He talked about how he was involved in developing b. toxin as a treatment for hyperhidrosis. Before that, mostly iontophoresis was used, but also the operation called sympathectomy where you cut or put clips on nerves that are connected to the sweat glands. However, sympathectomies were associated with several serious side effects and risks such as severe compensatory sweating and they are no longer performed in Sweden.

Dr. Carl Swartling has been helping patients with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) for years

Dr. Swartling, or Calle as those who know him say, is a very experienced and knowledgeable physician with great empathy for his patients. He has been involved in training the staff at, among other places, the Sweat Clinic at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm. He has in many ways contributed to research on hyperhidrosis and can be considered a leading when it comes to the treatment of, for example, multifocal hyperhidrosis.

Listening to Calle as he, with passion, talks about his patients and possible treatments is a joy. However, it strikes me after a while that I still today have such a hard time understanding why it is so difficult to raise awareness about sweat problems and to reach out to the general public and healthcare professionals with this information.

Hyperhidrosis awareness

We at Hidroxa often receive emails from people around the world who have just realized that hyperhidrosis or other sweating problems are medical conditions that can be treated. We also get a lot of emails where people write that they are skeptical towards iontophoresis or b.toxin as  treatment methods. They have tested “everything” so why would this work? Finally, we also receive many emails from people who have tested iontophoresis and who are shocked that it actually works. “Why did I not know this 10 years ago?”

It is so difficult to understand that despite the internet and all the knowledge that is there a google search away, the knowledge about sweat problems among the general public, patients and healthcare professionals is still very low.

I guess it’s an element of healthy skepticism and source criticism. We are constantly fed with lots of ads that promise us miracles, that cost the shirt and that do not make anyone happier. When you are a company that sells a machine “that uses electricity and water to get rid of sweating”, it is perhaps not so strange that you quickly become lumped together with TV shop and other dubious information channels.

It is sometimes very frustrating to know that you have knowledge and a form of treatment that can help many, but the information does not reach them or it does reach but appears so unserious and unbelievable that it is dismissed.

This is something that we at Hidroxa work with all the time.

Thank you Calle for being such a great doctor, who cares about your patients. Thank you for everything you have done for hyperhidrosis healthcare. We at Hidroxa continue to struggle with spread knowledge about hyperhidrosis and iontophoresis.

Sandra Eriksson Mirkovic

A licensed physician with years of experience and a special interest in treating hyperhidrosis.

www.hidroxa.com

The post Myths about hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) – Dr. Carl Swartling appeared first on The Hyperhidrosis Blog.

What many do not know is that there are forms of hyperhidrosis, excessive sweating which cause trouble mainly at night. The mechanism behind nocturnal hyperhidrosis is not completely clarified, as is the case for virtually all forms of hyperhidrosis. One hypothesis is that variation in sleep depth in combination with disturbed thermostat (which is the case in hyperhidrosis), causes night sweat. These people have a genetic variation that makes the sympathetic nervous system and the thermostat oversensitive. When we sleep, the sympathetic nervous system is programmed to rest but if there are nightmares, snoring, or anything else that disrupts sleep, one can get so-called “micro awakenings.” This means shallow sleep more often, even if you do not become aware / fully awake. Then, when the body wants to go into deep sleep again, the body wants to lower its body temperature about one degree (as is the case for everyone when we fall asleep) and when this happens often, in those with sensitive thermostat, you get “sweat attacks”. Thee attacks can be quite disturbing because one has to change clothes and / or sheets often, sometimes several time a night. Today there is no cure for this but, like other types of excessive sweating, it can be treated with for example injections while some benefit from medication that stabilize the depth of sleep. Consult your doctor. This is probably something that all doctors are not familiar with. You should contact a specialized hyperhidrosis clinic.

Sandra Eriksson Mirkovic

A licensed physician with years of experience and a special interest in treating hyperhidrosis.

www.hidroxa.com

The post Night sweats appeared first on The Hyperhidrosis Blog.