Patient information Injection treatment of hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin

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1 Patient information Injection treatment of hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin

2 Unusual/excessive sweating Sweating is natural for the body and contributes to regulating your body temperature. However, if you experience excessive sweating you may suffer from hyperhidrosis. When you suffer from hyperhidrosis you sweat so much that the sweat may actually be dripping. It is very individual which part of the body you sweat from. Some people are annoyed by e.g. sweaty hands or they sweat a lot from the armpits. Others suffer from excessive sweating from multiple parts of the body, e.g. face, head, neck or hands and feet. Hyperhidrosis is often attributed to a genetic factor, and it is not unusual that several members in a family suffer from excessive sweating. It is estimated that about 2-3 in 100 persons suffer from hyperhidrosis. Excessive sweating can appear with children and young people as early as the teenage years, or even before. It is common for people suffering from hyperhidrosis that their quality of life is significantly impaired. Botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin is a protein formed by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. In the past 30 years this protein has been used within the health sector for treatment of a variety of diseases such as migraine, a chronical wry neck (dystonia) and hyperhidrosis. Botulinum toxin prevents the signal from the nerve ends from reaching the sweat glands which in turn reduces the sweating. 90% experiences a good result of the treatment. Botulinum toxin has been used in the treatment of hyperhidrosis since Treatment with Botulinum toxin With a thin needle a small amount of botulinum toxin solution is injected in a grid pattern across the area of sweating. After a couple of days, you will stop sweating from the treated area, alternatively the sweating will decrease dramatically. The effect of the treatment is individual, most patients experiences an effect lasting 3 to 12 months. The effect of botulinum toxin is temporary, and the sweating will recur once the nerve ends have repaired themselves, i.e. the treatment is not healing. This means repeatable treatments is chosen by many patients in order to keep a good life quality.. Adverse effects The adverse effects of botulinum toxin are usually local, and all adverse effects are always evanescent. By treating sweating from the forehead, you may experience a tightness and difficulty in raising your eyebrows for a couple of weeks. By treating your hands you may experience a passing muscular weakness in the tweezers grasp which means that you may find it difficult to turn the key in a tight lock. Other adverse effects after treatment are weariness and flu-like symptoms.

3 After the injections you may see some minor bruising. However, this disappears quickly. Approx. 5% may experience increased sweating from other parts of the body, lasting up to a couple of weeks. The opposite is just as common e.g. that your foot sweat will decrease by treatment of the hands. Dryness of the eyes and mouth may occur but this will pass. Usually there are no adverse effects at all. Consultation Prior to your appointment at the clinic we recommend, that you have tried treatment with aluminium chloride and/or possibly iontophoresis treatment. If these treatments prove to be insufficient or give you adverse effects there may be indication for treatment with botulinum toxin. At the consultation our specialist doctor will have a thorough talk with you about your symptoms, and what kind of problems they are causing. You will have the opportunity to ask all your questions. During the consultation you will get advice regarding which treatment is recommended for you- if any. You are more than welcome to bring a friend or relative to the consultation as there is much information to relate to. You will get information about therapeutic options, adverse effects and which help we can offer you at our clinic in London.

4 How long does the treatment take? The consultation with the doctor is approx minutes. In general, the treatment itself takes from approx. 5 minutes to approx.30 minutes, depending on which areas are being treated. Administrative work takes approx minutes. We try our best to be om time, but there may be some waiting time so make sure to reserve plenty of time on the day of treatment. The clinic has free WIFI. The treatment As a general rule it is a good idea to wear comfortable and loose clothes. Avoid bright colors as the injections may cause minor bleeding. During the treatment you will be laying down. The areas to be treated will be marked with a pen. With a very thin needle a very small amount of botulinum toxin will be injected in each prick in the area you have agreed with our doctor, that you need to have treated. Number of pricks depends on the size of the area to be treated. The treated area will be washed afterwards, and usually no one can tell that you have received treatment. Does the treatment hurt? It is different from each individual, how the treatment feels and it also depends on which areas of your body you need to have treated. During the treatment, it is possible to get effective painkillers, e.g. morphine. Before we start the treatment, we will give you tablets that contains paracetamol, to minimize the pains afterwards. After the treatment When you feel ok you can leave the clinic. You are not allowed to drive a car or other motorized vehicles 24 hours, if you have had morphine, despite the fact that you may feel fit after the treatment. We advise you to secure a proper home transportation. There are no restrictions in relation to the treatment itself. You can take showers, exercise and use deodorant quite as usual. If you have any questions or any doubts as to the effect of the treatment please feel free to contact us at any time.

5 Medicine Some analgesic non-prescription drugs, fish oil, and naturopathic drugs reduce the ability of the blood to coagulate. We therefore advise you to avoid these a couple of days prior to the treatment. By doing so you reduce the risk of swelling, bruising, and bleeding from the injection spots. Fever or infection If you feel sick, and/or have the fever you must contact us to make a new appointment for treatment. If you have signs of an infection you must also contact us. Our doctor will decide whether it is advisable to treat you. Complaints? If you have any complaints regarding your treatment at Hidros Clinic, don t hesitate to contact us. We hope you will do so as soon as possible, preferably before you leave the clinic premises. The staff will make every effort to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible. If your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, you will be advised on the process to make a formal written complaint. You might also want to contact the CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) or the CQC. For more information about your opportunities to complain, please see our guide for complaints procedure in the clinic.

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