Diseases of the salivary glands: types, causes, symptoms and treatment

Inflammation of the salivary glands (symptoms, treatment described in this article) is most often localized near the ears. In this case, we are talking about such an ailment as mumps. Much less often, the inflammatory process affects the glands located under the tongue or under the jaw.

Salivary gland inflammation symptoms and treatment

Types of disease

What are the types of salivary gland disease? It should be noted that inflammation can become secondary and act as a layering on the underlying disease. Although it is often diagnosed and the primary manifestation, which proceeds in isolation. In addition, pathology can develop only on one side or affect both. Multiple involvement of the salivary glands in the inflammatory process is very rare. The disease can be of a viral nature, as well as the result of the penetration of bacteria.

How many salivary glands are there in the body?

There are three pairs of salivary glands.

  • Large salivary glands are located in front, below the ears. As already mentioned, their inflammation in medicine is called mumps.
  • The second pair are glands located under the jaw, below the teeth located behind.
  • The third pair are glands located under the tongue. They are located directly in the oral cavity, in the mucous membrane, on both sides of the root of the tongue.

All glands produce saliva. It is released through the ducts, which are located in different areas of the oral cavity.

Symptomatology

What are the symptoms of salivary gland disease?

Regardless of in which pair of salivary glands the inflammatory process is localized, a number of certain signs are inherent in sialadenitis:

  • Dry mouth, which is triggered by decreased salivation.
  • The presence of shooting pain, localized in the gland that has undergone inflammation. Pain can spread to the ear, neck, or mouth. Pain caused by chewing food or minimal opening of the mouth may also be noted.
  • Swelling and marked hyperemia of the skin in direct projection to the salivary gland, which has undergone inflammation.
  • The presence of an unpleasant taste and smell in the mouth, which is provoked by suppuration of the salivary glands.

The signs of salivary gland disease are diverse. Sometimes patients complain of a feeling of pressure on the affected area, which is evidence that purulent contents have accumulated in the focus of inflammation.

As a rule, in the presence of the disease, the body temperature rises to 40 degrees. In this case, asthenia, a febrile condition is noted.

Signs of salivary gland disease

The most dangerous form of sialadenitis

Sialadenitis, the symptoms of which are diverse, proceeds in different forms. The most dangerous type of salivary gland disease is mumps, which is also called mumps. This virus is fraught with serious complications, since in addition to the salivary glands, it can also affect other glands, for example, mammary or genital. Sometimes the pathology extends even to the pancreas.

Mumps belongs to the category of very contagious diseases, therefore, when standard symptoms appear, indicating the onset of the inflammatory process in the salivary glands, the patient should stop communicating with healthy people and immediately seek help from a specialist to clarify the diagnosis.

Salivary Gland Disease

In the absence of timely therapy for salivary gland diseases, purulent complications may develop in the human body. When an abscess occurs in an acute form in one of the salivary glands, the patient's body temperature will necessarily rise sharply.

As a rule, the general condition of a person is serious. Sometimes pus is released directly into the oral cavity. A fistula may also form, from which pus oozes onto the skin.

Diagnostics

With a disease such as sialadenitis, the symptoms of which are manifold, diagnosis is required. As a rule, when conducting a set of standard examinations conducted by a physician or dentist, an increase in size and a change in the shape of the salivary glands can be noted. In addition, the patient may complain of pain. This happens if the disease has a bacterial basis. Often with infections of a viral nature, for example with mumps, pain may not even bother.

If a purulent process is suspected, the therapist may order a CT scan or an ultrasound scan.

The following is a list of standard diagnostic methods for mumps:

  • The use of computed tomography is a modern method for obtaining clear images.
  • X-ray
  • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) allows you to get high-quality images of the affected area through nuclear magnetic resonance.
  • Ultrasonography. This diagnosis is the most common way to detect salivary gland damage. It is carried out using ultrasonic waves and has a minimal negative effect on the human body.

