Frey syndrome - symptoms and treatment

Medically, Frey syndrome is also known as Gustatory hyperhidrosis or Auriculotemporal syndrome. It was named after the Polish neurologist Lucja Frey (1889-1942), who first described the syndrome in 1923. Excessive food sweating and facial skin reactions are prominent symptoms of Frey's syndrome.

contents

• symptoms
• root cause
• therapy
• Natural Remedies

symptoms

When sufferers chew, suck or bite food, they begin to sweat. In some cases, those affected also complain of skin reactions in the area of ​​the face, especially the cheeks, such as individual redness or tingling. The symptoms cause a high level of suffering in the patients.

Even after eating ordinary foods, those affected by Frey syndrome begin to sweat. (Image: Pathathai Chungyam / fotolia.com)

root cause

"Gustatory sweating" is presumably triggered by false impulses of one or possibly two nerves (nervus auriculotemporalis or the auricular nerve), which supply the affected area.

Often it comes after a removal of the ear or mandibular gland to the symptoms. But even with a different force in the region of the facial nerve or in a paralysis of these nerves, it can come to Frey syndrome. Nervous fibers of the involuntary nervous system, for example, are thought to be affected by the surgical procedure, false networks are created, and stimuli are misdirected. The normal stimulus of saliva production in the mouth, triggered by certain foods, then leads to reactions on the outside of the cheek.

Frey syndrome does not occur immediately after surgery, but only a few months later.

therapy

The most successful treatment of the syndrome today is with botulinum toxin injections (trade name Botox). Botox is injected under the skin to areas that turn blue after an iodine-starch test. This injection works for about a year and in this time, the Frey syndrome occurs, according to studies, little to no more. Side effects are not expected, however, the injection can be painful.

Alternatively, the treatment with anticholinergics is possible. In this case, ointment is applied locally with scopolamine or an aluminum chloride solution. This treatment helps only very temporarily.

The tympanic nerve in the tympanic cavity, the cavity of the middle ear, to be surgically removed is also a potential treatment option.

Natural Remedies

Sage has a sweat-reducing effect and may help alleviate the symptoms of Frey syndrome. Sage is available on the market in many forms, such as tea, tablets or drops. (tf, ok, updated on 27.08.2018)