Diet and exercise. When it comes to heart health, these two lifestyle habits are known to truly help – or hinder – the health of your heart. We’ve all heard about the benefits of eating healthy and being active, but did you know that sitting in a sauna has health benefits for your heart? It does!

For centuries, saunas have been praised for their health benefits. While in a sauna, a person’s body temperature increases, which means the heart rate increases, as well. The cardiac output is higher. If the heart rate rises, but the vessels of the body relax, resistance is lowered. Blood flow to the skin will increase and decrease to other organs.

In one study, saunas created a significant decrease in blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure. Saunas had the same results as blood pressure medications. Other studies have shown that a sauna is beneficial for congestive heart failure patients. Patients felt improved after using a sauna.

In a study done at the University of Eastern Finland, frequent sauna visits were associated with lower death rates from cardiovascular disease and stroke. Time in the sauna may keep the heart healthy and even extend a person’s life. Other studies have shown that regular time in the sauna may benefit people with risk factors for heart disease such has high cholesterol and diabetes.

Saunas are not recommended for patients with low blood pressure, unstable angina, or those who just recently a heart attack.

Schedule an Appointment with a Tampa Heart Valve Surgeon

If you have a history of heart disease in your family or currently suffer from heart disease, talk to a heart valve surgeon; you may be a candidate for heart valve surgery. Dr. Peter Mikhail is a heart valve surgeon who specializes in mitral valve surgery and TAVR. To book a consult, click our heart valve surgery page or call 727-312-4844. He is based in New Port Richey, Florida, and treats patients in the Tampa and Clearwater area.

Aortic stenosis is a form of aortic valve disease. With this condition, the aortic valve’s flaps (cusps) have thickened or become stiff and could possibly fuse together, which narrows the valve. Because of this, the valve’s opening is narrowed and blocks or reduces blood flow from the heart into the aorta and to the rest of the body. Aortic stenosis is also referred to as a tight aortic valve.

When the aortic valve is tight, there is greater stress on the heart and less blood going elsewhere in the body. When a person has aortic stenosis, the aortic valve does not open properly, so it is harder for blood to leave the heart.

If a person has a serious case of aortic stenosis, the stress placed on the heart can potentially lead to heart failure and death. If the heart is working harder to pump the blood out because of the stenosis, the heart muscle becomes thicker, which can lead to congestion and congestive heart failure.

Most people who develop aortic stenosis are older in age. Over time, the aortic valve just becomes damaged from wear and tear. The degeneration of the aortic valve leads to a build up of calcium, which makes the valve become less mobile, which is what restricts the valve from opening easily.

Mild aortic stenosis usually isn’t a problem, but severe aortic stenosis can have bad side effects that can lead to worse complications. When a person has severe aortic stenosis and is experiencing symptoms or signs of heart weakness, he or she should seek treatment. Some signs and symptoms of aortic stenosis include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, passing out, and fatigue. Patients with severe aortic stenosis need treatment or they will not survive past a few more years.

A heart valve specialist can determine the severity of your aortic stenosis. A doctor can diagnose your aortic stenosis through listening for a murmur through a stethoscope, listening for a certain type of pulse, from an echocardiogram, and through a stress test.

Aortic stenosis must be treated through surgery. Medicine cannot treat this condition. A patient will need either an aortic valve repair or an aortic valve replacement. Not everyone is an eligible candidate for this surgery. To get this surgery, the benefits must be greater than the risks for the patient.

Dr. Peter Mikhail is a heart valve surgeon who performs TAVR and mini-AVR on his patients with aortic valve stenosis and aortic valve disease. To learn more about this surgery, click his aortic valve surgery page.

Looking for an Tampa Aortic Valve Surgeon?

If you have aortic valve disease, it’s time to talk to a heart valve surgeon to see if you are a candidate for aortic valve surgery. Dr. Peter Mikhail is a heart valve surgeon who specializes in mini-AVR and TAVR. To book a consult, click our heart valve surgery page or call 727-312-4844. He is based in New Port Richey, Florida, and treats patients in the Tampa and Clearwater area.

