O-Jin Kwon, an otolaryngologist, and Hidak are working together. [코/목/귀 상담소]. Hidak counselors will answer all your questions regarding nose, throat, and ear-related diseases.
There is a disease that should be suspected if there is swelling under the ear along with jaw pain. It is inflammatory salivary gland disease. The main salivary glands, where saliva is produced and stored, perform various important functions such as digestion and lubrication as well as antibacterial action. When these salivary glands become inflamed, they usually heal naturally. However, it is known as a disease with more serious complications because the pathogen that caused inflammation sometimes spreads throughout the body and affects various organs.
Hidak Otolaryngology Consulting Doctor Ohjin Kwon (Ping ENT Clinic)I learned more regarding mumps and acute suppurative salivary adenitis, a type of inflammatory salivary gland disease.
Q. Where and how many salivary glands exist in our body?
There are 3 pairs of main salivary glands in our body around the mouth. These are the parotid glands under both ears, the submandibular glands under the chin, and the sublingual glands under the tongue. In addition to the six main salivary glands, many smaller salivary glands are present within the lip and oral mucosa.
Q. What is salivary glanditis, an inflammation of the salivary glands?
Salivary glanditis is an inflammatory or infectious disease that mainly occurs in the main salivary glands. Causes are mainly bacterial or viral infection, physical obstruction by salivary gland or salivary gland ducts, autoimmune disease caused by Sjogren’s syndrome, and damage caused by radiation therapy.
Q. What are the causes of each type?
Bacterial salivary glanditis is purulent salivary glanditis, which occurs when bacteria in the oral cavity retrograde along the salivary gland ducts and penetrate into the salivary glands. The main causes are fasting, dehydration, and poor oral hygiene. Viral salivary glanditis is caused by mumps virus belonging to the paramyxovirus family, and it mainly occurs in the parotid gland located under the ear.
Salivary adenitis caused by salivary stones is an inflammation of the salivary glands due to the salivary glands blocking the salivary gland ducts, preventing saliva from being discharged and storing it in the salivary glands. Inflammation also occurs in damaged salivary glands following radiation treatment for cancer treatment in the head and neck area.
Q. Is it safe for adults to see what is known as a disease of children?
In the past, it often occurred in children with weak immunity and a lot of group life, but a vaccine to prevent mumps has been developed and, in particular, in Korea, it is included in the mandatory vaccination, so the frequency of occurrence has decreased significantly. However, the effectiveness of vaccination is starting to decline, and outbreaks are still being reported in middle and high school students living in groups.
Q. Is treatment possible?
Mumps, a viral disease, does not yet have a treatment for the causative virus, so treatment is carefully monitored for complications and symptomatic treatment is implemented to relieve symptoms. An analgesic and antipyretic to reduce high fever and pain is administered, and to prevent secondary bacterial infection, drink water frequently and maintain clean oral hygiene.
Q. Are there any complications?
Most of them heal spontaneously, but some complications may occur. Meningitis is the most common complication, and complications such as orchitis, oophoritis, pancreatitis, and hearing loss also occur. Because there is a risk of such complications, careful observation is required for regarding 10 days following the salivary glands are swollen.
Q. Do I need to be quarantined if I catch something like Corona?
Currently, the COVID-19 virus infection is a legal infectious disease, and if infection is confirmed, it is obligatory to report it to the public health center. Mumps is also a Class 2 legal infectious disease, and if infection is confirmed, it is obligatory to report and quarantine for up to 5 days following symptom onset. Mumps is a highly contagious disease that has been designated as a legal infectious disease and has a duty to report.
Q. How contagious is it?
The incubation period for mumps is regarding 2-3 weeks, and it is contagious from 6-7 days before the salivary glands swell up to 9 days following the salivary glands swell. In particular, it is most contagious from 1 to 2 days before swelling of the salivary glands to 5 days following swelling. Usually both salivary glands are swollen at the same time or 1 to 2 days apart, but in 25% of patients with mumps, only one salivary gland is swollen.
Q. How to distinguish acute purulent salivary glanditis similar to mumps?
Unlike mumps, which is a disease caused by a viral infection, acute suppurative salivary adenitis is salivary glanditis caused by a bacterial infection. Both disorders have similar symptoms in that they have a fever and swelling of the salivary glands. However, acute suppurative salivary glanditis has a higher degree of fever and pain than mumps. In contrast to mumps, in which clear saliva is secreted from the entrance of the salivary gland tube in the oral cavity when the salivary glands are pressed, pus is mainly secreted in acute suppurative salivary glanditis.
Q. Is acute suppurative salivary adenitis curable?
Since acute suppurative salivary adenitis is a bacterial infection, antibiotic treatment is also performed along with analgesic and antipyretic drugs. However, you should also maintain good oral hygiene and drink plenty of water to avoid dry mouth.
Help = Hidak Consultant Doctor Oh-Jin Kwon (Otolaryngologist at Ping Otolaryngology Clinic)
