Anhidrosis: Why don't you sweat enough?
The Importance of Sweating and Understanding Anhidrosis
Sweating is essential for regulating body temperature and ensuring the proper functioning of our body. However, some people cannot sweat normally, a condition known as anhidrosis or hypohidrosis. This occurs when the sweat glands do not function properly, potentially affecting part or all of the body.
What is Anhidrosis? Anhidrosis is characterized by the inability to sweat normally. Without sweating, the body cannot cool itself, leading to overheating and, in severe cases, heatstroke, a potentially life-threatening condition. Diagnosing anhidrosis can be challenging, especially in mild forms, and the causes are varied, including skin trauma, diseases, medications, and hereditary factors.
Causes of Anhidrosis Anhidrosis can result from various factors:
- Nerve Damage: Conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Ross syndrome, alcoholism, lung cancer, Horner's syndrome, and amyloidosis can damage nerves and impair the function of sweat glands.
- Skin Damage: Severe burns, inflammation, radiation, infections, trauma, exfoliative dermatitis, scleroderma, and ichthyosis can damage the skin and hinder sweat glands.
- Medications: Certain medications, such as anticholinergics, can reduce sweating as a side effect.
- Congenital Factors: Hereditary conditions like hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia result in individuals being born with few or no sweat glands, or genetic mutations can cause dysfunction in sweat glands.
Symptoms of Anhidrosis The symptoms of anhidrosis include:
- Little or no sweating
- Dizziness
- Muscle cramps or weakness
- Flushed skin
- Feeling hot
The absence or reduction of sweating can affect large parts of the body, specific areas, or multiple regions. If anhidrosis affects a large part of the body, intense exercise, physical labor, or hot weather can lead to cramps, exhaustion, or heatstroke, which are serious complications.
Prevention While anhidrosis itself cannot be prevented, its serious complications can be avoided. To prevent these complications, it is advised to:
- Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing in hot weather.
- Stay in cool indoor places or in the shade.
- Use a water mist spray to cool yourself down.
- Monitor your level of intense activity to avoid overexertion.
- Learn to recognize the signs of heat-related illnesses and how to treat them.
- Take cool showers or sit in cool baths.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, especially water or sports drinks.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate).
- Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go.
- Wear clothing that promotes sweating as much as possible.
Anhidrosis is a condition like any other. You should consult a doctor as soon as the first symptoms appear.