Hi all Defence aspirants. By now most of you would have got a good knowledge on all aspects of the SSB interview. Thanks to SSB Crack J But little do we know about the medical examination that follows the Conference. There are many posts in SSB crack regarding the medical examination procedure and the medical standards that one should satisfy in order to get into the armed forces. So in this article I am going to share my knowledge and experience on hyperhidrosis. In simple language, “Sweaty palms and feet”.
What is Hyperhidrosis?
It is a medical condition in which the body shows excessive sweating, irrespective of the body temperature. It is quite normal for our body to sweat in order to regulate the body temperature. But a person with hyperhidrosis, sweats excessively and unpredictably irrespective of the surrounding environment temperature or humidity levels. Its hard to predict when and how much they would sweat. There is a lot of information on the internet regarding Hyperhidrosis. For some basic info, read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperhidrosis
What causes it ?
Though there are various claims till present day, no one knows the primary cause for it.
Hyperhidrosis: Permanent Rejection Criteria in the Indian Armed Forces
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| Fig: An excerpt from the “Medical Standards for Officer Candidates” |
How to cure Hyperhidrosis?
Till date there is no concrete cure for this medical condition. Even I was left helpless when I got to know this. But soon I realized that there are lot of ways to mitigate the intensity and frequency of sweating.
For mild hyperhidrosis, the best cure is to apply antiperspirant lotion like klima,drysol etc. in your palms and feet every night. But do consult a dermatologist in prior to avoid any allergy.
For advanced hyperhidrosis, the best cure would be the Iontophoresis technique.
What is Iontophoresis?
It is a treatment used extensively in hospitals and clinics worldwide that passes mild controlled ‘Micro’ electrical currents into the skin in areas where excessive sweating is a problem. The current is transferred to the body in most cases using simple tap water alone.
Treatments are simple to perform at home and unaided. Simply place electrodes in the provided trays, fill with tap water, switch on the iontophoresis machine setup. Then simply place the hands and or feet into the trays and the circuit will close and treatment will begin automatically.
Do it yourself Iontophoresis device:-
Things needed:
- Plastic trays (30 cm x 20 cm approx.) – 2 Nos.
- 9 Volt radio battery – 1 No.
- 9 V Battery Clip Connector – 1 No.
- Alligator clips – 2 Nos.
- Aluminium foil sheet (used to pack hot rotis)
- Connecting wires
- Baking soda
- Table salt
How to make and use the setup?
- Cover the Plastic trays with aluminium foil. Connect the battery to the covered trays using wires and alligator clips.
- Pour tap water to a certain level (so as to cover your palms) and add some table salt and baking soda (1 teaspoon) to make the water more conductive.
- Place your both your hands in the trays in order to close the circuit and let the current flow through your body. You might feel a little tingling sensation but do not worry, as the current intensity from a battery is not high enough to give you a shock.
- After doing this for 15 mins, now interchange your hands and keep it in the other tray (left hand in right tray & right hand in left tray) and continue the treatment for another 15 mins.
- Take this treatment more often initially i.e. once in a day during the 1st week and then gradually reduce it to just two times in a week, as you may start noticing a reduction in your sweat levels from the second week itself.
For more info about making the setup check out these links :-
Also Read
- Physical and Medical Standards for Joining Indian Army
- Indian Air Force Medical: Height And Weight Standards for Men and Women
- Excessive Carrying Angle of the Elbow-SSB Medical Test
Author: Mithun Pragash: I am Warship Designer working at Larsen and Toubro Ship Building. Recommended by 12SSB Bangalore for Indian Navy. Now awaiting my AFSB at 2AFSB Mysore.
