Parotids???

[star723]

I am having a lot of pain on my left side of my mouth.  my doctor told me I had a stone in my Parotid gland.  Suck on Lemon drops was the answer.  After the lining of my mouth felt like it was beginning to peal off and no relief I stopped eating the candy.  That has been a few months ago. the lump went away and I was able to eat on that side again.  the lump went away but  there has been a sore spot but only when I rubbed my face could I feel it.   over the weekend I started to feel like the left side is starting up again. My teeth are achy and my nose is running on just the left side.  Pain meds are not really helping, so before I started sucking on Lemon drops I thought I would ask what do any of you do for this problem?  I had not heard of this problem until I went to see the doctor, she tells me this is common with Sjogren's. which is the same thing she told me with Raynauds.  So glad I found this site!!!

[eye2dry]

I am currently experiencing a similar problem.

I don't what my lump is...a node a gland? Mine is on the left side in front of my ear but my lower jaw now aches and also just today the inside of my left ear hurts and upper molars.

I went to the dr. to see what it was, he sent me to the ENT and now I have to get a CT on my parotid and neck area. How did you get off so easy?
My ENT got real aggressive on this and has scared me.

Does your neck hurt too?

Have you tried a heating pad and ibuprofen around the clock?


eye2dry

[star723]

I just happen to be going to my dentist the first time it happend.  He couldn't find anything wrong with my teeth.  I was to come back to have some more work done later in the week but since I was still in so much pain and he was concerned it had something to do with the Sjogrens he said I should see my doctor.  at that time the lump was on the bottom part of my jaw. It almost felt like a hard boiled egg laying in between my jaw bone and cheek. my teeth hurt so bad I was ready to pull them all. I did get some relief with the heating pad.  Tonight my left side is just throbbing almost up to my ear. no pain in the neck and I can still chew this time and there is no lump either.  I was out in the wind yesterday afternoon for about 15 mins. I am wondering if I messed up my sinus and if that could cause this to flare up again. the dentist about had a cow when I told him what the doctor said to do.  My mouth felt like it was on fire for about a week~ not to sure I would say I got off easy with that.
Hope you find out something soon~

[sass]

okay, all three of you need to go directly to an ENT that specializes in Parotid gland.  Sure you can have a stone, but more often than not it can also be a tumor.This can be dangerous in the fact that they can be both benign or malignant.  I do not want to scare you and there is of course the chance that it is a stone.

  I have actually been having this problem since 1987 and have been one of the extreme rare ones that do not have a tumor.  But there other problems other than tumors.  I have studied this quiet extensively so I am a minor expert, lol.

I visit a site of a parotid tumor site.  They are not like as in as much that they like to stay mostly on the issues of The Parotid.   You can get off topic some, but they prefer you to visit their facebook page to chit chat about non parotid topics.  I have met some really nice people.  Since I do not have a tumor persay, I do not post much.  Their page is also set up differently too,,but is easy to get used to.  Please visit the site at http://www.patientsforum.com/cgi-bin/webbbs_config.pl

.and also go to the home page and read some info on parotids.
  It is your main gland.  Every nerve in your face runs directly through it.  It is not an easy surgery.  That is why most doctors do not mention it as they don't want to scare you.  Even if it is a stone it generally needs to be removed.

You can have tuberculosis settle just in the gland.  not sure if it is like reg TB. 
Lymphomas can settle there too.  Again, I do not want to alarm you, but I want to be honest in the fact that we are adults and already go thru a lot and this can be a dangerous thing IF NOT attended to.  Please seek out someone that specializes in this Field.  It is NOT your Dr or your dentist!!!!!!   You can ask on the site I referred you to.  People are from all over and can recommend someone to most everyone!

    sass             please feel free to ask me or them anything...    DO SO NOW!!!
 

[irish]

I have nothing to add at this time, but I just wanted to remind people to separate their posts into short paragraphs. Most of us here have a hard time reading the long paragraphs. Many people have posted that they just give up and don't read any post that is a long paragraph as their eyes just can't take it. Thanks to all. Irish

[sass]

thanks for the reminder Irish     i went back and modified my post...

[gurs]

I found that eating citrus..candy..lemon..anything tart greatly makes my parotids swell immediately..even though it may give you some temporary saliva...I stopped eating all this tangy stuff and the swelling was 100% better.

Gursie

[star723]

I went to the site mentioned.  I did find a better picture of the parotid gland. My face has not swelled up like those pictures. The lump was lower in the jaw too.  Thanks for the information sass.  I will be looking into finding a ENT doctor soon.

@Irish you are so right, I don't read the long post either but never thought about short paragraphs!!
Still new at this site~

Gursie~that was my thought when she told me to suck on lemon drops for a few days.  although it worked,  the inside of my mouth was on fire for a week~

not feeling any better today~  if I could cry I would!!

[gurs]

I also had a stone before, it was quite painful for about 3 weeks, but it went away just like my ENT said it would. If it didnt then surgery would be necessary. My chipmunk face (parotid) was my first experience with SS when I was a child. My glands swelled up so big and it was so painful to eat. When I started plaquenil, it went away. As I had mentioned, I also stay away from tart-sour things and citrus.
The dry eyes and mouth set in a few years later. Everyone always thinks of cancer and lymph node swelling, but its normally just inflammatory with us SS patients. I wouldnt worry. Just wouldnt let a doc go in and cut for no reason like a friend of mine did.

Gursie

[4Kids]

I am not sure if it is all the talk here but on my jaw bone, the hinge, there appears to be a ridge which is higher than the other side. It is right on the jaw bone. I have an apt w my GP today, we have to start there here, and i saw an Ent last year around this time but will prob need another referral. Of course I am freaking out.