Why does my neck sweat so much?

Because of the hot weather in summer, many people say that they sweat all over when they are active. In fact, this is a relatively normal phenomenon, because sweating in hot weather is good for the body and will expel toxins from the body. However, some people like to sweat on their necks even if the weather is not hot. What's going on? Let me give you some knowledge about why your neck sweats!

The human body's sweat glands are distributed all over the skin, with the most abundant distribution in the armpits, palms, soles of the feet and forehead. Sweat glands are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system to secrete sweat to regulate body temperature and excrete waste.

When the sweat glands secrete too much sweat, which exceeds the normal physiological regulation and even affects normal life and work, it is an abnormal condition, medically known as hyperhidrosis.

Causes of Hyperhidrosis

The main cause of hyperhidrosis is excessive excitement of the sympathetic nerves, which leads to excessive secretion of sweat glands and thus excessive sweating. It is often related to mental factors such as tension, shyness, fear, and anxiety.

In addition, some other factors can also cause hyperhidrosis, such as hyperthyroidism, menopausal endocrine disorders, diabetes, taking cold medicine, etc.

Clinical manifestations of hyperhidrosis

Patients often sweat profusely when they are under mental stress or undergo slight exercise. When the symptoms are mild, the patient's skin will be moist and sticky; when the symptoms are severe, the patient's skin will sweat continuously, and sweat will drip continuously, often with the following symptoms:

* Excessive sweating on the palms. The hands are too wet to shake hands with others. Even when writing, the paper will be stained due to excessive sweat on the hands.

* Sweating of the feet often makes the socks and insoles soaked, and the soles of the feet may slip when walking. Excessive sweat may even soak the skin, causing the skin to turn white and erosion between the toes, which often leads to the growth of fungi and bacteria, causing foot odor, tinea pedis, etc.

* Armpit sweating can be seen dripping from the armpits, and clothes are often soaked with sweat. When bacteria invade and infect the armpits, not only will the armpits emit an unpleasant odor (i.e., axillary odor), but they may also be accompanied by skin inflammation, etc.

Treatment of Hyperhidrosis

First of all, patients with hyperhidrosis should pay attention to regulating their mental state and avoid emotions such as tension, fear or anxiety to reduce stimulation of the sympathetic nerves and thus reduce sweat secretion. The following treatment measures can also be taken:

1. Drug treatment

Oral sympathetic nerve inhibitory drugs (such as acetylcholine inhibitors) can be taken under the guidance of a doctor, but they have many side effects and can easily cause glaucoma, convulsions, etc., so they should be used with caution. You can also apply 20% aluminum chloride alcohol solution to the affected area, but it is only suitable for mild symptoms of hyperhidrosis, and the antiperspirant effect will decrease with long-term use.

2. Botox injection

Injectable botulinum toxin is a nerve blocker. Injecting a certain amount of botulinum toxin into the palms or armpits can effectively block the nerve transmission of sweat glands to inhibit sweat secretion. After the injection, you can stay sweat-free for 6 months, and the injection can be repeated if necessary. Some doctors have tried this method to treat facial spasms and remove wrinkles.

3. Sweat gland removal surgery

Sweat gland removal surgery is mainly used for axillary hyperhidrosis, especially for patients with underarm odor. Through the incision under the armpit, the apocrine sweat glands under the armpit that are prone to emitting odor are removed, which can reduce sweat secretion and eliminate odor. Because the sweat gland structure of the palms and soles is more complex, this technique is generally not used.

4. Sympathectomy

Because sweat glands are innervated by sympathetic nerves, hyperhidrosis can be treated by removing the relevant sympathetic nerves. Sympathectomy is suitable for patients who have both palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis. After this operation, the goal of radical cure can often be achieved with little impact on physical health. A small number of patients may experience blushing and increased sweat secretion in the lower limbs after surgery. Generally, these symptoms will disappear on their own after a few months.