Table of contents:
- What is anhidrosis?
- What are the signs and symptoms of difficulty sweating?
- What causes this condition?
- How to treat anhidrosis?
There are a handful of people whose bodies can stay sweaty even after hours of exercise or are out in the hot sun. Could this be a sign of anhidrosis?
What is anhidrosis?
Anhidrosis is a condition when your body finds it difficult to sweat after it's been triggered by increased activity or a change in temperature.
Sweat functions to cool itself to keep body temperature stable and remove toxins from metabolic waste. Later, the sweat that comes out through the pores of the skin will be exposed to air and evaporate, making the body temperature begin to drop.
Anhidrosis is experienced by all members of the body or only in certain body parts that normally sweat a lot, such as the armpits, palms, feet, face and groin.
The structure of the human skin is equipped with about two to five million sweat glands that are embedded in the skin and spread throughout the body. Anhidrosis occurs when these sweat glands don't work properly so you can't sweat.
This condition of difficulty sweating can over time increase the body's core temperature and cause a number of problems that can lead to fatal malfunctioning of vital organs. Some of the consequences include the following.
- Cramps, painful muscle spasms, can last a long time in the legs, arms, stomach area, and back.
- Heat exhaustion, intense fatigue that arises from heat, the signs are weakness, nausea, a fast heartbeat.
- Heat stroke, a condition in which the body is overheated, you will feel dazed until you lose consciousness, you can even go into a coma and lead to death.
What are the signs and symptoms of difficulty sweating?
Ahidrosis makes it difficult for your body to sweat to cool off even though it has been triggered by high-intensity physical activity such as exercise or an increase in environmental temperature (such as a sauna or being outdoors in hot weather).
Here are the signs of anhydrocess that you need to watch out for.
- Sweating only a little and in one part of the body, or even not sweating at all.
- Likes to feel dizzy and tired.
- Often experience muscle cramps.
- The body likes to feel hot because it cannot sweat.
- Fast heart rate.
- The skin feels warm and looks reddish.
What causes this condition?
Some people are born with a condition that their sweat glands can't work properly. Generally, this is a congenital name Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia . This causes the body to form only a few sweat glands.
In some cases, anhidrosis can also be caused by a medical condition or underlying disease, such as diabetes, Parkinson's, diabetes-induced nerve damage, alcohol dependence, or Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Severe burns can permanently damage the sweat glands. In addition, dehydration can also cause you to experience anhydrosis.
There are also many drugs that can reduce sweat production. For example, medications for heart disease and medications for high blood pressure, bladder control, nausea, and certain mental disorders.
Even so, the condition of difficulty sweating due to taking the drug usually returns to normal when the dose of the drug is stopped.
Age can also be a risk factor for someone not being able to sweat. People aged 65 and over, infants, and children are more susceptible to heat stress, which can lead to anhidrosis.
How to treat anhidrosis?
If anhidrosis only affects a small part of your body and is not causing a problem, you probably won't need treatment.
It's different if its appearance is caused by a medical condition or disease that you have, the treatment steps will certainly focus on that medical condition so that it can reduce symptoms including anhidrosis.
During the examination, the doctor will sometimes also ask you about the history of the drugs you are taking. If it turns out that a certain drug is causing it, the doctor may change the drug or change the dose.
However, if you are already experiencing an increase in heart rate; loss of balance or dizziness; feeling sick or nauseous; fatigue and feeling of weakness; and goosebumps continue even in hot weather, get emergency medical help right away.
Symptoms of difficulty sweating may be a sign heat stroke . In an emergency situation, the medical team will take quick action to cool the body and regulate fluids to stabilize the temperature.
Always be alert and watch for any symptoms or changes in your body. Immediately see a doctor to confirm the condition you are experiencing.