SWELLING SUBMANDIBULAR SALIVARY GLANDS

[REE-REE]

I AM A 51 YEAR OLD FEMALE THAT HAVE HAD SWELLING IN MY SUBMANDIBULAR SALIVARY GLANDS(MOSTLY LEFT SIDE)FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS.  MY GLANDS SWELLS WHENEVER I SLEEP AND SOMETIMES WHEN I VIGOROUSLY CHEW ON SOMETHING. I VISITED THE EAR,NOSE THROAT DOCTOR AND WAS PRETTY MUCH TOLD THAT IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE TO LIVE WITH AND TO MASSAGE THE GLAND,AND SUCK ON LEMON DROPS WHEN SWELLING OCCUR.I HAVE ALLERGIES (RUNNY NOSE & SNEEZING)THAT OCCURS DURING THE DAY AND WAS TOLD TO DISCONTINE TAKING THE OTC ANTIHISTAMINES(BENEDRYL,SUFADED..ETC)BECAUSE THEY MAY BE DRYING UP MY MUCOUS SYSTEM. SOMETIMES A WHITE STRINGY THICK LOOKING SUBSTANCE(MAYBE DRIED SALIVA) COMES OUT, WHICH I HAVE TO PRESS HARD ON THE GLAND IN ORDER TO EXPEL IT THRU THE DUCT. WOULD DRINKING ALCOHOL AND/OR TAKING ANTIHISTAMINES CAUSE THIS?  I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY STONES BECAUSE SOMETIMES DURING THE DAY
THE SWELLING GOES DOWN. ALSO, I NOW HAVE A HABIT OF PRESSING ON THE GLANDS, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT SWOLLEN, WHICH ALSO CAUSES THE GLAND TO SWELL.  IS THERE A SPECIALIST I CAN SEE FOR THIS PROBLEM OTHER THAN A PYSCHOLOGIST?

[Glandcop]

I have had bilateral swelling of my submandibular salivary glands for the last seven years with the same stringy stuff (mucous plugs). It is painful when it happens, my eyes tear up and lasts for a good part of the day. I get episodes almost twice a week!
Had occusal X-rays and CT scan done. No stones!
Oral Surgeon/salivary gland specialist as well as ENT unable to figure out what is going on.
Somebody, please help. Am seriously considering getting them removed.
KL

[andysixx_123]

Does the swelling come and go? If it does then what foods trigger it?
For me Chicken & Rice together trigger it, if chicken and rice I eat one at a time then a little swelling , and sometimes sweets too cause a little swelling. I will soon book an appointment with an ENT the coming weekend.

[Burbridgebrapp]

Did you ever figure out what is going on I’ve had this forever with other symptoms. But I have had head and neck issues since 14 thought it was from that. I know now it was not something completely different.

[charlie669]

I have the same thing. I had an X-Ray and it showed that I have a calculus duct stone and the symptoms DO come and go. So the fact that your symptoms aren't constant doesn't matter - get an X-Ray!

My swollen glands tend only to come up after certain triggers (sometimes brushing my teeth, sometimes eating certain things).

The ENT doc said the only way to stop the symptoms is to remove the gland completely. I don't fancy having this! Imagine pressing and nothing was there!

Anyone know of any remedies or therapies to remove stones without surgery?

[andysixx_123]

my submandibular gland swells when I eat Rice & Chicken together. One at a time causes less swelling and other foods very little swelling. Sometimes sweets too cause swelling.

[shelilybee]

I have been going through the exact same thing. I can grab the yucky substance and pull it out of  the duct. The pain and itching is aggressive and the swelling is horrific. If I dare eat while this is happening ; it swells up even more. I know this happens due to allergy or adverse reactions to chemicals in our food or medications. My allergy doctor says the only thing to do is avoid the things that cause this kind of reaction. No magical cures out there for this, unfortunately.

[Maeve29]

These mucous plugs seem to only subside with Prednisone. Unfortunately Prednisone cannot be taken for a long period of time. I was on it for nearly two years because I could not bear with the pain. I finally went to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who specializes in salivary gland disease. Since I have autoimmune issues (Church Strauss, lichen planus and psoriasis), it is not far-fetched to assume that this issue with my glands is also part of my systemic issues. I ended up having a sialendoscopy and sialodochoplasty to fix the plumbing issue as my surgeon describes it. Please keep in mind that this is a palliative measure. I still experience slight irritation some eveninga but the dilation and shortening of the salivary pathways helps facilitate the emission of plugs without effort and pain is slight at best. I'm still trying to find the right immunosupressant to manage the condition but after rounds of azathioprine, methotrexate, arava, rituxan infusions, and cellcept, no luck. I will post again if I have any updates.

[Melissa_vb]

I feel that there must be a link between Oral Lichen Planus and the Salivary Glands.  Every morning I get itchy glands and sometimes they swell.  I would love to find a solution for this.

[Maeve29]

I initially thought that I may have developed oral lichen planus but a lip biopsy ruled it out. I hope you're doing ok.

[Joleen70]

To charlie669:  In reply to your glands swelling after brushing your teeth, I had the same problem.  Certain things trigger the itching and swelling in my glands, but I'm not sure what they all are.  One thing for certain though, I noticed that every morning after brushing my teeth, my glands would itch and swell.  I would have to press on them to flush out the yucky mucous.  One day I took the tube of toothpaste with me to my computer and looked up all the ingredients.  Learned that the additive Sodium Lauryl Sulfate was the trigger for me.  Changed my toothpaste to natural toothpastes, without all of those unnecessary ingredients, and the problem stopped.  My glands still swell at other times, but no longer right after brushing my teeth.

[MelissaNZ1]

I am experiencing the same thing, my glands get itchy and sometimes my face swells...some days the swelling is worse than other days. Almost every morning now for the past year I wake up with itchy glands.  When I take an antihistimine it usually dissapears within the hour, except for really angry days when It swells.  Sometimes it comes on at night.  I have been to the doctors a few times with this.  I had blood tests done and the conclusion was allergy related, however I still have no idea what the trigger is. I also have asthma and perennial rhinitis, so I do believe it is an Auto Immune condition.   If anyone has any answers I would love to find out more.

[Doe69]

Dear All,

I too have the same problem.  I´ve had it for 9 yrs and have been to as many doctors, ENTs, scans, ultrasounds and you name it.  I´ve now been referred to a specialist in allergies.  I sure hope he can help.  Kimmies message has a point! please do keep us informed. I gor mucus tested, got a biopsy and all neagitve. In my case, it usually becomes itchy before it swells. both sides are affected, but occassionaly, it starts from the left, then right.  I feel extremely tired afte the itch and swell.  I am constantlig on antihistamins, which do help, but also make me drousy.

All good advises are much appreciated.

Doe