Someone in "shock" will be having multiple organs fighting for blood flow, attempting to keep the blood pressure up and keep oxygen traveling to these organs. Thus there will be a high level of epinephrine and other related hormones ("adrenalin", or part of the sympathetic nervous system) release to counteract theshock. ith the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system with this outpouring of epinephrine, will activate the sweat receptors in the skin, causing "diaphoresis", or excessive sweating. Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system by any cause will cause sweating.! think it"s more likely that during the flight or fight (leading to shock) the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated (to accelerate the heart rate, constrict blood vessels, and raise blood pressure) and as sweating a component part of the sympathetic nervous system it is stimulated to #as a kind of side effect, and works as a sign that the parasympathetic system hasn$t kicked in.Diaphoresis means profuse sweating. A person in shock due to lack of bloodvolume appears pale, cold and clammy with cold wet skin. This is due tothe response of the sympathetic nervous system. Blood flow is directedaway from non-vital organs such as the skin leading to palor and coldskin. Epinephrine released by the sympathetic nervous system causes somesweating, but usually not profuse sweating.My old physiology text says that sweat glands are innervated by sympathetic nerves only and have no parasympathetic input.Instead I think its more likely that during the flight or fight (leading to shock) the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated (to accelerate the heart rate, constrict blood vessels, and raise blood pressure) and as sweating a component part of the sympathetic nervous system it is stimulated to as a kind of side effect, and works as a sign that the parasympathetic system hasn't kicked in.This early stage of shock is called compensated shock. %atients in compensated shock will have an increase in heart rate and pale skin caused by vasoconstriction. Their blood pressure may be normal. &pinephrine also causes anxiety and sweating (diaphoresis). 'iaphoresis is first seen on the forehead andupper lip. These patients will reap the most benefit from treatment.