I first recognized that I had a problem in my own salivary duct when I ate something sweet and the right side of my face became immediately painful and swollen.
It was a bit scary, but I felt otherwise alright. I noticed that my mouth was especially dry, that I didn't seem to be producing any saliva on the right side when I ate.
So I went off to the doctor to get a diagnosis because there were several possibilities about what could be wrong. I needed to make sure I didn't have some sort of malignancy for instance. A CT (CAT scan) definitively confirmed that I had a stone in my salivary duct.
I then poured through my medical journals and articles, reading all about salivary stones and followed my Doctor's advice. Ignoring the presence of a stone is uncomfortable plus if you can't salivate properly you can get an infection from the stagnation of your saliva.
That was several years ago and I still have the stone (sometimes they pass through the gland), but I've managed the pain and swelling without having any surgery. I get the most relief from frequent massages to my jaw area.
I can usually feel my jaw "tightening" and I get symptoms if I'm not well hydrated, or if it's been a day when I've eaten little.
If you've been diagnosed with a stone in your salivary gland, conservative measures, such as jaw massage, applying heat, getting plenty of fluids and using sour candy to stimulate salivation can keep things comfortable and prevent infection in the salivary gland.
When the gland gets swollen, massage it firmly several times throughout the day. If it's painful, apply warm compresses.
Links and Resources
Salivary Duct Tumors
I Village Health
Salivary Gland Disorders ◦
