ETS
ETS Against Sweaty Feet
ETS or Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy is a surgical procedure that is performed as a treatment for excessive sweating in the palms and the feet. This is a procedure that is generally not performed unless the hyperhidrosis reaches such heights that it starts to affect normal mental functioning of a person. The fact of the matter is that any surgery that is performed has risks attached to it and therefore it is generally the last option that doctors consider. It may seem a bit too much for someone to opt for a surgical procedure when the problem is only associated with sweating. But obviously the choice is not made till the time the problem can be managed and it is recommended by doctors only when the issue starts to manifest itself into social phobias. People with an excessive sweating issue are unable to contain and tolerate the embarrassment that the condition causes. Sweaty palms when you need to shake hands with someone, stinky feet when you go to someone’s house and stained clothes can be quite difficult to handle.
One of the ETS test that is conducted before the surgery is the starch-iodine test. In this test an iodine solution is prepared and applied on the area that sweats a lot. Once dry, starch is sprinkled on the area and the color of the mixture noted. The whole thing becomes dark blue in the presence of high levels of sweat. Another test that is also done sometimes is the paper test. In this test a special paper is used and placed on the area that obtains high levels of sweat. The paper is weighed before placing on the area and then after placing on the area as well and the difference in the weight indicates the severity of the condition.
ETS surgery is basically a process in which the surgeons switch off the system which tells the body to produce sweat. This does not have to be an all or none procedure and therefore only a few glands are deactivated in a manner of speaking so that the level of sweating can be reduced.
ETS hyperhidrosis surgical treatment is an invasive procedure and the surgeon does need to cut through various parts of the body to reach the specific glands in question. The process does finish off sweating in the palms and feet but sometimes a new problem of excessive sweating in other parts of the body arises.
This is mainly because of the fact that a high metabolic rate will result in high levels of fat burning which in turn will create a situation of high levels of sweat. When some glands are turned off, there are other glands that get over activated and create sweaty feet.
This effect is sometimes called compensatory sweating in which other parts such as the groin, torso, face or feet start to experience higher levels of sweating than before. So while ETS may allow you to shake hands more easily, you may have to wipe your face more often than before.