Help...infection or not

[Iluvrain]

I am having a terrible time with my parotid gland. I have not been diagnosed with sjogrens but it has been mentioned. My other glands all appear fine.

My left parotid is inflamed and has a narrowed duct on mri. I think it keeps getting infected because the duct is so small and gets backed up. I wake up with my mouth sticking to my teeth and a horrible taste in my mouth.

It feels heavy and i will taste a terrible taste coming out of it. The ent said that just because a taste a taste doesnt mean it is infected. She doesnt see anything at all coming out of it when squeezed. It basically is shutting down.

How do you know if it is infected or not? Also, do any of you have referred dental pain form a parotid gland problem? I am having to take abx to stay out of pain in my teeth and head...but noone can find the source...sigh.

[Joe S.]

From your description, I would think it was infected and go to a doctor for treatment. I would also wear my polar fleece mumps scarf to help my body control the infection.

[Lesley_x]

Your ent is right, normally you would be able to extrude pus from the duct if there was a bacterial infection.

It's much more common to have a blocked duct in which the ent can't extrude anything from the gland at all. Normally in us, it is the inflammation that causes the duct to close off.

Anti-inflammatories, encouraging the gland to produce saliva by eating sour/citric things, massaging the gland, and using corsodyl has been an effective regimen for me in the past. This was recommended to me by my local dental hospital after I went in with parotitis. Very painful condition!!

[Iluvrain]

PS, i am currently on abx for this pain and possible lyme disease. I have been on bactrim for months. Also, i do not look swollen, but most say it feels dense. The lack of swelling is what. Ames most docs think it is not infected.

Does anyone get a bad taste...that is not infection?

[Iluvrain]

What is corsodyl?

[Lesley_x]

Corsodyl is just chlorhexidine mouthwash... not sure what it's called in other parts of the world!

[A66eyroad]

So sorry you're having such a hard time!  My left parotid will intermittently swell and hurt like the dickens, but go back to normal within like 30 minutes.  My rheumy has told me that if it ever DOESN"T go down, or if the swelling happens more than, say, twice in a month, I'm to call him.

My rheumy said he recently had a patient with Sjogren's who he had to put in the hospital for like a week for I.V. antibiotic therapy.  He said since the parotid gland is so close to the brain, he doesn't like to leave much to chance.

My thought is that (1.) you can't extrude the pus and (2.) you've been told the ducts are narrow.  These two things make me wonder if the ducts are too narrow for the thickness of the pus, and that's why none can be extruded.

I'd say you need a second opinion, my friend.

Keep us in the loop as you find answers!

[Iluvrain]

Would you say ent or rheumy? I also think the pus cant come out...i agree.

[slccom]

The horrible taste in your mouth makes me suspicious of infection as well.

I hope you find a solution and feel better very soon!
Hugs, Sharon

[Iluvrain]

A66... Or anyone. Do you get dental pain with parotid flares?

The ent thought the bad taste could just be from it sputtering whatever in there. But that doesnt seem right to me. The ents think its my teeth and the oral surgeon says gland. Im in such a predicament ..if i stop the abx for one day now i will get excuciating pain in my head, the top and it goes down my upper back.

Noone can figure it out. An ID doc says he can kill the infection but needs a biopsy. But we dont know what to biopsy. The most pain is in my jaw and teeth. Have had three teeth extracted on bad parotid side. Bone scan came back normal. Mri shows chronic parotitis with ectactic duct.

Is there a way to post a picture?

[A66eyroad]

Yes, I do get referred pain.

I'd take this up with a rheumy, or at least another ENT.  Remember --- you know your body and you know when something isn't right.  You owe it to yourself to get it checked out to your satisfaction.