Walking on eggshells

If you are one of the millions of people whose feet sweat excessively, it is not a condition that you should to ignore due to embarrassment or ignorance. So as you get ready to visit a podiatrist for that initial visit, here are some of the things you can expect to learn about a condition that is more common than you think.

It's Called Plantar Hyperhidrosis

Your podiatrist will tell you that the official name for sweaty feet is plantar hyperhidrosis, which translates to foot sweat that is excessive. The main cause of sweaty feet are overactive sweat glands that create sweat in excess of what your body needs. To put it into perspective, there are more than 250,000 sweat glands in a person's feet, so when these glands overproduce, it can result in a real problem.

It Is Hard To Pinpoint A Cause

Although some people who suffer from sweaty feet have relatives who have the same issue, podiatrists cannot identify one root cause of this ailment. In some instances, stress can cause your body temperature to rise, triggering the glands to produce sweat to cool you down. However, if you have plantar hyperhidrosis, the sweat that results from your stress will be far more than a normal person would produce, exacerbating the problem. Keep in mind that you can also make the issue worse if you wear thick socks or if you drink a lot of alcohol, because consumption of alcohol triggers your sweat glands to release toxins.

There Are Several Treatment Options

One of the ways that podiatrists control plantar hyperhidrosis is to inject botox into your sweaty feet. The reason botox is effective is that it blocks the signals that flow between your sweat glands and your nerves, which helps to decrease the amount of sweat that your feet create. In addition, podiatrists will often recommend that you stop wearing heavy shoes and switch to sandals and shoes that are made from material that allows air to circulate.

Also because sweaty feet often leads to conditions such as athlete's foot, which is marked by itching and burning, your podiatrist can prescribe a foot wash to kill bacteria on your feet. Sweaty feet commonly cause infections due to the deterioration of your skin from being so moist all the time, so it is very important that you keep your feet as clean as possible all the time.

For more information, contact a podiatrist like Tim Pain Podiatry.