperature doesn’t fluctuate much when the outside temperature changes, but when our basal body temperature itself rises due to hormonal influences, it’s a big deal for sweaters. During this time of year, the body is often swollen and emotional, so even small stresses can cause increased sweating, and if your eating, sleeping, and bowel movements make you even more swollen, the extra water in your body can easily tip you toward sweating more.
Two Things to Try Today When Premenstrual Hyperhidrosis is Severe
There are two things I would suggest for those who find their hyperhidrosis worsening before their period or during ovulation: first, try to cut down on sweet and salty foods. Many women unknowingly reach for sweet foods during this time, but sweet or irritating foods can cause repeated spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to insulin resistance and make the body more swollen, which can exacerbate hyperhidrosis. Second, massage your lower abdomen. If the hyperhidrosis is particularly severe with premenstrual syndrome, it is often caused by poor blood circulation in the lower abdomen, and is often accompanied by constipation, heavy legs, and mood swings. At this time, you can massage it with your hands from time to time, or if you have a small ball, you can massage the lower abdomen in a clockwise direction, which may help.
Menopausal hyperhidrosis is prone to both night sweats and hot flashes
Another big event that women go through is menopause. Menopause is a time of rapid emotional and physical changes, dominated by female hormonal changes. During menopause, the decrease in female hormone secretion leads to what is known in Chinese medicine as Yin He, or simply put, a decrease in fluid and mucus secretion, resulting in an overall dryness. This is easy to understand when you see symptoms such as dry eyes, dry skin, dry mouth, and dry vagina, often accompanied by fevers that run high. The lack of “water” to cool the body can lead to abnormally high fevers, alternating hot and cold spells, and the feeling of being “hot all over” for those who are naturally febrile. As a result, even those who don’t normally sweat much may find that menopause causes them to sweat like it’s raining, or to be bothered by sweating throughout the day, making their daily lives uncomfortable.
Menopausal Hyperhidrosis, What Are the Causes and How to Effectively Manage? – DooDooDooDooMoon Oriental Clinic
Menopausal hyperhidrosis comes in many forms, but is highly treatable
Menopausal hyperhidrosis is often associated with hormone therapy, but many people are reluctant to take it for long periods of time, even though it can help relieve symptoms. Menopausal hyperhidrosis can manifest itself in a number of ways, including generalized hyperhidrosis, in which the slightest movement causes the body to sweat profusely; generalized hyperhidrosis, in which the body feels clammy with frequent cold and hot flashes; generalized hyperhidrosis, in which the back, chest, and lower back feel as if they are on fire; and generalized hyperhidrosis, in which the body reacts to even the slightest stress with mood swings. In conclusion, since menopausal hyperhidrosis is often a symptom of a deficiency, such as hormonal deficiency or immune suppression, it is more likely to be cured with a symptomatic treatment that fills the deficiency rather than an empirical treatment that relieves the excess, and is more likely to be cured than hyperhidrosis that has been present since childhood.
Menopausal Hyperhidrosis in Action: Sweats and Chills
A recent patient with menopausal hyperhidrosis came to us after five years of suffering from symptoms such as “sweating like it’s raining every day,” “feeling too cold even when it’s hot,” “losing so much energy,” and “taking cold medication every day thinking I had a cold because I was so cold.” After treatment, her hyperhidrosis symptoms have resolved and she is able to reduce her daily cold medication, with only the remaining chills to be treated.
Today’s takeaway: Female hyperhidrosis should be viewed in the context of female hormonal changes
Today we discussed hyperhidrosis in the context of female hormonal changes, which are characteristic of women as opposed to men. It’s important to recognize that sweat patterns can change with life cycle changes, such as menstrual cycles and menopause, to better understand hyperhidrosis. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, we encourage you to seek an accurate diagnosis and direct your treatment in the right direction. Thank you.
