My salivary gland is swollen, is it sign of major serious medical condition? Please suggest some home remedies

The glands that are present in the throat and around the mouth are the sublingual, submandibular, and parotid glands. Of these three, the parotid gland is the largest and is located just behind the jaws angle, in front and below the ears. The other two smaller glands are located deep in the mouths floor. Along with these main glands, small salivary glands are present in the mouth. Saliva is produced by all these glands that help in the digestive process by breaking the food down and preventing the decaying of the teeth. Apart from cancer, there are two main kinds of disorders the salivary glands are affected by. One disorder leads to a salivary gland malfunction in which the amount of saliva that is produced is less. The other disorder leads to swollen salivary glands. When the production of saliva is insufficient, the mouth becomes dry. This condition is known as dry mouth or xerostomia.

Swollen salivary glands can be due to many medical conditions. Most often, the swollen salivary gland causes are not life-threatening and can be treated easily with antibiotics. Although swelling commonly occurs with the parotid gland, any of the other glands can also swell and possibly be a symptom of a condition. Obstruction is a very common cause for swollen salivary glands. The ducts in the gland can be blocked by salivary gland stones, which can result in a bacterial infection. This is called sialadentis. Some of the symptoms are fever and redness, tenderness, swelling, and pain in the area of the infection. Diagnosis of this condition normally involves a CT scan or an MRI to check for the obstruction. In cases that are more advanced, there may be a draining of pus from the salivary duct into the mouth, which can be tested to give a diagnosis. A course of antibiotics is given as a treatment to fight the infection along with warm compresses. When the stones completely obstruct the flow of saliva, swollen salivary glands will be caused when eating and will reduce gradually after eating. For any development of abscesses, draining may be required. Some of the swollen parotid gland causes include dehydration, mickulicz disease, sarcoidosis, and chronic pancreatitis. A major factor that results in swollen cheek glands is lymphadenopathy. This happens when the lymph nodes or lymph glands get enlarged.  One of the main causes for swollen cheek glands is considered to be infection. This happens when there is a growth of a parasitic organism in the cheek, which derives its nourishment from the cheek. If the infection is by nature pathogenic, serious medical problems can also be caused.

Some of the swollen salivary gland symptoms are a bad taste in the mouth, difficulty with opening the mouth, dry mouth, pain in the mouth or face, and swelling of the neck or face. One of the medical conditions that cause swollen salivary glands is Sjogren syndrome in which lymphocytes percolate the salivary glands, which leads to the salivary glands getting damaged. When the lymphocytes get into the salivary glands they begin to shrink causing less saliva to be produced and an abnormal and intense dryness of the lips and mouth. Swollen salivary glands may also be due to mumps in which the parotid glands or salivary glands are seen to swell up. Mumps usually cause swollen salivary glands in children. The virus that brings about mumps enters through the mouth causing an intense pain while swallowing or chewing food. One of the initial signs of mumps is when drinking acidic drinks like lemon juice becomes difficult. Enlarged salivary glands can result from bulimia due to the continuous vomiting and bingeing. Swollen salivary glands in neck can be caused by an upper respiratory infection, mononucleosis or a sore throat.

When it comes to swollen salivary glands, treatment can be of two types: surgical and medical. The treatment will be chosen based on the nature of condition. If the problem is because of systemic diseases, then the problem that underlies it should be treated. If the cause of the disease is an obstruction or infection to the salivary glands, you may be recommended by the doctor to take in more fluids and antibiotics may also be prescribed. For salivary glands that are swollen, treatment may also involve instruments to open the blocked ducts. If there is the development of a mass in the salivary glands, it may be recommended to remove it. In the parotid glands, most of the masses are benign or noncancerous. Therefore, when surgery is being performed, it is necessary to be careful not to damage the facial nerve present in this gland that enables the movement of the facial muscles, including the eye and mouth. After surgery, a treatment of radiation is usually recommended. This is usually administered around four to six weeks after the surgery has been performed to give enough time for healing.

The same principle is generally applied to the development of masses in the minor salivary glands or in the submandibular area, within the upper throat and mouth. The best treatment for benign diseases is through surgery or conservative measures, whereas for diseases that are malignant, surgery and postoperative radiation may be required. If the lump in the area of the salivary glands is a lymph node that has increased in size because of a cancer in another location, a different plan for treatment will be required. Dry mouth or xerostomia is not caused when the salivary glands are removed. However, when the mouth undergoes radiation therapy, unpleasant symptoms related to decreased flow of saliva can be caused. When this happens, conservative treatments or certain medications can be prescribed to reduce the dryness. If your salivary glands are swollen under the tongue you should consult a doctor to rule out mononucleosis and tonsillitis. Your doctor may also prescribe some antibiotics. An effective home remedy to bring relief to the throat irritation is to mix half a teaspoon of goldenseal root with a quarter teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water. You should strain the mixture over a cheese cloth and gargle with it.

Swollen salivary glands are an indication of a host of medical conditions. The appearance of the swollen glands is also likely to be a result of some pre-existing medical conditions. You will need to see your medical examiner immediately to rule out any medical condition that maybe causing the swelling.

One such medical condition that causes salivary glands is the Sjogren syndrome, where the salivary glands get percolated with lymphocytes, thus resulting in damage to the salivary glands. When the lymphocytes enter the salivary glands, the glands start to shrink giving rise to less saliva, and causing intense and abnormal dryness of the mouth and the lips. This condition suppresses the eating and swallowing of food and causes tooth decay while salivary calculi (stones) start to form in the salivary ducts.

Swollen salivary glands can also indicate mumps, where agonizing swelling of the salivary glands, or the parotid glands are observed. The virus that causes mumps gets in through the mouth and causes extreme pain on chewing or swallowing food. One early sign of mumps is the difficulty in swallowing acidic drinks such as lemon juice. Normally the salivary glands are believed to be extremely tender and are therefore naturally affected in the case of mumps causing extreme distress to the patient.

Other conditions causing swollen salivary glands could include sialolithiasis (salivary gland stones) or sialadenitis (bacterial infection of the salivary glands causing extreme inflammation). Home remedies do not cure such conditions and you must get the condition duly treated with the right medical care and medication. Complementing the medication, adopt a few changes in your lifestyle, to reduce the chances of discomfort from the condition. Ensure that you drink at least eight to nine glasses of water every day, and maintain good oral hygiene regularly.

However if your medical practitioner has eliminated any serious condition causing the swollen glands, a few simple methods can help bring you relief. Rinse your mouth with warm water several times a day for solace from the swelling. Adding a small quantity of sea salt to the warm water mouth wash can also help in bringing some relief from the discomfort. A pinch of turmeric powder added to the warm water gargle is another effective home remedy that promotes faster healing to the throat and the swollen glands. Turmeric possesses bactericidal properties and may help in reducing the swelling.

To induce a persistent flow of saliva from the swollen salivary glands, try chewing a piece of sugar-free gum. If the swollen glands feel tender to the touch, use a hot compress on the outside of the affected area to help reduce the swelling.