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Understanding Excessive Sweating: Causes And Remedies

Normal as it may be, sweating is an unwelcome concern for some individuals, particularly in certain social contexts. The occurrence of unsightly sweat stains or unpleasant odours can lead to feelings of self-consciousness and discomfort.

"The most convenient approach to managing excessive sweating is through the use of antiperspirants," said dermatologist Mohamed Selim. "The majority of antiperspirants consist of aluminum chloride, a type of metallic salt that creates a barrier when applied to the skin, preventing perspiration from reaching the surface," he explained. "Although the sweat glands remain active, the secretion is blocked by the plug formed by the antiperspirant," Selim added.

Antiperspirants are readily available for purchase at supermarkets and pharmacies, with some products also containing deodorizing agents to control odour. However, it is important to note that antiperspirants and deodorants are distinct products with different functions. "While antiperspirants target the sweat glands, deodorants are designed to mask the odour associated with sweating," Selim clarified.

In addition to applying antiperspirant in the morning, Selim recommends applying it before bed as well, to prevent sweating during the night. To maximize the effectiveness of the product, it is important to ensure that the underarms are clean and dry before application. Selim explained that "the active ingredients require time to form a plug in the sweat ducts, and because most individuals tend to perspire less or not at all during the night, applying antiperspirant before bed is highly recommended."

Furthermore, shaving the underarm area can also be effective in reducing sweating. Hair can trap moisture and impede the antiperspirant's efficacy. "If you are experiencing excessive sweating or persistent body odour, shaving the underarm area may help to mitigate or even eliminate these issues," he advised.

Simple steps that can make a difference

In addition to using antiperspirants and deodorants, there are some simple home remedies that may help manage excessive sweating. Fashion expert Dalia Adel recommends wearing light, breathable fabrics with good ventilation, particularly when engaging in activities outdoors or in warm weather. It is also advisable to carry an extra shirt and socks for changing, especially after physical activity.

Natural fabrics, like cotton, are generally more comfortable than other kinds because they act as sweat barriers. Also, lighter colours help reflect the sun rather than absorb it, thus wearing white can help keep you cool and reduce sweat.While it may not be possible to completely eliminate sweating, choosing the right clothing can help conceal sweat and enhance overall comfort. Layering clothing is a practical solution for managing excessive perspiration, regardless of the season. Starting with a thin layer underneath and adding a loose layer on top can provide flexibility in managing body temperature and reducing perspiration. "In the event that you start sweating during the day, you can easily remove the outer layer to help cool down," Adel suggested. Clothing with bold patterns can also be effective in masking sweat stains."Wearing sandals can facilitate air circulation around the feet. When wearing socks, selecting athletic options can help absorb moisture and alleviate sweaty feet," she added.Using underarm liners and shoe inserts can help absorb sweat and prevent it from staining clothes or causing odours. "Shower daily using an antibacterial soap to cleanse your skin and help prevent the growth of bacteria," dermatologist Selim recommended.However, "if you take hot showers or live in a hot, humid climate, it is advisable to wait a few minutes after bathing before getting dressed," Adel noted. "This allows the body to cool down and dry off, reducing the likelihood of sweating immediately after showering."

Food and sweating 

One's diet can also influence the amount of sweat produced by the body. According to nutritionist Ahmed El-Kady, "consuming foods with low fiber content can cause the digestive system to work harder, leading to increased perspiration."Additionally, spicy foods and alcohol can also lead to excessive sweating, as well as hot beverages like tea and coffee. "If you are in a professional or social setting where sweating is undesirable, it is advisable to avoid consuming spicy foods," he said.

"Our bodies react to spicy food the same way they do to heat, they try to cool things down which leads to sweating," he added. Caffeine isn't advisable either as it stimulates our adrenal glands and causes our underarms, palms, and feet to sweat.

