Gustatory hyperhidrosis

Gustatory sweating (= increased sweating during certain odour and taste perceptions). Gustatory hyperhidrosis includes abnormally pronounced sweating in the local area of the face and neck that is triggered during the consumption of any food or during gustatory stimuli (so-called taste stimuli) such as tasting, chewing, biting or sucking.

Very noticeable sweating during food intake is often also part of the appearance of symptomatic hyperhidrosis. This conspicuous phenomenon is called gustatory sweating, which particularly affects the face, neck and shoulder areas of the affected person. This form of perspiration occurs completely independently of the food composition and type of food. Due to its development, it is usually neurogenic, i.e. caused by nerves, and can become an extreme strain for the person affected. The peculiarity of gustatory sweating can, however, also be a physiologically caused hyperhidrosis, which is characterised in particular by the fact that the sweating is conspicuously symmetrical.

After the localisation, the form of hyperhidrosis also differs in its provocation, which can be provoked by thermal stress as well as by emotional or psychological excitement, fear, anxiety, fright or pain. Also possible are provocations by toxic influence or gustatory hyperhidrosis - i.e. a sweat reaction that occurs with spicy, sour or salty food.  While toxic sweat reactions do not depend on the type of toxic substance and occur symptomatically focally or generalised, gustatory sweat reactions are usually present exclusively in localised form.

Gustatory sweating is considered a form of secondary hyperhidrosis. Neurological diseases are also considered possible causes of secondary hyperhidrosis, and gustatory sweating, so-called taste sweating, belongs to this group.