Excess saliva

By George Nava True II

Is salivating a symptom of pregnancy? – Bemreith Monche, Quezon City.

Excess saliva has many names depending on what’s causing it. It’s usually referred to as hypersalivation or sialorrhea. Yes, it can be a symptom of pregnancy and is common in those with extreme nausea and vomiting. But it can also mean many other things.

Doctors say this can be caused by Parkinson’s disease, Bell’s palsy, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stroke, and an enlarged tongue. In others, excess saliva is a symptom of rabies or poisoning.

Some medicines can also trigger the problem. These include drugs that are prescribed for seizures and schizophrenia. Too much saliva can also result from overactive salivary glands (there are 6 major ones), problems with swallowing, or eating a lot of spicy or acidic foods.

If you’re bothered by excess saliva and the problem persists, see a doctor to determine what’s causing it. The body normally makes 2 to 4 pints of saliva daily, more in the afternoon and less at night.

We make more saliva while eating and sucking on hard candy. But people are different and so is the amount of saliva they produce. So it’s important to consult a physician to see if anything’s wrong.

If there is something wrong, change your diet and tell your doctor if you suspect your prescribed medicines may be responsible. Your doctor may prescribe glycopyrrolate or scopolamine to treat the problem. Botox injected into the problematic salivary gland(s) is another option. This is safe but only temporary and has to be repeated after a few months. A more permanent cure is surgery to remove the offending salivary gland.

I have a lump in my armpit and I’m worried about it. What could it possibly be and what can I do about it? Do I need to take any medicine for this? –  Rose Anne Sun Badon, Makati City.

Swollen lymph nodes, bacterial or viral infections, and cysts are possible causes of armpit or axillary lumps. Lymph nodes are part of the body’s immune system that filter out germs and grow in size when they do. In this case, the skin looks normal and the lump normally disappears in a few days.

If the lump is accompanied by redness, pain, or fever, that probably means you have an infection that has to be treated by a physician. Mount Sinai Hospital doctors in New York said this can be caused by AIDS, herpes, or even cancer. A cancerous lymph node is usually hard and round.

Shaving and the use of antiperspirants may also produce armpit lumps. This is usually an allergic reaction and nothing to worry about. In some, the lumps are only lipomas (harmless fatty tissue growths) or fibroadenomas (noncancerous fibrous tissue growths). They may be an adverse reaction to vaccination or due to fungal infections.

Most of these lumps are harmless, but it’s always best to consult a doctor to be sure. Treatment depends on the cause.

For questions, write to georgenavatrue@yahoo.com