Some foods can do the opposite and reduce the amount of sweat our body produces while calming over active sweat glands, such as almonds, bananas, and foods with a high calcium content, like dairy products and cheese. Fruits and vegetables with high water content, such as watermelon, grapes, broccoli, spinach, and eggplant, decrease sweat.

However, sweating is a natural process that helps regulate body temperature. One way to manage excessive sweating is by staying cool. According to El-Kady, "consuming smaller, more frequent meals can help regulate body temperature, as metabolic heat is required to break down food. Staying well hydrated is also crucial in keeping the body's temperature down."

In some cases, excessive sweating may be indicative of a more serious condition, such as hyperhidrosis. Dermatologist Selim explains that hyperhidrosis is characterized by abnormally excessive sweating that is not necessarily related to heat or exercise. "Individuals with hyperhidrosis may experience sweating that is so profuse that it soaks through clothing or drips from their hands."

"Besides disrupting normal daily activities, this condition can cause social anxiety and embarrassment," he added. 

Nonetheless, hyperhidrosis can be treated, either by prescribed antiperspirants, medications, or therapy. "In severe cases, your doctor may suggest surgery either to remove the sweat glands or disconnect the nerves responsible for the overproduction of sweat," Selim explained.

Blood and urine tests may be recommended to see if sweating is caused by another medical condition, such as an overactive thyroid, a heart condition, or low blood sugar.

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A Child's Fever: You Have To Treat The Discomfort Instead Of Worrying About The Numbers On The Thermometer

"The fever won't go down" is the phrase that pediatricians hear the most during their professional practice. In humans, a fever means running a temperature of 100.4°F or more. This condition has always been the workhorse of children's health, as well as a headache of mothers and fathers.

Despite being a fundamental part of our defense system against infections, lowering fever is often considered the goal to beat, even if it requires a prescription. But that trend is changing. Today, most specialists in children's health insist that fevers shouldn't always be lowered at all costs. Rather, treating the discomfort that fevers may cause in boys and girls should be the priority.

"It's the most frequent reason [why parents] come to the emergency room," says Paula Vázquez López, president of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Emergencies (SEUP). "A fever doesn't cause brain damage, or death, or anything. It's good [when a child] has a fever, because it's our body's way of defending itself against viruses and bacteria," adds this pediatric emergency specialist, who practices at the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid."Even having a high fever – or one that doesn't go down – doesn't mean that the infection is more or less important," she explains to parents. "I'll give you an example: the flu is a viral infection that causes a very high fever, lasts several days and is very difficult to bring down… but it's not serious."

According to Juan Carlos Molina – a pediatrician in the emergency department of the Niño Jesús Children's Hospital, also in Madrid – our parents and grandparents accepted fevers as being natural. But now, there is "feverphobia – a misdirected or meaningless fear," the specialist sighs. "Parents often want to treat the thermometer; they're concerned about much more than [their child's] general condition. I tell them that the goal is for them to be well – if we give them antipyretics, it's so that the child is more comfortable."

Indeed, fever serves "to help us activate our body's defenses," as the Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (AEPap) explains on its website. By itself, this scientific society emphasizes, "a fever doesn't cause damage to neurons. The complications – if there are any – are due to the cause of the fever, not to the fever itself." In a downloadable brochure by AEPap aimed at families, the recommendations offered coincide with the advice of the pediatricians consulted by this newspaper: "You only have to use medicines for fever if there is discomfort or pain."

Additionally, the document clarifies that "neither the degree of fever nor the response to treatment guides [doctors] regarding the severity of the infection, or whether it's caused by viruses or bacteria." The AEPap insists on hydrating adequately and not covering or undressing the child too much. The association also advises against household measures such as "the use of damp cloths, alcohol scrubs, showers, or baths. Treatment of fever does not modify the evolution of the infection. The important thing is the treatment of the infection that causes it," the experts emphasize.

