Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Patients with Palmar Hyperhidrosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Hyperhidrosis is a severe worldwide health concern that may be caused by sympathetic hyperactivity, it seriously lowers the quality of life of patients by interfering with their everyday social and professional activities. Aim of Study: This study aimed to assess the impact of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on the se-verity of hyperhidrosis and the quality of life in patients with primary palmar hyperhidrosis. Design: Single-blinded, randomized controlled trial con-ducted before and after the test. Setting: Outpatient physiotherapy clinic xxxxx. Population: Fifty-six patients from both genders aged from 18 to 30 years old and suffered from bilateral primary palmar hyperhidrosis. Material and Methods: The participants were divided into two equal groups, A and B, at random. For two weeks of treatment, 10 sessions, five times a week, of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and relaxation breathing exercises were administered to study group (A) and for two weeks, the control group (B) received five times a week for ten treatment sessions, during which time they were only taught relaxation breathing exercises. The starch-iodine test was used to evaluate the patients’ progress both before and after treat-ment to measure hyperhidrosis severity by colorimetric meas-urement and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) to measure the quality of dermatology life. It was started in June 2023 and was finished in May 2024. Results: After treatment, a comparison between the study group and the control group revealed that the study group had significantly lower DLQI scores (p=0.0001) and a statistically significant decrease in iodine starch (p=0.0001) than the con-trol group. Conclusion: For patients with primary palmar hyperhi-drosis, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is thought to be a useful technique for lessening the intensity of their sweating and enhancing their quality of life. Clinical Re-habilitation Impact It is thought that TENS may be a beneficial technique to incorporate into patients’ rehabilitation regimens with primary palmar hyperhidrosis.