Gustatory Sweating

Gustatory sweating is when facial sweating occurs whenever the salivary glands are stimulated.  Thus, the aroma or thought of food or the act of eating not only leads to saliva production, but also facial sweating.  This occurs when the tiny nerve that mainly innervates the sweat glands of the face is damaged.  There is an attempt at regrowth and re-innervation of the facial sweat glands.  Sprouting from the neighboring nerve which supplies the saliva glands may occur, this nerve then ultimately innervating both the saliva glands and the facial sweat glands.  Thus, whenever this nerve is stimulated to produce saliva, it also stimulates sweat production.  This is mostly commonly seen after Bell’s palsy or in diabetes.