"You have to change the [idea] that you have to lower a fever based on the number that the thermometer shows; instead, you have to do it according to how the child feels," Vázquez López emphasizes. It's also unnecessary to use medicines to prevent reactions to vaccines, such as fever, or inflammation in the area of the puncture. "I'm old and I remember how, in the past, every time I got vaccinated as a child, [the doctors would tell my parents]: in case she gets a fever, give her [paracetamol] to prevent it. But it's now clear that this wasn't correct."

What good does a fever do?

Strictly speaking, we consider a body temperature that's over 99.5°F to be a fever, or pyrexia (from the word pyros, which means "fire" in Greek). However, anything between 98.6°F and 100.4°F is usually classified as being a "low-grade fever." Under normal conditions, the thermoregulatory center of the hypothalamus keeps us at between 95°F and 98.6°F, which is the ideal range for smooth physiological functions. However, certain substances act as pyrogens: they stimulate this thermostat at the base of the brain to raise the temperature, which "decreases the reproduction of microbes and increases the inflammatory response," as described on the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona's website. "When there's a fever, the immune defenses and the mobility of the leukocytes improve. Products that are more toxic to the bacteria are generated," Molina explains.

Pyrogens can be exogenous substances (such as microbes and their toxins) or endogenous (molecules that our immune system uses to communicate, such as cytokines or prostaglandins). When leukocytes detect the pyrogens of a germ that infects us (which, in children, are usually viruses), they release cytokines into the blood, which alert the biological thermostat to raise the temperature. This is achieved by increasing metabolism, reducing blood flow to the skin – which causes palor and feeling cold – and producing muscle contractions, or the classic shivering. Once the hypothalamic thermostat returns to the normal range, the body feels hot and sweats to reduce the temperature, which explains the various symptoms of febrile syndrome.

Measurement of temperature should be made with an electronic contact thermometer, Molina advises. "Ear thermometers and infrared ones – which you put on the forehead – aren't very reliable." In older children, the axillary (armpit) measurement is sufficient… but in children under the age of one, temperature should be taken via the rectum. "The rectal temperature is between 0.5°C and 1°C higher than the axillary one, but closer to the real one," this expert notes. Precision, he clarifies, is necessary in young infants – especially in children under three months – because the risk of serious infections increases. Additional tests may be required, although these are rarely done in older children who are in good physical condition.

At one point does a problem arise? As Molina explains, temperatures above 105°F are more dangerous, especially if they are maintained. "But in these cases, there's talk of hyperthermia… in children, it's very rare. It [usually] occurs due to significant exposure to the sun, such as heat stroke, or poisoning from certain medications," the pediatrician clarifies.

Unfounded fears of fever-induced seizures

"Another thing that scares mothers and fathers are seizures," explains Vázquez López. Indeed, a small group of infants and young children (about 4%) have a genetic predisposition to seizures that accompany fever. But the AEPap insists that lowering these children's temperatures early on doesn't help to prevent seizures. And while pediatric assessment is always recommended after a seizure in the context of fever, "[parents shouldn't] insist on lowering it so that [seizures] don't happen," reiterates the president of the SEUP. "In most cases, you don't have to do anything – they last for a few seconds. [These kinds of seizures] disappear with age, because the brain matures. There's no need to take any medication to prevent febrile seizures," the specialist affirms.

"Not all children are going to have them, even if they have a very high fever," Molina adds. "There's a genetic predisposition [to febrile seizures]. Oftentimes, the patients have already experienced this." The pediatrician acknowledges that some children "end up having epilepsy when they're older, but it's very rare, around 1% or 2%."

In any case, "it's very difficult to avoid these seizures – [parents shouldn't bother] administering antipyretics or applying cold compresses. There's no need to apply a different treatment to these children…. They should receive [the same treatment] as kids who aren't prone to febrile seizures."

