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Have Submental Gland Swelling. Have Mild Cold And Blocked Nose. Help?
Question: Hi I have a (what I believe to be) a submental gland swelling. Its just under my chin , about the size of a pin pong ball, a little tender and apart from that not giving me any problems. I had a mild cold last week but it only lasted a couple of days and previous to that about a week before another slightly more severe cold. I have a slight slight only just there occasional slightly blocked feeling so am wondering why this swelling has appeared - please can you help me?
Brief Answer:
Lymph node or salivary gland swelling.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
The commonest cause of a swelling in the submental region are the following
1. Lymphadenitis
2. Sialoadenitis
3. Cystic hygroma
4. Thyroglossal duct cyst
5. Dermoid
Cystic hygroma, thyroglossal duct cyst and dermoid most often have congenital nature (present by birth) and develop pain only when infected. This is unlikely in your situation
I assume your swelling has appeared over a short period of time and might be either a lymph node origin or salivary gland origin and of infective nature.
In a lymph node swelling which gets infected, size increases over a few days and there is acute tenderness and local rise in temperature among other signs of acute inflammation.
In sialadenitis (salivary gland infection) there is infection of the salivary gland and it can be due to blockage of salivary gland ducts.
I suggest you get an ultrasound of your neck including submental region and consult an ENT surgeon. You may require pain reliever and antibiotics depending on the ultrasound findings.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back in case of doubts.
Dr.A.Rao Kavoor
Lymph node or salivary gland swelling.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
The commonest cause of a swelling in the submental region are the following
1. Lymphadenitis
2. Sialoadenitis
3. Cystic hygroma
4. Thyroglossal duct cyst
5. Dermoid
Cystic hygroma, thyroglossal duct cyst and dermoid most often have congenital nature (present by birth) and develop pain only when infected. This is unlikely in your situation
I assume your swelling has appeared over a short period of time and might be either a lymph node origin or salivary gland origin and of infective nature.
In a lymph node swelling which gets infected, size increases over a few days and there is acute tenderness and local rise in temperature among other signs of acute inflammation.
In sialadenitis (salivary gland infection) there is infection of the salivary gland and it can be due to blockage of salivary gland ducts.
I suggest you get an ultrasound of your neck including submental region and consult an ENT surgeon. You may require pain reliever and antibiotics depending on the ultrasound findings.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back in case of doubts.
Dr.A.Rao Kavoor
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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