Associated symptoms of Frey syndrome
The Frey syndrome is characterized by a pronounced sweating in the face and neck area when eating food and any other gustatory stimuli such as tasting, chewing, biting and sucking candy. This gustatory sweating is accompanied by a pronounced reddening of the skin. The symptoms are perceived as extremely unpleasant by those affected and often severely restrict their social life.
Duration of Frey’s syndrome
Untreated, Frey’s syndrome remains. The treatment options Botox and scopolamine ointment work without problems in most cases and achieve good results. Nevertheless, a therapy is necessary for life. A scopalamine ointment, for example, must be applied regularly. The injection of the nerve toxin Botox must also be repeated approximately every 11⁄2 years.
Therapy of Frey’s syndrome
Frey’s syndrome can be well treated. The therapy of first choice is botulinum toxin (Botox). The affected areas of the face and neck can be made visible in color with the iodine strength test according to Minor and Botox injected accordingly.
This is usually an effective treatment for sweating. Other therapy options include an aluminium chloride solution, which is applied locally, and an ointment containing scopolamine. There is also the possibility of surgical removal of the tympanic nerve.
Botulinum toxin, Botox for short, is a toxic metabolic product of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It inhibits the release of acetylcholine, a substance that plays an important role in the nervous system. This effect allows Botox to be used in cases of excessive sweating.
If Botox is injected locally under the skin, sweating decreases. In the Frey syndrome, Botox injection is the method of choice. Scopolamine is an alkaloid that occurs naturally in nightshade plants such as thorn-apple, henbane or mandrake.
In the form of an ointment, it is used to suppress sweating caused by gustatory stimuli in Frey’s syndrome. The scopolamine ointment is applied to the corresponding areas of skin on the face and neck.