The Pros and Cons of Hyperhidrosis Surgery By Tim F Clark

Medical treatment for hyperhidrosis typically involves careful assessment by a qualified dermatologist. At first the dermatologist may prescribe lotions or powders to try and mitigate the profuse sweating of the palms and/or underarms.

The surgical procedure to treat hyperhidrosis is called “video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy.” General anesthesia is give to patients who undergo this particular procedure. The surgeon would make 2 very minute incisions under the underarms. The incisions made are about 1 cm. (0.4 in) in length. A small quantity of carbon dioxide (referred to as “air”) is pumped into the chest cavity to shift the lung away from the operative area. The surgeon then inserts a fiber-optic camera and instrument into the incisions. The cameras are used to find the sympathetic chain that is primarily responsible for signaling the sweat glands in our body’s upper limbs and face.

It is the 2nd ganglion in the chain that directs perspiration in the palms and face, including facial blushing. The third and fourth ganglions run underarm perspiration. Your surgeon will normally talk about the different surgical choices for you based on the kind of sweating disorder that you are having.

Surgeons use various techniques in surgery to trace, fasten and get rid of the sympathetic ganglion. The procedure is termed sympathectomy. Upon the completion of the procedure, the surgeon takes out the air and seals the opening or incision. The surgery only leaves 2 minute and inconspicuous scars that are hidden in both underarms.

Success Rate and Results

Video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy’s success level ranges from about ninety-eight to a hundred percent. Surgery on Hyperhidrosis of the hands only has a recurrence rate of seven percent. It has been observed that the success rate is also encouraging for hyperhidrosis involving the axilla, however this particular procedure has a high rate of return.

Investigations have shown that around ninety-four percent of patients who undergo this surgery are satisfied with the results and would be willing to go under the knife again if the need arises. Patients normally experience compensatory sweating after surgery. This only implies that the other parts of the body, like the trunk or thighs, may exhibit more perspiration than is commonly excreted. The majority of patients think that compensatory sweating is more acceptable than hyperhidrosis.

The side effect of compensatory sweating is observed to happen more frequently when the surgical procedure corrects profuse underarm sweating. Surgeries done to correct excessive sweating on the palms, or face, and facial blushing tend to have lesser compensatory side effects. Compensatory sweating gradually decrease within the 1st 6 to 12 months. Heavy compensatory sweating happens in more or less seven percent of all patients. Risks for this surgical procedure are minimal. It is wise to discuss everything in detail with your surgeon before having the procedure done.

When complications occur, they are more often than not of minor significance and would only need an extra day or two of hospital stay to deal with. These complications may consist of:

oPneumothorax: a tiny quantity of air may linger in the lungs after the procedure or there could be slight leakage from the lung. This usually reabsorbs on its own and treatment is not needed. It is very rare for a patient to require suction drainage to remove the air.

oHorner’s Syndrome: a somewhat smaller pupil and droopy eyelid are caused by injury to the upper ganglion (called the ganglion stellatum). This however is exceptionally uncommon. Blepharoplasty, a plastic surgery procedure to shorten the upper eyelid is call for to correct a droopy eye.

oBleeding: excessive bleeding is an unusual occurrence. It is however effortlessly controlled by the surgeon. Please discuss the risks involved in the operation in detail with your surgeon.

Tim Clark writes health related articles, the majority of which can be found on his website on hyperhidrosis [http://www.treatmentforhyperhidrosis.com] , where he has a large listing of hyperhidrosis articles [http://www.treatmentforhyperhidrosis.com/hyperhidrosis-articles.asp]. For more information on hyperhidrosis surgery [http://www.treatmentforhyperhidrosis.com/hyperhidrosis-surgery.asp] just follow the link.

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While people have been practicing acupuncture for centuries, it has just recently become more accepted and mainstream, as doctors are treating patients with neurological, respiratory, and digestive issues without medicine or surgery. As more and more people get help with stress and emotional problems as well, acupuncture treatment will only become more accepted by the medical community and by patients.

Does it Really Work?

Many people ask if acupuncture will really help with their problems, and the answer is yes. People have used acupuncture for two thousand years and the practice is still going strong today. The practice of inserting small needles into acupuncture points will stimulate the person’s nervous system. This releases chemicals that can decrease the pain that the patient is feeling or help the body self-regulate.

Medical or Ordinary Acupuncture

If you are considering acupuncture treatment for a health issue, then you will be faced with making a decision about where you will go for your treatment. While it is possible to go to any home acupuncturist and receive acupuncture treatment, working with an acupuncturist who is trained in Western medicine and acupuncture will give you the best of both treatments. They will be able to intervene medically if necessary, and you can rest assured that they will be monitoring the effects of the acupuncture on your whole body.

Acupuncture can stand alone as a treatment to help you heal from medical problems, or it can be used in combination with other forms of medicine. There are many disorders that can be safely treated with acupuncture, thereby improving the patient’s quality of life. Some issues, such as allergies and pms may seem like a life sentence to live with, but regular acupuncture can help with the symptoms and treat the underlying disorder as well. Visit Robertyoungsacupuncture.com for more information about how acupuncture can help you live a better life. You can also connect them on Facebook for more updates.

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People sometimes are born with defects in their body parts, such as their hands and feet. Some of these defects are not all that bad. A person could actually learn to live with the defect. However, some of them are quite severe, and will require the hands of a skilled surgeon to correct the problem. A couple of these problems that occur with the feet might be bunions and corns. There are many other ailments that may require foot surgery. There are Foot Surgeons in Racine WI and Kenosha, WI who will provide their medical services for patients with severe foot problems.

Some of the most obvious ailments that will for certain require foot surgery include, but are not limited to, hammer toes, severe Plantar fasciitis, severe ankle arthritis, and Achilles tendon issues. Hammer toes is a condition that causes the sufferer’s toes to become clawed and bent. Two procedures that a foot surgeon can perform to relieve this ailment are arthroplasty and arthrodesis. In the former, the deformed joint between the toe bones is removed. In the latter, the toe bones are fused together.

In the case of severe Plantar fasciitis, there is a severe inflammation in the area where the heel and the fascia are attached. Surgery can be performed under an hour, and the only required post-operative instruction is to wear a bandage. Wih severe ankle arthritis, the ankle joint is usually aggravated by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. There is a lot of pain, swelling and deformed areas in the ankle joint. Three types of surgical procedures can correct this: ankle fusion, triple fusion or ankle replacement. With the Achilles tendon, the largest tendon in the body, wear and tear can lead to issues. Surgery usually can correct this problem.

Great Lakes Foot & Ankle Centers have been providing podiatric solutions for patients in the Racine, Wisconsin and Kenosha, Wisconsin areas for over 23 years. The podiatrists at the centers offer to treat all sorts of foot and ankle ailments through various methods, including surgery. If a patient needs to consult with Foot Surgeons in Racine WI or Kenosha, WI, the podiatrists are available. Get more information by visiting their website at http://greatlakesfootankle.com/.