Lymphadenitis is an inflammation of the lymph nodes. It can be deep or superficial, acute or chronic. Submandibular lymphadenitis is one of the most common forms of this disease. Microbes can enter through lymph, blood, or through contact. The cause of this ailment may be the presence of chronic tonsillitis, caries, gum disease, stomatitis, etc. Submandibular lymphadenitis sometimes develops as a result of small injuries of the oral mucosa that occur during chewing food, and then become infected. Inflammation of hemorrhagic origin is not common and occurs with scarlet fever, rubella, typhoid fever, measles, as well as after these infectious diseases. Microbes can enter the lymph node if it is injured. Inflammation is caused by staphylococci, anaerobes and Escherichia coli.
When submandibular lymphadenitis begins to develop, the symptoms increase gradually. First, pain occurs under the jaw, as well as during palpation of nodes, which at the initial stage of the disease have clear boundaries and retain mobility. The mouth opens normally at this time. After only 2-3 days, a rather large edema occurs under the edge of the lower jaw, with pressure on which strong pain appears. The tumor gradually grows and can occupy the entire submandibular space and descend to the clavicle. The skin in this area turns red, stretches, and when opening and closing the mouth there are difficulties. When examining the patient's oral cavity, there is swelling and redness of the mucous membrane from the inflammatory process. Patients complain of sleep disturbances, which causes constant fatigue, fever. Often, patients refuse food, apathy appears.
If at this stage of the disease it is possible to eliminate the focus of infection, then submandibular lymphadenitis can pass without treatment. However, this is extremely rare. If the disease continues to develop, then the pain intensifies, acquiring a twitching character. The temperature remains at 38 degrees, and sometimes increases. The skin above the lymph nodes first turns red and then turns blue, which indicates that purulent discharge comes out towards the skin . As a rule, they are not very plentiful.
If submandibular lymphadenitis occurs, treatment can be surgical or conservative. In the early stages of the acute form of this disease, it is enough to do the following:
- Eliminate the cause of inflammation;
- Carefully observe oral hygiene;
- Apply compresses with Burov fluid to the submaxillary bone;
- Physiotherapy.
If the clinical picture indicates the occurrence of a purulent form of this disease, then there are two possible solutions: surgical and therapeutic, but always in a hospital. With a conservative method of treatment, antibiotics are prescribed to the patient, having previously eliminated the cause of the disease. But very often, such treatment is ineffective. After the cancellation of the prescribed drugs, after a short period of time, a relapse is observed, and the signs of the disease appear very rapidly.
Surgical treatment in this case is preferable, although the recovery period will be somewhat longer. If submandibular lymphadenitis occurred in only one node, then an incision is made in the place where the greatest protrusion is observed. The doctor, penetrating the capsule of the node, removes pus. Then the drainage is installed. More often several nodes become inflamed at once. Then a surgical procedure is performed similar to the treatment of an abscess.