We all sweat, but we all sweat differently. Some people sweat more than others – and there’s nothing wrong with that! Unless, of course, you have a condition like hyperhidrosis, for which you should seek treatment to better manage your excessive sweating.

We can sweat in all areas of our bodies because we have about two to five million sweat glands. On average, a person will sweat 1.5 gallons per day. If you’re extremely active, you can sweat up to four gallons per day.

There are several different factors that affect how much we sweat.

• Exercise – Exercise produces sweat because your body temperature rises during your workout, and sweating is your body’s response to cool the body down. When exercising, people sweat differently depending on oxygen uptake, cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.
• Genetics – The way you sweat can just be genetics. Your parents or siblings may have similar sweating patterns. Hyperhidrosis is a genetic condition.
• Weight – The heavier you are, the more you will sweat. People with excess weight feel hotter and it can take longer to cool the body down than for a slimmer person.
• Sweat gland placement – If you’re prone to sweating in a certain area, you may have a higher number of sweat glands there.
• Gender – Men usually have more active sweat glands than women.

Sweating is a part of life and there are plenty of daily steps you can take to manage it –  antiperspirants (OTC and prescription), medications, surgery, Botox injections, and more.

Schedule an Appointment with a Hyperhidrosis Physician and Surgeon

If you’re concerned about the amount you sweat, talk to a doctor. A doctor can evaluate your symptoms and examine your body to determine if you have hyperhidrosis. You and your doctor can then come up with a treatment plan that will help you manage your sweat, so you can go about your daily activities without worrying about sweaty palms or armpit stains on your clothing.

Looking for a hyperhidrosis doctor? Dr. Peter Mikhail is a Tampa hyperhidrosis physician and surgeon with offices in Tampa and New Port Richey, Florida. To book a consult, click our Tampa hyperhidrosis treatment contact page or call 727-312-4844.

If you have armpit hair and you sweat a lot, you’ve probably wondered if your hair affects the amount that you sweat. Does the hair make you sweat more? Should I shave my armpits? No, don’t shave your armpits, unless you want! Shaving your armpits will not make you sweat less; however, shaving (or trimming) can help make an antiperspirant more effective. By having little to no hair, you can also help reduce the sweat stains on your clothing.

Your armpits expel sweat for several reasons: stress, anxiety, nervousness, and to cool you down when your body temperature gets high. Your body will produce sweat whether you have armpit hair or not. The amount you sweat depends on the eccrine and apocrine sweat glands in your armpits. These two types of glands produce sweat depending on your exertion and stress levels, so the amount of hair has no effect on the production of sweat.

Armpit hair can make the sweat stains on your clothes worse. Why? Your armpit hair holds moisture more than your skin. Also, the hair keeps the antiperspirant from being absorbed into the skin, so you likely will sweat more. With armpit hair, your underarms probably will get wetter and armpit stains will appear more quickly than if you trimmed or shaved the hair off.

Whether you shave or not, remember to fully dry your armpit area before applying antiperspirant. A wet armpit can block the aluminum in the antiperspirant from being absorbed into the sweat glands.

If you like your armpit hair, you don’t have to shave your armpit hair to prevent sweaty armpits. Instead, try trimming the hair. By trimming the hair, you will help the antiperspirant absorb better into the skin.

Having a hard time managing your sweat? You will sweat whether you’re shaved or not. If you have hyperhidrosis, this sweat is excessive and can disrupt your daily life. If nothing you do helps your sweat, it may be time to contact a doctor.

Dr. Peter Mikhail is a Tampa hyperhidrosis physician and surgeon with offices in Tampa and New Port Richey, Florida. Dr. Mikhail will look at your symptoms to determine if you have hyperhidrosis and will discuss the best treatment plan for you. To book a consult, click our Tampa hyperhidrosis treatment contact page or call 727-312-4844.