The usual medications for children with fever and malaise are paracetamol – which is analgesic and antipyretic – and ibuprofen, which is also anti-inflammatory. These medications don't cure the infection, but they do help the child feel better. "When the fever is due to significant inflammation – such as acute otitis media (ear infections) or adenitis (swollen lymph glands) – I prefer ibuprofen," Molina says. "But for temperature control, both are the same." While the practice of alternating or combining these medicines is widespread, there is no evidence that this is more effective, as stated in a review published in the Spanish journal Evidence in Pediatrics. In fact, doing so increases the risk of dosing confusion and the risk of side effects.

"Many doctors recommend [this], but it hasn't been shown to be more effective in reversing fever and it leads to errors, either due to overdosing or underdosing. One must be given [these medicines] on schedule… the doses can be raised a little or the administration intervals can be shortened, but it's not appropriate to combine one and the other sequentially." Vázquez López explains it to parents this way: "Sometimes, I tell them that, occasionally, they can give the alternative medication, but the ibuprofen-paracetamol-ibuprofen-paracetamol regimen is totally discouraged. Many times, it's the pediatricians themselves who set this pattern, but alternating must be avoided."

Nor are traditional remedies a good idea, such as putting children in cold or warm water. "Instead of promoting the well-being of the child, [these practices] prioritize discomfort. And, if they work, [the results are] very temporary – we don't recommend them," Molina emphasizes. Sometimes, parents turn to less common practices, such as rubbing their feverish child with alcohol. "This is dangerous, because it burns and irritates the skin a lot; rubbing alcohol can also be absorbed, intoxicating the child."

Sometimes, parents overdress their kids. "With several shirts, it's more difficult to lose heat. We tell parents that they should put light clothes on their children and place them in a cool, well-ventilated place. They can drink liquids, but putting them in the bathtub is outdated."

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Readers: Where Do You Go For Your Weather Updates?

Tell Us A person stands under an umbrella during a rainstorm along Massachusetts Ave. In Cambridge on July 16, 2023. Vincent Alban For The Boston Globe

Have you noticed your hair becoming more frizzy this month? Or maybe you're strategically refraining from wearing gray shirts to avoid those embarrassing half-moon underarm stains.

This is all to say if you've felt like this month has been especially humid for Boston, you're not wrong: the city's dew point has been well above the average of 61, drifting into the high 60s and low 70s throughout July to make the month especially sticky.

And you're not the only one feeling the (extreme) heat. Humidity and hotter than normal temperatures have been sweeping throughout the nation this summer.

The Southwest has been experiencing a "dangerous, long-lived and record breaking heat wave" that is expected to continue well into next week, the National Weather Service says. 

Phoenix specifically saw dangerous, record-high temperatures reaching 119 degrees Fahrenheit last week, in the most intense heat wave the city has experienced since records began in 1895, according to the AccuWeather HeatWave Counter and Severity Index.

The city has sweltered under temperatures of 110 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for 24 consecutive days and counting, according to AccuWeather.

In the coming decades, the Boston area is likely to see more intense storms, more hot days, and rising sea levels, a report from scientists at the University of Massachusetts Boston found.

While temperatures in Boston might not reach the extremes Phoenix is currently experiencing, if global emissions don't fall substantially, the Boston region could experience as many as 80 days a year of temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, up from eight to 10 from the baseline years (1986-2015), according to the report.

By the end of the century, and under the worst circumstances, the Greater Boston region could see almost 10 degrees of temperature increase compared to the year 2000, with the potential for sea levels to rise more than 10 feet.

Winters in New England, too, are – and have been – getting warmer as greenhouse gas pollution heats the planet.

Last year, seven states, including all six in the New England region, experienced the warmest January on record, federal data show, the Globe reported.

It's part of a new normal playing out across the world as climate change accelerates, with New England in particular being a hot spot, warming more quickly than the global average, according to the Globe.

With climate change making weather more extreme and more unpredictable, we want to know: Where do you go for your weather updates? Do you watch the weather on TV or through an app on your phone? Do you find out about the weather through word of mouth? Or do you not even bother checking the weather at all? Tell us about it.

Fill out the form below or e-mail us at [email protected] and your response could be featured in a future Boston.Com article.

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