Inflammation of the salivary gland or mumps is a viral disease accompanied by severe edema. Most often it is the parotid glands that become inflamed.
Consider in more detail the symptoms of inflammation of the parotid salivary glands and ways to get rid of this disease.
Causes of parotid gland inflammation
Mumps can trigger such factors and diseases:
1. Influenza.
2. Scarlet fever.
3. Pneumonia.
4. Measles and other infectious diseases.
5. Previously performed surgical intervention, which led to severe disfigurement of a person.
6. Professional wind musical instrument playing.
7. Arterial hypertension.
8. The narrowing of the stenon duct (duct of the parotid salivary gland).
Symptoms of inflammation of the parotid salivary gland
In acute mumps, the patient may experience the following symptoms:
1. Severe dry mouth. It develops due to a decrease in the amount of saliva secreted.
2. The appearance of discomfort and pain in the area of the inflamed gland that has been affected. In this case, pain can be given to the ears, nose or back of the head.
3. Chewing pain.
4. Pain when swallowing food.
5. Severe swelling or redness of the skin in the area of the inflamed gland.
6. Bad breath.
7. The appearance of purulent discharge.
8. Bad taste in the mouth.
9. Headaches.
10. Sleep disturbance.
11. Nausea.
12. Loss of appetite.
13. Pain in the muscles.
14. Weakness.
15. The appearance of a dense formation on the neck.
16. A feeling of pressure and fullness in the place of the inflamed gland.
17. An increase in body temperature.
18. Fever.
19. Pain in the ears.
Common symptoms of mumps depend on the severity of the disease, which can be mild, moderate, or severe.
1. With mumps in a mild form, the symptoms will not be very pronounced. Swelling of the salivary glands will be moderate, usually localized on only one side. The patient's condition is classified as satisfactory. His temperature goes away after a few days. Hospitalization is not required.
2. With mumps of moderate neglect, the patient suffers from more severe symptoms. At first he will have malaise, pain in the ears and head. Then the appetite may disappear, developing dry mouth.
On palpation, the inflamed gland is dense. There is poor salivation, but there is no pus.
3. In severe illness, the symptoms are pronounced. Inflamed glands are greatly enlarged and sore. The patient's condition is unsatisfactory: he has a high fever, severe pain in the ears, weakness and hyperemia of the salivary glands.
Sometimes the appearance of purulent discharge can also be observed.
Diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland inflammation
When the first signs of the disease appear, consult a physician. He will identify the type of disease and prescribe the necessary procedures.
Traditionally, to detect mumps, the patient must undergo such studies:
1. Computed tomography will make it possible to obtain detailed images of the salivary glands.
2. MRI will show the condition of the salivary glands and their inflammation.
3. Ultrasound of the salivary glands.
Mumps treatment is prescribed based on the form and complexity of the disease.
If the patient was diagnosed with acute mumps, then he will be prescribed medication. It provides for the intake of such groups of drugs:
1. Antibiotics.
2. Anesthetics.
3. Drugs to enhance salivation.
4. Anti-inflammatory drugs.
Also, physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, UHF therapy) may be prescribed to the patient.
Surgical treatment is carried out when the inflamed glands are rotten and cause many unpleasant symptoms in the patient, which increase the risk of complications.
If the patient revealed chronic mumps, then its complete cure is impossible. Despite this, the right therapy can greatly improve the general condition of a person. Thus, during an exacerbation of the disease, the patient should take antibiotics and drugs to increase salivation.
Also, the treatment of inflammation of the salivary gland has the following features:
1. It is best to be in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor during an acute course of the disease. So you can avoid complications. This is especially true for young children who cannot really explain what and where it hurts.
2. If a person has been diagnosed with mumps for the first time, then with the right medication, he has every chance of a speedy recovery even without surgical treatment.
3. Even if the patient feels satisfactorily, for several days he is better off observing bed rest.
4. When a person is painful to swallow, he must eat grated food. So it will be easier for him. In addition, the dishes themselves should not be sharp, hot or too cold.
5. To reduce the intoxication of the body, doctors advise drinking a lot of fluids. It can be water, milk, rosehip broth, herbal or green tea. Also, such drinks should not be hot. They are allowed to add a little honey.
6. Compliance with the salivary diet is considered very useful. It is needed to stimulate salivation. In this case, the patient should hold a small slice of lemon in his mouth before each meal. You can also eat these foods:
• sauerkraut;
• cranberries;
• acidic juices;
• sour berries and fruits;
• kefir.
This food will not only contribute to salivation, but also remove bacteria from the gland. Despite this, people with gastrointestinal diseases are forbidden to adhere to such a diet, since acidic foods will irritate the intestinal mucosa.
7. At high temperatures in a patient, antipyretic drugs are prescribed (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen).
8. For severe pain, pain medication and antispasmodics may be used. At the same time, it is important to prevent depletion of the child's body, which, due to pain when swallowing, refuses to eat. At the same time, it is better to give the baby an analgesic than skip meals.
In general, treatment for glandular inflammation is based on the symptoms observed. There is no special scheme here, since in each case the patient suffers from various manifestations. Such therapy is directed, first of all, to relieve inflammation, swelling and redness.
9. If the patient's salivary glands are strongly rotten, then drainage is established for him. He will pump out pus. Additionally, at the same time, a person must necessarily inject antibiotics (at least seven consecutive days).
10. Due to the fact that mumps is considered a very contagious disease, at its first manifestations it is necessary to limit the patient’s contact with healthy people.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the course of such a disease during pregnancy. Mumps in itself is not so terrible, but it requires long-term medication, which is extremely undesirable during pregnancy.
For this reason, a woman should not take drugs on her own during the period of bearing a child. She must consult a doctor who will select the approved medications (they will not harm the fetus). At the same time, you can drink them only in the second and third trimester and no longer than seven days in a row.
Inflammation of the salivary gland: treatment, complications, prevention
Mumps or as the people call it “mumps”, despite the seeming harmlessness, can cause serious complications.
Most often, patients develop such complications:
1. Orchitis occurs in boys. In this case, their testicle becomes inflamed. This condition is accompanied by high fever and pain. It develops a few days after inflammation of the salivary gland.
2. The suppuration of the salivary gland.
3. Salivary gland necrosis.
4. Mastitis.
5. Arthritis.
6. Disease or hearing impairment.
7. Pancreatitis.
Typically, complications arise with untimely medical care, when the patient's condition is already severely neglected.
In order to prevent the development of mumps, the following recommendations should be observed:
1. Regularly observe oral hygiene (brush your teeth, rinse your mouth).
2. It is important to monitor the condition of the gums and teeth.
3. Timely treat acute viral or colds. Their transition to a chronic form cannot be allowed. For this reason, when the first signs of the disease appear, it is important to consult a doctor immediately.
