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

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

Types of the 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 often the primary manifestation is also diagnosed, 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 viral in 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 the glands located under the jaw, below the teeth that are behind.
• The third pair is represented by glands located under the tongue. They are located directly in the mouth, in the mucosa, on both sides of the root of the tongue.

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

Symptomatics

What is the symptomatology of the salivary gland disease?

Regardless of which pair of salivary glands the inflammatory process is located in, sialadenitis has a number of definite signs:

• Dry mouth, which is triggered by a decreased saliva secretion.
• The presence of shooting pain, localized in the gland that has been inflamed. Pain sensations can spread to the ear, neck or mouth. Also, there may be pain, provoked by chewing food or by minimally opening the mouth.
• Swelling and marked hyperemia of the skin in a direct projection to the salivary gland, which has undergone inflammation.
• The presence of unpleasant taste and smell in the mouth, which is provoked by the suppuration of the salivary glands.

Signs of the disease of the salivary glands are diverse. Sometimes patients complain of a feeling of pressure on the affected area, which is an indication that purulent contents have accumulated in the inflammatory focus.

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.

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 epidemic parotitis, which is also called mumps. This virus is fraught with serious complications, since in addition to the salivary glands it is capable of affecting other glands, for example, dairy or sex. Sometimes the pathology extends even to the pancreas.

Pig belongs to the category of very contagious diseases, therefore, when a standard symptomatology evidences the onset of an inflammatory process in the salivary glands, the patient should stop communicating with healthy people and urgently seek help from a specialist to clarify the diagnosis.

In the absence of timely treatment of the disease of salivary glands in the human body, complications of a purulent nature may develop. If there is an abscess in an acute form in one of the salivary glands, the temperature of the patient's body will necessarily rise sharply.

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

Conducting diagnostics

With a disease such as sialadenitis, the symptoms of which are manifold, a diagnosis is required. Typically, in the conduct of a set of standard examinations conducted by a therapist or dentist, there may be an increase in the size and change in the shape of the salivary glands. In addition, the patient can make complaints about pain. This occurs if the disease has a bacterial basis. Often, with infections of a viral nature, for example, when parotitis, pain may not bother at all.

If a suspected development of a purulent process, the therapist can prescribe CT tomography or ultrasound.

Below is a list of standard diagnostic methods for steam:

• The use of computed tomography is a modern method that makes it possible to obtain clear pictures.
• X-ray.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) allows you to obtain high-quality images of the affected area by means of nuclear magnetic resonance.
• Ultrasonography. This diagnosis is the most common way to identify the lesions of the salivary glands. It is carried out with the help of ultrasonic waves and has a minimal negative impact on the human body.

Preventive 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.

When there are elementary diseases of the viral or catarrhal nature, timely therapy should be carried out.

At the first signs of disruption 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 intensive saliva secretion.

Methods of therapy

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

With timely treatment, patients usually have to undergo conservative therapy. In some cases, the therapy is done on an outpatient basis. Sometimes the patient is required to comply with bed rest and a balanced diet.

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

To reduce the manifestation of such a process as inflammation of the parotid gland, doctors advise taking an abundant drink. You can eat compotes, juices, fruit cocktails, broth of wild rose and even milk. Local treatment is highly effective.

Sometimes the patient shows certain physiotherapy procedures. For example, UHF or a sunflower lamp will be implanted.

To ensure the outflow of saliva is advised to adhere to a diet that contributes to 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 rusks and sauerkraut. Sometimes apply cranberries or other acidic foods. This makes it possible to avoid a stagnant process in the salivary glands and promotes the prompt removal of dead cells and the products of the decay of bacteria.

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

If the patient's condition does not cease to worsen and specific signs of a purulent lesion appear, 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, is in some cases eliminated by the operative method. Surgical intervention involves the opening and subsequent drainage of the affected gland. In particular, this method is used in a severe purulent process. In such cases, drugs are injected directly into the salivary gland.

Treatment of a disease that has taken a chronic form is considered a very long and complicated process.

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

Basic forms of chronic nonspecific sialodenitis

Chronic nonspecific form is divided into the following types:

• Parenchymatous;
• Interstitial, expressed in the defeat of ducts (chronic sialodohitis);
• Calcular, characterized by the appearance of concrements.

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). From the mouth of the duct, a secret of a thick consistency resembles a mucus. It tastes like a salty taste.

Diseases that promote the development of sialadenitis

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

As a rule, reactive proliferation of the intermediate connective tissue occurs, which provokes the development of intersticial sialadenitis. This condition can occur with Mikulich syndrome, botulism, diabetes, 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 the 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 neglected forms, surgical intervention is indicated.