What is parotitis, medical care for parotitis

Condition analysis:
Parotitis is a common medical issue that affects millions of people worldwide. The parotid glands are partially responsible for the production of saliva and can become inflamed or infected leading to a constellation of vague and often non-specific symptoms. These symptoms can include pain, tenderness, and/or inflammation of one or both of the parotid glands. Because of their location on either side of the face and the nonspecific symptoms, parotid gland issues such as parotitis are classically mistaken for other ailments.

Instructions:
Medical Care: Most episodes of chronic parotitis are treated symptomatically. Sialogogues, local heat, gentle massage of the gland from posterior to anterior, and hydration provide variable symptomatic relief. When pus is expressed from the Stensen duct, culture and sensitivity studies guide antibiotic selection. Treatment of the primary disease (eg, HIV, rheumatoid arthritis) is all that is required. Some authors advocate intermittent irrigation of the ductal system with saline, steroid solution, and/or an antibiotic to treat the infection and mechanically remove inspissated mucous or pus from the ducts. This may retard the disease progression. The rationale is stronger for those with the dilated "sausage-shaped" ducts.

This treatment is advocated for those patients not responding to symptomatic treatment and should be attempted before considering surgery. Baurmash advocates a Decadron (dexamethasone) and penicillin solution in saline to cleanse the ducts and for topical therapy. [9] If successful, this irrigation is repeated as needed.

Acute bacterial parotitis is caused by bacteria that ascends from the mouth and most frequently occurs in chronically ill patients. The patient quickly becomes extremely ill. In the hospital setting, S aureus is apt to be methicillin resistant (MRSA). Gram stains and culture and sensitivity testing is ordered. Intravenous vancomycin at 500 mg every 6 hours is begun empirically. Therapy may be altered based upon cultures or infectious disease consultation.