Was "Cellulitis blows,"now, "Parotid problems"
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Friday I developed pain at the mandibular angle (google it) on the right. Tender to touch, and I thought I felt some swelling/hardness.
Got worse yesterday, and I thought it was bigger, but by the PM, it seemed to be getting better.
This morning, it was worse.
Much worse.
The swelling had grown, about 5 X 7 cm. Not fluctuent, nothing systemic, other than a vague sensation of "unwellness."
We went to urgent care at to our usual place this AM, where the NP thought I had a cellulitis in the area. She prescribed Augmentin, Tylenol, and hot compresses.
So far, I've taken one dose of Augmentin . Temp of 99.4 this today, before the 1st dose of Augmentin.
NP didn't feel there's an abscess (nothing fluctuant), but a diffuse cellulitis. No idea of the cause. I don't shave the area (beard, you know), no trauma, and cats haven't scratched or bitten me there.
Anything in the head and neck area that's abnormal scares the shit out of me,
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Should you see a specialist?
I was going to sent my ENT friend an email, but Mrs. George convinced me to to to urgent care. He prolly would' t respond until Monday at the soonest,
Could it be in the gums?
Possible, but it's too far posterior. The NP saw nothing to indicate that, and I have zero pain in the mouth.
Yeah, I'd see a specialist if it goes on more than a couple days Get it scanned. Did they xray it?
That's the plan. It seems to be a bit better this PM after one dose of Augmentin. Another one before I hit the rack. I'll evaluate tomorrow and go from there.
No x-ray or scan done. I don't think there was really any need. It's pretty obvious as to what's going on.
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@kluurs said in Cellulitis blows..:
Seems like a weird place for that. Could it be a dental issue that has migrated?
That was my first thought. I saw my dentist in January for a cleaning, etc. No issues were found at the time. I have no pain in the posterior mandible, and all the teeth there are good.
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I had swelling and some pain like that, in that area in 1962. I was in the second grade. It was caused by a wisdom tooth. They pulled the tooth and no more problem.
Getting old brings all kinds of new medical education.
I recently developed chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis (CNH) on my left ear.
It is a little bump on the top of the ear that can really hurt. It was probably caused by too much golf in cold (mid 30s) weather. I didn't talk to the dermatologist yet, I'm hoping it just goes away.
But I learned about a new condition, chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis.
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@Catseye3 said in Cellulitis blows..:
George, how you feeling this morning?
Meh.
Slept shitty.
Pain is a bit less and the swelling hasn’t progressed, so those are good things. No fever afaict. No appetite, whatsoever. Had bouillon for dinner last night.
Just took my 3rd dose of Augmentin, hopefully it’ll start kicking in today. Usually takes about 36-48 to see anything.
Thanks for asking.
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@Catseye3 went to the dentist, just to be sure it wasn't anything dental (it wasn't).
I called up my ENT friend and fortunately he had an opening this afternoon. He claims he can feel the stone, but I'm not convinced. We did a CT scan, that shows, maybe, something on the right side, about 1.5 cm in size, but it's not calcified, so we're not 100% certain it's a stone.
Still symptoms, etc are all consistent.
Treatment: Hydration (moar
(cheap) Scotchwater). Antibiotics. Finish the entire course (of course). And things to stimulate salivation: chew on a lemon (really?) or hard candy.Jolly Rancher order placed.
Followup in 4 weeks, or sooner if things don't get better. He says that, with luck, I'll take this stone to my grave. Too big to extract through the stoma, so the parotid gland would have to go. I HATE that operation.
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@George-K sounds serious.
Take care of yourself!!
