How is sialadenitis treated and what is it? You can find answers to these questions in this article. You will also learn about the causes of this disease and how it is diagnosed.
Basic information
Before telling you about how sialadenitis is treated, it should be said that there are several types of salivary glands in the human body. With inflammation of one of them, you can safely prepare for the development of sialadenitis.
Parotid, submandibular and sublingual salivary glands contribute to the production of such a specific secret as saliva. It enters the oral cavity through special ducts. The main function of this secret is to ensure the normal and he althy flow of the digestive process.
As you know, saliva softens the pieces of food entering the mouth, preparing them for direct entry into the stomach. It also helps the person swallow them.
If the salivary glands are subject to inflammation, then saliva ceases to perform its main function. As a result, it becomes much more difficult to soften and swallow food pieces.
Causes of inflammation
For what reasons can developsialadenitis (treatment of this disease will be described later)? According to experts, the parotid salivary glands are most often inflamed in humans. At the same time, doctors talk about several reasons for the development of such a pathological condition.
- Epidemic inflammation. It is caused by viral diseases and various infections. The most common cause of inflammation of the salivary glands is mumps. The virus in this disease can be transmitted by airborne droplets. In this case, the inflammatory process is accompanied by a strong increase in the size of the salivary glands.
- Non-epidemic type of disease. This pathology develops due to blockage of the salivary duct. Such violations often occur as a result of severe mechanical injuries of the salivary tract, as well as the ingress of foreign bodies into them. Also, a non-epidemic type of sialoadenitis develops due to a salivary stone disease called sialolithiasis.
It cannot be said that a fairly common cause of the development of the inflammatory process in the salivary glands is the irregular observance of the banal rules of oral hygiene.
Main symptoms of the disease
How should parotid sialadenitis be treated? Treatment of this disease should be carried out by an experienced specialist after diagnosis. You can suspect the development of this disease in yourself by the symptoms that have arisen. The most common signs of inflammation of the salivary glands include the following:
- dry mouth;
- pain inthe process of eating and swallowing;
- difficulty opening mouth;
- swelling of the face, redness of the neck;
- noticeable taste disturbances;
- appearance of shortness of breath;
- bad taste in mouth;
- increased body temperature.
It should also be noted that chronic sialoadenitis, which should be treated at the very beginning of the development of the disease, is often manifested by pain in the earlobe and its protrusion. In addition, with such a disease, the patient's natural consistency of the salivary secretion is disturbed. It can be cloudy and sometimes purulent.
It should be especially noted that with the development of acute sialoadenitis, symptoms can subside as abruptly and quickly as they appear. But this is far from a reason to forget about the problems that have recently bothered you. After all, such a disease does not go away on its own. It can only go into a quiet stage, which in the future will inevitably lead to the development of chronic inflammation.
Complications
What is the danger of sialadenitis in children? Treatment of this disease should be urgent. After all, any form of sialoadenitis can cause a number of serious complications not only in children, but also in adults.
If therapy is not started on time, and if all the doctor's prescriptions are not followed, the patient may develop:
- abscess of the salivary glands;
- phlegmon at the bottom of the mouth;
- re-infection.
Alsoit should be said that sialadenitis of the submandibular salivary gland, which should be treated by an infectious disease specialist or a dentist, can also negatively affect the parotid and sublingual organs. In addition, in severe forms of this disease, inflammatory processes often occur in the NS, pancreas, kidneys, meninges and testicles.
How is it diagnosed?
Treatment of sialadenitis should be started only after its diagnosis. Only an experienced specialist can identify this disease at an early stage of its development. In the process of examining the patient, the doctor observes a significant increase in the salivary glands, and sometimes the release of purulent fluid. When a bacterial infection occurs, a person may experience soreness in these organs.
If the doctor suspects an abscess, the patient is advised to undergo a CT scan or ultrasound.
Treatment of sialadenitis
The most effective treatment of the disease in question should be carried out when it is acute and has not yet become chronic.
Treatment of calculous sialoadenitis and other types of this disease consists in the use of special medicines that increase the secretion of salivary secretions. When the diagnosis is confirmed, patients are prescribed a 1% solution of pilocarpine or 2% potassium iodide.
One cannot but say that in the treatment of the disease in question, physiotherapy, especially UHF, plays a very important role. Toalleviate your condition, you can apply dry and warm dressings to the affected area, as well as periodically make alcohol-camphor compresses.
It is also extremely important to follow the basic rules of oral hygiene. Teeth should be brushed not only in the evenings and mornings, but also after each meal (for example, with dental floss or a toothpick). In addition, for the period of treatment, smokers need to get rid of their addiction.
Compliance with these simple rules helps prevent the subsequent development of the inflammatory process.
Other Therapies
How to cure submandibular sialadenitis? Treatment of the mentioned disease, as well as inflammation of the parotid and sublingual salivary glands, should be comprehensive. In addition to taking certain drugs and physiotherapy, the patient is advised to follow the correct diet. Foods that a sick person consumes should be cut into small pieces.
It should also be noted that a beneficial effect on the salivary glands can have an abundant intake of warm milk or rosehip broth, as well as fresh fruit drinks and juices.
If a person has an increase in body temperature with sialoadenitis, then the specialist must prescribe anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs.
Treatment of inflammation in dentistry
As mentioned above, the treatment of sialoadenitis is often handled by a qualified dentist. With the development of paina specialist may advise rinsing your mouth with a self-prepared solution. To do this, half a dessert spoon of s alt must be diluted in a glass of warm water. Regular rinsing with this solution helps relieve inflammation, as well as moisturize the oral mucosa. But, unfortunately, this remedy only gives a temporary effect.
Also, to increase the production of salivary secretion, some experts recommend sucking on small pieces of fresh lemon (without the use of granulated sugar). It is advisable to carry out such procedures several times a day. Lemon should not be consumed too often, as citrus fruits destroy tooth enamel.
Massage and surgery
In some cases, a gentle massage helps to get rid of pain in the area of the salivary glands.
According to experts, the treatment of chronic sialadenitis is a laborious and complex process. In this case, there is a high probability that a complete cure will not come. But, despite this, it is necessary to carry out sialadenitis therapy in order to avoid all kinds of complications, as well as to improve the patient's quality of life.
During periods of exacerbations of this disease, the patient is shown taking antibiotics, as well as drugs that increase the secretion of salivary secretions. In addition, low and low voltage direct current on the affected area gives a good effect.
When stones form in the glands, specialists remove them surgically. Suchthe method is used only in the most severe cases, when there is a melting of the salivary gland under the influence of purulent secretions, as well as when a foreign body enters the ducts. Depending on the degree of damage and the clinical picture, not only the foreign object itself, but also the salivary gland can be surgically removed.
