STW Medics – Blocked Salivary gland :(

Yes, swollen painful face. 🙁

I’m supposed to fly to America on Saturday for work, and my appointment to see a consultant isn’t until I return on the 17th.

I’ve tried the usual massage, sucking on lemon, drinking buckets of water and appear doomed to eating Merkin soup and swallowing ibruprofen for a week, on type of the usual misery (I’m shit scared of flying).

Anyone got any other suggestions for freeing it up?

does your travel insurance cover you for flying with a pre-existing condition?

Self surgery*

* don’t do this.

If your ill don’t fly, its not worth it, trust me!

xora – Member
If your ill don’t fly, its not worth it, trust me!

I’m under a little pressure to do so… the doctor has cleared me for flying, it’ll just be slightly more uncomfortable. It doesn’t make you ill, have a temperature or anything, just a swollen paiinful face as follows:

Thats not me btw.

got a company CC? fly and get it fixed in the US. that’ll learn em…

Wire brush and Dettol.

Wire brush and Dettol.

try and get to use them before this bloke;

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/diy-gelding

I get that a couple of times a year in that area and between the top teeth and cheek bone. I find massaging the swelling (fnar fnar) and the inside of the cheek to try and clear the blockage can help, but that’s generally early on and before it gets that swollen. You have my sympathy as I know just how much it hurts.

Dentist or private?

Ooh, I had a couple of these, as a teenager, in the sublingual salivary glands. First one I managed to squeeze out, second was removed in hospital under general anaesthetic (yes, it was a long time ago).

It’s probably worth sticking with the massage, not to get the stone itself out, but to let the backlog of saliva get past the blockage.

I have two tiny ‘stones’ in one of my parotid glands (by the angle of my jaw). With myself the swelling is seldom problematic nor is it ever painful. GP referred me to my dentist who in turn referred me to the specialist in the hospital. Options offered were to try to break stones with ultrasound, to flush stones out with ?iodine?, to excise the gland or to do nothing. I opted for the latter, especially when told that salivary production reduces with age.

Biologist here, not a medic – I don’t really have any useful advice – other than I get Chalazions sometimes which are caused by blocked sweat ducts in the eyelid. You use hot compresses to get rid of them.

Get some of those almost painfully sour boiled sweets. My wife had one once and this sorted it. Lemon didn’t help her as you don’t suck it for long enough.

I did try sucking the lemon and then holding and swilling the juice around my mouth for as long as possible,good call on the sweets.

If your ill don’t fly, its not worth it,

Is your company going to pick up the tab if you end up hospitalised with a pre-existing condition that you insurance co won’t touch?

Dr may say you are fine to fly, but what does your insurance co say?

For really sour sweets try a Mr Simms if you have one close. Just ask them for the worst they have. A warning though, they will make your mouth look like a cats anus while you are sucking on them!

Mr Simms

Dr may say you are fine to fly, but what does your insurance co say?

Good point, I’d forgotton about Travel insurance…

Merkin soup? Really? And a sour one at that? Soup made.from a sour merkin??? Really?

Hiribo Tangfastics worked for me.

Be careful with sour stuff as when it’s that swollen and painful it can be because it is also infected and all you’ll be doing is making it more swollen. I have found that sour food or drink regularly can help to prevent the swelling in the 1st place though.
I have gotten so desperate in the past that I have performed “surgery” on myself with a needle plunged into the engorged ducts. I wouldn’t recommend it though.

Ring a bell

Go to docs.
I had a lump like that photo above. More like a really painful ping pong ball.
Caused by dental extraction infection.
After an incredibly painful and botched lancing experience,think of NO anesthetic and forceps brushing your cheek bone!, I was referred to oral maxillo facial specialist for reconstruction surgery.
“Nice” scar though. 😐

fruitbat – Member

Hiribo Tangfastics worked for me.

By happy cooindence a mini Wiggle order arrived today, guess what was inside? 🙂 I scoffed the lot, and my swelling has noticably has reduced as has the pain. Still got a lump so I’ll see how the next day or two goes.

Also now I can see inside my mouth I can feel/see its the upper gland by my molars thats sore – I though I’d bit my cheek!

I don’t do sour stuff, but I can manage a Tangfastic easily enough

These on the other hand:

http://www.toxicwastecandy.co.uk/

Often found in the sweet aisle of your local corner shop

If they’re not already, tell them you’ll only go if they send you business class.

Assuming your travel insurance covers you.

I found out today the company provides the travel insurance and I am covered globally.

Looks like I can’t avoid the flight. In the tradition of yesterdays Specilized thread, i blame Haribo 👿

Oh wow, I’m sitting here gently pushing the excess through, after the last 3 days of agony its better than sex.

Yes, except usually the 3 days of agony comes after sex! know what I mean!?