Symptoms of chronic obstructive parotitis

The main symptoms of chronic obstructive parotitis include swelling, pain, dry mouth, and difficulty chewing in the parotid area, which may be accompanied by fever and infection in severe cases. Treatment requires medication, surgery, or lifestyle adjustments, depending on the cause and severity of the symptoms.

1. Parotid gland swelling and pain

The typical symptoms of chronic obstructive parotitis are swelling and pain in the parotid area, which is usually caused by obstruction of the salivary duct. Duct obstruction may be caused by stones, inflammation, or duct stenosis. Swelling may occur on one side or both sides, and the pain worsens when eating because saliva secretion increases but cannot be discharged smoothly. It is recommended to seek medical attention in time and use ultrasound or CT examination to determine the cause.

2. Dry mouth and difficulty chewing

Due to the obstruction of saliva secretion, patients often feel dry mouth, which affects chewing and swallowing functions. Long-term dry mouth may also increase the risk of oral infection. Symptoms can be relieved by drinking more water, chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva secretion, or using artificial saliva. If symptoms persist, further examination is required to determine whether there are other underlying diseases, such as Sjögren's syndrome.

3. Fever and infection

If chronic obstructive parotitis is not treated promptly, secondary bacterial infection may occur, leading to fever and local redness, swelling, heat and pain. In this case, antibiotics such as amoxicillin, cephalosporins or clindamycin are required. For patients with recurrent infections, surgery may be required to remove duct stones or repair duct stenosis.

4. Treatment methods

Drug treatment: Antibiotics are used to control infection, such as amoxicillin and cephalosporins; anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can relieve pain and swelling.

Surgical treatment: Duct stones can be removed through endoscopic lithotomy or open surgery; ductal stenosis can be treated with ductal dilation or reconstruction.

Lifestyle adjustments: Maintain oral hygiene, avoid spicy foods that stimulate saliva secretion, and massage the parotid glands regularly to promote saliva secretion.

Although the symptoms of chronic obstructive parotitis are not fatal, they seriously affect the quality of life. Early detection and treatment are key to avoid worsening of the disease or repeated infection. If symptoms such as parotid swelling, pain or dry mouth occur, you should seek medical attention in time to identify the cause and take targeted treatment.