What is it?

Parotid Gland is a salivary gland. When one or both get infected or blocked it can cause terrible deformities under the skin or face. This gland pumps moisture through the Stensen’s duct, into the mouth. This helps keep the mouth wet and helps with swallowing. The longer it takes to correct a problem, the more surgery will be needed.

What causes the problems?

Even though the mumps have all been eliminated with routine vaccinations, this viral infection will give you an idea of how serious an infection of the Parotid gland can be. The swelling makes it hard to eat or swallow and if unchecked it can cause death.

Staphylococcus (Staph infections) aureus is the most common reason the Parotid gland becomes infected and usually if can be contained with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Bacteria that create tuberculosis are another factor that can cause Parotid infections. Another bacteria, which causes “Acute suppurative parotitis” is also a painful and similar infection. These can usually be treated by drugs.

Diabetes, bulimia and alcoholism may cause enlarged parotid glands but usually these are not painful and there is a small group of AIDS victims that have experienced parotitis.

However, any blockage to the parotid duct such as a tumor, mucous plug, salivary stone is usually the cause of painful and deadly parotiditis. Calcium is what forms salivary stones. Usually they can be detected by X-ray about 80% of the time.

Chronic inflammation of the parotid gland may be caused by Sjogren’s syndrome. This is caused by an autoimmune disease and can be a serious problem. There is no known cause for Sjogren’s syndrome at this time. Dryness in the eyes, nose, skin and mouth in the facial area along with swelling is an indication of Sjogren’s syndrome.

Where is it?

The parotid gland sits under the skin, and wraps around the back of the jaw at the mandibular ramus. The gland sits in an area which is anterior to the ear. This gland is palpated bilaterally and there is one on each side of the head behind the ear. The facial nerve, although it does not control the gland, it runs through it.

The Problems

This gland although not directly involved with facial features can become infected and worse, it can become blocked. Modern medicine can usually relieve the symptoms mentioned above. However there are many times when surgery has to be performs, such as when the calcium buildup is too big for other methods or a tumor develops. When this happens the gland does become a problem for the face, and looks grotesque of the patient.

Surgery is the only method left of taking care of the problem. Old methods of surgery include taking the gland out completely leave scars around the face and usually a dead area on the face, making it a more obvious problem.

Most plastic surgeons that work on this gland will do it from the inside of the mouth, taking out only what is necessary for the gland to be operational again, leaving the nerves intact, and most of the abnormalities a regular surgeon would leave are not present. This leaves the face without scars and less paralysis on the face.

Abnormalities

Abnormalities include a dead face look on the side operated on, large scars around the ear, or even worse, the nerves relocate themselves to the cheek where it looks like the cheek is sweating profusely. Any of these abnormalities caused by a regular surgeon will have to be dealt with by a licensed plastic surgeon.

Surgical Treatment

Although a Parotid patient can live with mild to major discomfort when on the right medications, it does not do much to build self confidence, and can be very painful making one’s life miserable through eye mouth and nose problems as well as creating a huge hearing loss. Another problem is when the gland becomes so bad and enlarged it can cause death. Please feel free to contact us for any of your concerns about Parotid gland problems, especially if you are sent to a surgeon who is not certified with face and neck scars. We have what is considered the most advanced technique in the facial paralysis field along with surgeons who are widely known and respected.

"Parotidites" can be a serious problem in your life or those of the ones you love. Please call us anytime for a free consultation on how we may be able to treat your condition. The .Facial Paralysis Institute is one of the most advanced clinics of its kind in the world dealing with such problems.