Salivary gland swollen for 4 weeks now

[soilman]

So it was time I went to the dental school to get it examined by the oral surgeon. Since I was at the dental school before, I was able to get an appointment with the general dentistry dept a week after I called last week. Apptmt was today. I went in today.

Student looked at it. Professor looked at it. They both said they don't know what's wrong.

The tried to get me an appt with the oral surgery dept but an oral surgeon can't look at my glands until July 23. If the swelling is due to a cancerous tumor, diagnosing it and removing it right away can be the difference between losing a few cc of salivary gland, or losing part of my jaw and face. It can be the difference between living and dieing.

I called all the dental schools that I could get to for less than $100 is public transport costs. None of them can see me for an initial visit within a month.

Should I just go to a private oral surgeon, have him check it out, and then walk out without paying? After all, my life is at stake.

I was told at the school i went to that if an "emergency" developed I could show up without an appointment. But judging by what happened today, if I showed up and complained abt my gland again, they would just have me get another appointment with the oral surgery sept, for 6 weeks advance.

I told them I am having trouble swallowing and that I have pain outside my mouth too, on my neck, where the gland's bottom is.

[Tom]

That's a lousy situation. I don't have any experience with dental schools; I don't remember how long it took for my dentist to see me after I made an appointment for something relatively major.

I'd be worried about cancer, too, but of course it could be something else. I don't know why they can't arrange to just have a specialist examine you to find out what the problem is. If they found out it wasn't malignant, that wouldn't help your immediate discomfort, but at least you wouldn't have to worry about cancer anymore.

[delicious]

http://www.doctorhoffman.com/wwgland.htm

I'm sorry that you're not feeling well, soilman. Maybe the above site can be of some help to you.

[soilman]

Yes it could be a stone. That is the most likely scenario. It could be a stricture of the duct but I don't have increased pain upon salivating. It is just continual low-level pain. It looks red and inflamed to me. The duct itself looks enlarged and inflamed. It could be a low-level infection. However that is usually NOT permanently cured by antibiotics. The infection is usually caused by a stone, or blocked duct, or both. Without rectifying these problems, the antibiotics make only a temporary improvement, or do nothing.

"(If the symptoms have been present for months or years, I will often order X-rays immediately and not wait to see the results of conservative measures. ... If a stone is present, it is usually best to remove it in the operating room.

And I should add that it is usually best to remove it as soon as possible, before it gets bigger and hareder to remove without removing the whole gland. Removing the whole gland can have disasterous affects. Without enough saliva you need constant medication to replace it, and you will suffer from damage to your teeth and gums, plus if I ever need dentures, I may not even be able to use dentures because saliva is needed to protect the gums from damage by the dentures.

I have already had some of this gland removed when I had surgery to correct my congenital tongue abnormality. The portion of the gland removed was right near the duct. So I could have scar tissue blocking the duct. Due to partial removal of the gland, I already have slightly reduced saliva. It is a bad thing. Worse than you might realize. Reduced salivation is one of the things that people undergoing radiation treatment report as being the cause of a lot of suffering.

It also could be simple hypertrophy of the gland, which could be a result of removing part of it (the remaining part overgrows to compensate for the part removed). But I don't think so. The redness suggests an infection. However infections may occur secondarily to cancer (which can block the duct and cause infection).

i suppose I could try going to my family phys, and then to an otolaryngologist. The otolaryngologist may be able to see me sooner and medicare will cover his fees. I would tend to prefer an oral and maxillofacial surgeon tho.

I had the mumps as a child, so it is unlikely I have it again.

[karenlovessnow]

My daughter has had a stone removed from her salivary gland twice now. She had no problems at all with the removal which was done in the dentist's office. Sorry you are having such a hard time getting someone to take care of you!

[Iria]

My mom had an infected salivary gland when she was in middle school. They thought it was just a stone, but due to an old injury her entire gland needed to be removed. I don't know how long she waited (the injury occurred when she was two years old, but obviously it wasn't infected all that time!), but she's never had any problems with reduced saliva or anything like that. She had a mucus gland removed several years ago (unrelated--she injured it by biting it) and is doing fine.

It's too bad you have to wait, especially since you're in pain. It's good that you're getting treated, though. I know one person who ignored a mucus gland problem like my mom had--after almost a year the thing was huge and she was still hoping it would just go away.

[soilman]

"but obviously it wasn't infected all that time!"

It is possible to have a low-level infection for years and years and years. In some cases there is very little if any pain. There may be slight swelling and redness and slight soreness. My sublinguals have been chronically infected at a low level, ever since I had my tongue surgery. But only over the last month has one become a lot bigger than the other (it is fairly normal for one to be a little bit bigger than the other), and sore all the time, as opposed to sore only when I move my tongue. Ever since the tongue surgery I have been unable to move my tongue without pain (in the sublingual glands). Before the surgery, its movements were slightly restricted (I could not stick it all the way out), but there was no pain.

[Treehugger267]

I don't think this is anything that I would want to be messing around with dental schools with. I would make an appointment at a regular throat specialist as soon as possible. I'm sure they will make payment arrangements with you. Money is not the important issue at this time.

BTW: I had that gland swell up twice years back and antibiotics took care of it. But, my situation doesn't sound the same as yours, I didn't have any pain.

Please see a doctor right away. Big hugs.

[soilman]

"Money is not the important issue at this time"

That's what I think. However it is important to otolaryngologists and oral surgeons, and I don't have any. And I am sure they will not make payment arrangements with me.

Actually, dental schools are often the best place to get the most carefully and safely performed surgical procedures. The students are being graded on their performance. they make sure to do everything as well as they can, as oppose to rush thru in a hurry to make a buck the way long-established doctors and dentists may do. I love the dental school I am going to. But they are s l o w. It takes ages to get them to do anything. The stretch everything out over a long time. They do each procedure slowly. A filling that an experinced dentist can do in 15 minutes, may take a student 1.5 hours, and require 2 or 3 times the amount of local anesthetic. Lidocaine is pretty safe so I'm not worried. They are just slow.

[Treehugger267]

Do you have any type of insurance?

[soilman]

Yes I have medicare and medicaid. Medicare will not pay for any dental care. Medicaid will pay to extract teeth, and little else. An otolaryngologist will take Medicare. But I do think an oral surgeon may have more experience with this kind of thing. I may have to go to an oto, even tho I think an oral surgeon would be better.

[Treehugger267]

When I had the problem with my salivary gland, I went to a ears, nose and throat specialist. It's really more of a throat thing, not a dental thing. Your insurance should cover that and at least you would be seen by a specialist.

[soilman]

It is not extremely painful. Just a little sore. The main reason I want it done quickly is to minimize the amount of surgery that they will need to do, if any. The sooner they get to it, the less of me they will have to cut off and throw away.

[Eclipse]

Not everyone can go see a doc right away.
It costs a lot of money and not everyone has health insurance. I lived like this for years ( most of my life)...I didn't basically go to the hospital unless I was "dying". Sick?...go to bed and sleep it off.

The money is not issue is a noble statement until you get the credit issue. Nobody will give you credit unless you have a certain level of income. I've been trying to get a credit card for a year now. Certainally Nobody unemployed gets credit and these places ( I assume it's like this everywhere) will not take you unless there's a payment plan involved.

PS: Just wanted to add, I hope you can get some help with this ASAP.

[soilman]

No its possible to get credit without being employed. You need money tho. If you want I can show you how it's done.

There is a way to do it with very little money but it requires cooperation of 2 or more people who absolutely can trust each other and have a alot of nerve and cleverness.