Swollen gland panic

[Kirbear4]

I am due my last session of CBT next week as I've been doing pretty well. However, that all went out the window on Tuesday!

I discovered a lump on the side of my face in front of my ear, not looking for anything I just went to itch my ear and found it! Cue an emergency visit to the dentist. The dentist looked in my mouth and felt my jaw as I opened and closed it. He said he thinks I've been grinding my teeth in the night and my jaw is a bit clicky. He said the lump is a swollen node. He said if it hasn't gone down in 2 weeks then I have to go back and he'll fit me with a guard for night times.

I came away happy with this.

So what did I decide to do yesterday? GOOGLE!!! Why oh why after all this time of no Google did I decide it would be a good idea?! Now I'm worried it is a tumour of the salivary glands as its hard and doesn't move, about 1cm big.

It is tender to touch but I don't know if it's because I've been prodding it.

So I have 3 questions

1) could a jaw issue cause that gland to swell?
2) I have a sore, red itchy eye at the moment could that cause it?
3) I am going to see an ENT this afternoon to get my results of a CT scan for a deviated septum, if there was a tumour in my jaw area would this show up?

[Light_Bringer777]

About in the same boat as you, clenching and I'm actually getting my mouth guard in just a few hours!

1) Yes it could, but it could also be a muscle knot or a trigger point which you'd mistake for a gland. In this case it would be hard and wouldn't move. I have a pea-sized nodule on my neck that's been bugging me too, but I've ended up convincing myself that it's probably not serious and that time will tell. You know, like "normal" people would think XD

2) It's not too far away but I kinda doubt it. Not impossible, but most likely from allergy or irritation is my guess. Or plain lack of sleep.

3) Don't know about this scan, but they are generally pretty specific so I don't know if they'd be able to spot anything.

However, it's dentist and not doctors which are generally the ones to diagnose mouth/jaw related illnesses of all kind. What I mean by that is that if your dentist did not seem worried, then there's nothing to worry about.

My personal way of dealing with my lump is I've been told anything smaller than 3cm is simply not worth looking at. So I've measured it and have allowed myself to check it once every few weeks. If there's nothing more than "well I THINK it MIGHT be bigger", I have to let go for the next few weeks. If I woke up one morning and found it grew from 1cm to clearly 3cm+, then I'd really allow myself to worry like most people would. And guess what? Nothing's happening. It hasn't moved in over 2 months.

In short, if a dentist saw it and didn't mention anything, just follow his advice, keep your mind distracted, your hands off your lump and your eyes off google.:winks:

[KeeKee]

I have this and a swollen gland under my chin also. They were both a little tender a few days ago now only my chin one is tender so I'm hoping that's a good sign.
It could be a virus your body is fighting off.
Incidentally I have TMD and was asked if I grind my teeth, I have also been offered a mouth guard. Mine is hard and doesn't move either, I also googled it the other day haha. I have had a very mild headache for about 4 days too so hopefully have a mild cold.
Try not to worry, if you need a mouth guard it causes no damage at all, although I imagine they would be somewhat uncomfortable.

[Kirbear4]

Oh thank you both so much for your replies, both much better sounding than Dr Googles!!

I have been to the ENT for my CT results, good news is no op required at this time on my sinuses. I mentioned the lump/node to him and he wrote out a form for me to go and book an ultrasound at the hospital. Potentially I could be having it Monday, if not it'll be the following week which isn't too far away I guess.

He felt the lump and my jaw, he doesn't think I grind my teeth as he cant see any evidence of it inside my mouth. He said the side with the lump has a slight fullness to it and so does the inside top of my mouth. He said it is the parotid gland but it could be something that Google doesn't even mention (can't recall what he said but I don't think it was anything bad as he said it's quite common and they'd just take it out). He also mentioned the possibility of it being muscular x

[Liv7117]

Hi, I have the same thing. I have swollen glands under both jaws and one on my collarbone. I've had them for a few years now, and I worry about them too. If the ENT didn't think that they were anything to worry about then it is probably fine. Sometimes glands stay permanently enlarged after an infection/sickness like a cold.

[Kirbear4]

Hey guys, just wanted to update this quickly.

Ultrasound done today, it turns out it is just a reactive node caused by my dodgy eye! As soon as I walked in and mentioned my eye she said 'the exact same thing happened to me'! That was great to hear straight away.

She checked for stones in my salivary glands and also all surrounding nodes but everything was normal.