Sialadenitis symptoms

Preventative measures

To fully prevent the occurrence and subsequent spread of the inflammatory process to other salivary glands, the patient must observe the basics of hygiene, monitor the condition of the oral cavity, tonsils, gums and teeth.

If elementary diseases of a viral or colds occur, timely therapy should be carried out.

At the first signs of a malfunction of the salivary glands, the oral cavity should be irrigated with a solution of citric acid. This method makes it possible to release the salivary ducts by the most common and harmless method due to the provocation of intense salivation.

Therapies

Inflammation of the parotid salivary gland should be treated by a specialist, since the wrong tactics of therapy can complicate the course of the disease and provoke its transition to a chronic form. The chronic course is dangerous for its periodic exacerbations and resistance to the effects of drugs.

With timely treatment, patients usually need to undergo conservative therapy. In some cases, therapy is performed on an outpatient basis. Sometimes the patient requires bed rest and a balanced diet.

In some cases, patients complain of acute pain in the oral cavity and difficulty in chewing. They need chopped food to eliminate discomfort.

Inflammation of the parotid gland

To reduce the manifestations of a process such as inflammation of the parotid salivary gland, doctors advise taking a heavy drink. You can use stewed fruit, juices, fruit drinks on herbs, a rosehip broth and even milk. Local treatment is highly effective.

Sometimes patients are shown certain physiotherapy. For example, UHF or a solux lamp will come in.

To ensure the outflow of saliva, it is recommended to follow a diet that promotes the outflow of saliva. In this case, before eating, you should hold a thin slice of lemon in your mouth.

Before eating, you can eat crackers and sauerkraut. Cranberries or other acidic foods are sometimes used. This makes it possible to avoid a stagnant process in the salivary glands and contributes to the rapid removal of dead cells and decay products of bacteria.

Depending on the development of the disease, the doctor may decide when to begin active stimulation of salivation. To reduce body temperature and reduce pain, patients are advised to take anti-inflammatory non-steroid drugs. For example, Baralgin, Ibuprofen or Pentalgin is used.

If the patient's condition does not cease to deteriorate and specific signs of purulent lesion are manifested, then in this case resort to the use of antibiotics.

Surgical intervention

Inflammation of the salivary glands, the symptoms, the treatment of which we are now studying, in some cases is eliminated by the surgical method. Surgical intervention involves opening and subsequent drainage of the affected gland. In particular, this method is used with a strong purulent process. In such cases, drugs are injected directly into the salivary gland.

The treatment of a disease that has taken on a chronic form is considered a very long and complex process.

It should be noted that the chronic form can be both the result of an acute process, and the primary manifestation. Often a protracted course is observed with rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome and other pathologies.

Salivary gland inflammation symptoms treatment

The main forms of chronic nonspecific sialodenitis

Chronic non-specific form is divided into the following types:

  • parenchymal;
  • interstitial, expressed in the defeat of the ducts (chronic sialodochitis);
  • calculous, characterized by the appearance of calculi.

In most cases, the patient does not complain of pain

Chronic disease of the salivary gland in the acute period is characterized by retention of saliva (colic). A secret of a thick consistency resembling mucus is secreted from the mouth of the duct. It tastes brackish.

Chronic salivary gland disease

Diseases that contribute to the development of sialadenitis

With various pathological processes in the body (diffuse damage to the connective tissue, damage to the digestive system, disruption of the endocrine system, malfunction of the central nervous system), dystrophic diseases of the salivary glands can develop, which are expressed in an increase and violation of their functionality.

As a rule, reactive proliferation of intermediate connective tissue occurs, which provokes the development of interstitial sialadenitis. This condition can occur with Mikulich syndrome, botulism, diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome.

Conclusion

Sialadenitis, the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of which you already know, is an inflammatory process in the salivary glands. It can be triggered by certain diseases, as well as a lack of oral hygiene.

An important condition is the timely conduct of therapy. Otherwise, the disease can take a purulent form and even a chronic course. In advanced forms, surgical intervention is indicated.


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