Make an Appointment
Talk to DoctorOverview
Anhidrosis is the inability to perspire regularly. This problem occurs when the sweat glands do not work as they should to eliminate heat and cool the body. When a patient doesn’t perspire, the body is unable to cool itself, which can cause overheating and occasionally heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition.
There can be instances where certain areas of your body may lack the ability to sweat, or in some cases, the absence of sweating can occur throughout your entire body. It’s possible to sweat a lot on one region of the body and hardly or not at all on another since areas that can sweat will attempt to create more perspiration. This occurs as a compensatory mechanism within your body, where it tries to compensate for the absence of sweat in one or more specific areas by increasing sweat production in other parts of your body.
Engaging in intense exercise, demanding physical labor, or being exposed to hot weather can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or even heatstroke. In cases where anhidrosis affects a large portion of your body, it hampers the ability to cool down effectively, exacerbating the risk of these conditions.
It might be challenging to identify anhidrosis, also known as hypohidrosis. Mild anhidrosis frequently remains undiagnosed. The disorder can be brought on by a wide range of things, such as skin injuries, specific illnesses, and drugs. Anhidrosis can run in the family or be acquired later in life.
The exact number of individuals affected by anhidrosis is currently unknown. Many persons with mild cases might not realize they aren’t sweating or might choose not to see their healthcare professionals. If a root cause can be identified, anhidrosis is treated by addressing it.
Symptoms
Anhidrosis sign and symptoms include the following:
- Little or no sweating
- Feeling hot and cannot cool down
- Dizziness
- Muscle cramps or weakness
- Flushing
There can be a lack of perspiration most part of the body, or in a single part, or other scattered patches.
Anhidrosis is a condition that can occur on its own or as one of multiple signs or symptoms of another one, like diabetes or a skin injury.
Seek medical treatment if the patient barely perspires, even when it’s hot outside or they are working out or exercising hard. Seek medical attention immediately if the patient experiences any heatstroke symptoms or signs.
Causes
Many factors could be at cause. Others acquire it later in life, while some people are born with the disorder.
When a person’s sweat glands don’t work properly, anhidrosis develops. This might happen due to a hereditary problem or a disorder that affects their nerves or skin. Anhidrosis can also result from dehydration. It’s not always possible to identify the cause of anhidrosis.
Causes of anhidrosis include:
- Congenital disorders that impair the growth of sweat glands.
- Metabolic disorders that are inherited, such as Fabry’s disease
- Connective tissue conditions, like Sjogren’s syndrome, which results in dry lips and eyes
- Skin damage brought on by radiation therapy, burns, or illnesses like psoriasis that obstruct the pores on the skin
- Neuropathy-causing conditions such diabetes, alcoholism, and Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Medicines used to treat psychosis, such as morphine, botulinum toxin type A, and others
The function of the sweat glands is hampered by numerous medications. The most typical medication-related cause of anhidrosis is anticholinergic therapy. Glycopyrrolate, doxepin, atropine, cyproheptadine, and hyoscyamine are a few examples of anticholinergics.
Diagnosis
Based on the signs and symptoms, medical history, and physical examination, a healthcare provider is likely to suspect anhidrosis. However, the patient might need certain testing to verify the diagnosis. These consist of:
- Sweat test: They are covered with a powder that changes color when and where they perspire during this test, also known as a thermoregulatory sweat test. The patient next enters a chamber where the temperature rises to a point where most people start to perspire. The results are captured in digital images, and the entire body surface can be examined simultaneously.
- Skin biopsy: A biopsy of the anhidrosis-suspected area may be requested in some circumstances by a healthcare provider. In order to perform this test, skin cells and sweat glands are extracted and examined under a microscope.
Treatment
In most cases, anhidrosis that just affects a small portion of the body is not problematic and doesn’t require treatment. Large patches of decreased sweating, however, can be fatal. The medical condition that is causing the anhidrosis may affect the treatments. For instance, if a medicine is the cause of the problem, try to stop taking it. Cleaning the skin with a mild exfoliant could be beneficial if blocked sweat ducts are the cause of the problem.
If a medicine is the source of the anhidrosis, stopping the prescription may help. Do not stop the medication without first talking to their healthcare provider. Anhidrosis may be curable if a medical disease is the root of it. Anhidrosis treatment may be confined to avoiding circumstances where a lack of sweating results in a health issue, such as heat illness, if no other underlying medical condition is detected.
