BENGALURU: A city youth has found relief from sweaty palms after undergoing a surgery at Aster CMI hospital. The medical condition, called hyperhydrosis, troubles a large number of people, making it difficult for them to function normally even in day-to-day life. Many people suffer from social anxiety because of the condition, and try to overcome the embarrassment of excessive sweating by looking for solutions such as applying excessive talcum powder or deodorant, and yet they do not find lasting relief.
Such was also the case with Raja (name changed), a 20-year-old student who had been suffering from the condition since the age of 8. Academically as well as professionally – the patient was a full-time student, and also worked part-time in a printing press – he faced immense trouble due to his sweaty palms, which made him tough for him to even grip the pen properly, and had to deal with damp patches on the paper.
“I used to find it very difficult to manage the excessive sweating, and felt embarrassed when people wanted to shake my hand. At the printing press too, I was not able to work comfortably. I was scared that my condition would affect my career as well as my personal life and I was desperate to find a solution,” he told CE.
He visited many hospitals but didn’t get any cure. That’s when he was suggested laparoscopic thoracic sympathectomy at Aster CMI hospital. The procedure is done using a keyhole method whereby surgeons cut the proximal sympathetic ganglion which indirectly blocks the signals of excessive sweating. Raja was discharged the next day after surgery, and one week later, he has been cured of the condition completely.
“Hyperhidrosis is a relatively common condition. Usually people try to control the sweating by using talcum powder or ‘nerve blocks’ but these are only temporary solutions,” said Dr Mahesh Chikkachannappa, senior consultant - General, Laparoscopic & Bariatric Surgery, who operated on the patient. “There needs to be awareness created about the treatment options available to treat this condition and people need not suffer in silence. Sometimes excessive sweating can be an indicator of a more serious underlying health condition such as diabetes or thyroid. Doctors recommend seeking medical counsel to treat the problem. A similar procedure can be done for sweaty feet by doing laparoscopic lumbar sympathectomy,” he added.