How do you massage that gland?

[deeindiana]

I've read comments about massaging the gland that is on the right side under the jaw (sorry - can't remember the same of it). Someone once explained how, but I've searched and searched and can't find the post. Could it please be explained again here?

I often get a horrible, endless ache (and sometimes stabbing pain)  on the right side that hurts from midway under the jawbone up to the hollow spot behind my ear. Holding a warmed rice bag to it and taking aspirin just barely takes the edge off. I've tried rubbing it with BluGoo (emu oil), Vick's Salve, BenGay, everything... but it doesn't help. I'm wondering if the massage might help. It seems to flare up the same time my mouth and throat does.

Knowing how to do it (and any other tips to relieve the pain in that area) would be a great Christmas gift!
Thanks!
Deb

[Mudpup]

deeindiana for me, how I massage my Parotid glands, I take my index and the next finger start in that hollow below your ear and apply a bit of pressure and drag your fingers toward your chin following your jaw line. you should feel the saliva coming out into your mouth under your tongue.  Also my Rheumy said when your in the shower let the water run on your neck and do the same. because sometimes you can get tiny crystals forming that block up the openings. and the heat and massage will help release and break that up. hope that helps some.

[Joe S.]

Mudpup, that is a good explanation. All I would add is that after you do that massage, you work you pec's from your neck to your arm pit. Then work your ribs from your armpit to your waist.

[harlin]

I also have this pain. Is that what it is?? I was afraid I had swollen glands. I have been having a headache for a couple of days and I thought I was getting sick.

Is this a complication of the Sjs?

[Joe S.]

Mudpup did provide a good description. I believe it is a complication of SJS. It can also be related to other items.

[Mudpup]

It is a complication of Sjogren's, I'm sure it is connected to other things as well but I think for us it's the Sjogren's that is what started it all for me, the glands in my neck had swollen up and I looked like a chipmunk lol. the right side being worse. as soon as they determined that I had had mumps as a child the next was the Ear, Nose & Throat specialist who did blood tests and looked up my nose and the opening of my throat with a camera then referred me to a Rheumy. the glads went down eventually it took about a week. If I'm having a flair I will often get that shooting pain in that area and it throbs and swells up, I remember one time my Boyfriend said Geeze I can see your glands swelling as I'm looking at them.
LOL@deeindiana neck to your armpit lol.

[deeindiana]

egads! I've been doing the massaging as described along with my warmed rice bag -- and it actually hurts worse! Now all my lower right teeth are getting sharp zings of pain too. Maybe I did it too hard and upset my mandibular nerve on that side? Or I did something wrong? Nothing looks swollen on the outside.
Deb

[ohiolady]

Dee,

If the heat and massage didn't work, you may need to see an ENT.  It seems you can get infection that may require antibiotics or other issues can occur.  Mine can be really sore but resolve with heat and massage and Aleve.

Anna

[Daisy1234]

Dee:

When its an inflamed parotid gland, from personal experience, I find that sometimes it takes days for mine to drastically improve, but that's when I don't have an infection just an inflammation or a bit of debris stuck in the salivary canal.  I will take anti-inflammatories to help with that along with the heat and massage as well as making a distinct effort to produce more saliva than usual by constantly chewing gum or sucking on sour candies.

When I have an infection however, I get myself to my ENT that day or seek medical treatment at the ER as soon as possible.  I have had a number of parotid gland infections go septic on me and have been hospitalized for 3 of them so far.  I find that my symptoms for an infection are very different from an inflamed gland speaking for myself and sometimes the oral anti-biotics are just not strong enough to handle the situation when it comes to these infections.

In any case if it doesn't get resolved or at least improve with your intervention, I would see my doctor or ENT as Ohiolady suggested.  It does hurt to massage the gland when its inflamed or infected just so you know that it will cause you some discomfort but if you can try and persevere.

Hope you feel better soon,
Daisy

[irish]

Dee, I also find that Aleve or Ibuprofen helps with the pain in the glands. The sjogrens causes the white cells to all flood to the gland and the duct itself can become swollen and painful and then add the thick mucus that we make. We are high risk for those crystals that can turn into little stones and get lodged in the salivary ducts.

I have times when I pass a wad of stuff that I used to describe as "feeling like I was chewing on fiberglass" and now know is little bits of gravel. The ducts can also have the thick mucus with the gravel in them and block things up. Drink plenty of fluids. I think that hot tea helps loosen things up good also.

Also suck on the gummy bears or the lemon drops. This will cause pain as your gland trys to secrete more mucus and move things along. The rice pack needs to be on many hours in my experience. I take mine to bed and tuck it under my chin and up along my jaw line and over my ear. I feel like Linus with my security blanket.

Massage gently but don't panic. It will hurt some. This should improve as you get things loosened up and moving. If it doesn't improve a trip to the old GP is in order as could have a stone lodged or infection.

I will mention that years ago when I was on the intense journey to get diagnosed I had pain in both sides of my jaw that was one of the worst pains I had ever had. Right in their with having a baby. It would wane and ebb some but lasted about 8 hours. I was on the phone to docs and they all said go to ER. I didn't go cause every time I would go for something they would send me home without helping me. I now know that I probably had gravel or smaller stones that were being passes through my salivary ducts. It can be bloody miserable.Irish

[deeindiana]

Thanks for all the advice. But I'm beginning to think that it isn't a gland problem this time but actually a plain, old-fashioned toothache. All the pain has settled on the lower right incisor. Only the one tooth. Just touching it with my finger hurts with a zing like an electrical shock. Now...I was a dental assistant for over a decade and I know what that "zingy" feeling means: the nerve inside the tooth has been damaged.

Nerve damage is usually caused by a hard blow to the tooth or a large cavity (rarely does it happen for no reason). And yet, I've never hurt that tooth and it does not have a cavity. So I'm left wondering why in the world the nerve inside of a perfectly good tooth would suddenly start degenerating. Could SS be the cause? I'm hoping the nerve might just be inflammed instead of damaged. Damaged dental nerves rarely regenerate and require a root canal.

Since we just moved here I'll have to find a new dentist to look at it. But from the type of pain (did I mention that it is excruciating?) I have the feeling that I'm going to get a root canal for Christmas. Oh boy!
Deb

[Loon-Lover]

Hi Dee,

I'm new to the board, but have been around for a long time. I did just post about a absess I had from a tooth. This hit me over night...no kidding.

I eneded up in the hospital with a terrible infection. Took three surgeries to get the infection under control. The ENT told me in his 30 years it

was the worst he had ever seen. That was pre Sjogrens DX. Please don't wait, I would hate to see anyone go thru what I did!

[Loon-Lover]

Dee, I forgot to ask which Rhuemie you see at U of M. I see Dr. Peredo. He is so nice.

[Liz D.]

Dee,

As someone who has had 14 root canals, some of which were abscessed, I can tell you it is Sjogren's related.  I never had any injury to my teeth, but the nerve would just start to die and the excrutiating pain would start.  I don't want to discourage you, but my dentist and endodontist couldn't figure out what was going on.  Once I got the diagnosis with SJS, they figured it out.

Like Loon-Lover said, get to the dentist ASAP.  There is NOTHING more painful than an abscessed tooth.  I can remember rocking back in forth in bed in a fetal position and that was after taking two Vicodins!!  I wouldn't wish that pain on my worst enemy!   Loon-Lover, glad you survived your abscessed tooth ordeal.  That sounds horrible!!!

Liz D.

[Joe S.]

Loon-Lover, is that U of M; Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, or...?