Dry mouth, swollen Parotid Gland, related to cpap?

[Galactus]

Hi all,

So yesterday morning I woke up, dry mouth as has been the case, minding my business I sat down to eat breakfast and the whole side of my face swelled up in about a minute. Hurt like all hell too. I did some searching around and found it that it was Parotid Gland that swelled up. Hot compress, rinsing with salt water, drinking extra water, using bitter candy, and take some pain meds. They seem to indicate it could be caused by an infection, or a stone, or dry mouth. I just came off 10 days of antibiotics so I doubt it was an infection, and though it could be a stone it just seemed more likely to be caused by this dry mouth issue which is new to me since I started the CPAP therapy. Anyone else get this, have this happen, or have any ideas on what to do about the dry mouth issues?

Thanks in advance!

[Surly]

You could try using classic humidification. This will deliver greater humidity, but at the cost of using more water and increased potential for rain out. You'll possibly need to add extra water to your reservoir during the night as well.

[zonk]

Anyone else get this, have this happen, or have any ideas on what to do about the dry mouth issues?

Thanks in advance!

Some people are more likely to suffer from it than others, breathing from your mouth is likely culprit
Normal stuff for dry mouth ... drink plenty of water, fiddle with humidity level, chinstrap to keep mouth closed, full face mask, different mask and don,t over tighten the straps
Wash everything regularly, change the filter as recommended and use clean water in the tank

[retired_guy]

I don't know if it's the same thing as I had happen or not, but in my case I had a major ouchy in between my right ear and my jaw and the side of my face swelled up smartly. It happened following a super bad session of bronchitis for which I had done a course of antibiotics and even a short course of prednisone. The particular night I slept on my left side, as was my custom before I figured out I can now sleep mostly on my back. I used a chin strap cinched up pretty good to keep my mouth shut. So I blamed it on the chin strap and perhaps my jaw dropping to the left as I tried to get my mouth open. And yes, I did have dry mouth too.

The only thing I'm certain of is I really did not have a good time, and I would just as soon not repeat the experience.

[me50]

Hi all,

So yesterday morning I woke up, dry mouth as has been the case, minding my business I sat down to eat breakfast and the whole side of my face swelled up in about a minute. Hurt like all hell too. I did some searching around and found it that it was Parotid Gland that swelled up. Hot compress, rinsing with salt water, drinking extra water, using bitter candy, and take some pain meds. They seem to indicate it could be caused by an infection, or a stone, or dry mouth. I just came off 10 days of antibiotics so I doubt it was an infection, and though it could be a stone it just seemed more likely to be caused by this dry mouth issue which is new to me since I started the CPAP therapy. Anyone else get this, have this happen, or have any ideas on what to do about the dry mouth issues?

Thanks in advance!

If it were me, I would be making a trip to the doctor as soon as possible, especially if you just came off of antibiotics (what were you taking them for?) More than one thing can cause this and you wouldn't want something to get missed and become something more serious. You could go to a good ENT

[apw5746]

Hi all,

So yesterday morning I woke up, dry mouth as has been the case, minding my business I sat down to eat breakfast and the whole side of my face swelled up in about a minute. Hurt like all hell too. I did some searching around and found it that it was Parotid Gland that swelled up. Hot compress, rinsing with salt water, drinking extra water, using bitter candy, and take some pain meds. They seem to indicate it could be caused by an infection, or a stone, or dry mouth. I just came off 10 days of antibiotics so I doubt it was an infection, and though it could be a stone it just seemed more likely to be caused by this dry mouth issue which is new to me since I started the CPAP therapy. Anyone else get this, have this happen, or have any ideas on what to do about the dry mouth issues?

Thanks in advance!

I'm a mouth breather, use a nasal pillows system, and at the moment don't use a chin strap (can't stand them), but have to overcome this issue, and start using one. Hence the dry mouth

With regards to the parotid gland. I had a cyst for YEARS, and finally had it removed back in 2004. I don't believe it has anything to do with using a CPAP. However, I'm not a doctor. I didn't use a CPAP back then (20's I mean). I think the cyst was present and growing from my 20's. I'm in my late 60's now.

[PaytonA]

Hi all,

So yesterday morning I woke up, dry mouth as has been the case, minding my business I sat down to eat breakfast and the whole side of my face swelled up in about a minute. Hurt like all hell too. I did some searching around and found it that it was Parotid Gland that swelled up. Hot compress, rinsing with salt water, drinking extra water, using bitter candy, and take some pain meds. They seem to indicate it could be caused by an infection, or a stone, or dry mouth. I just came off 10 days of antibiotics so I doubt it was an infection, and though it could be a stone it just seemed more likely to be caused by this dry mouth issue which is new to me since I started the CPAP therapy. Anyone else get this, have this happen, or have any ideas on what to do about the dry mouth issues?

Thanks in advance!

I do not know anything about swollen Parotid gland but I would follow other recommendations and see a physician about that. The dry mouth, I can address. I still have dry mouth after several years and I have just recently learned the major cause. I suspended all logic in this respect for a couple of years. Recently, I decided to try auto mode on my VPAP to hopefully help with my leakage until I get a different mask. The first night I had my min. EPAP set 10 cm H2O below my max. IPAP. To make a long story a little shorter. My leakage rate improved to almost be in the acceptable range but my AHI was somewhere between 10 and 20. The good result was that I did not have dry mouth! So my dry mouth has been coming from leakage or breathing through my mouth. The following several nights I adjusted my min. EPAP upward and my leakage rate deteriorated and my dry mouth came back. I will also tell you that,as bad as my leak rate is, I do not detect any actual leaks around the mask seal nor do I ever go to sleep or wake up breathing through my mouth.

I do not know what your leak rate is but I suspect that you are leaking or breathing through your mouth assuming that you are still using a nasal mask. As I believe most of the board members would recommend you might try a chin strap to reduce the leakage and hence the dry mouth.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[Galactus]

You could try using classic humidification. This will deliver greater humidity, but at the cost of using more water and increased potential for rain out. You'll possibly need to add extra water to your reservoir during the night as well.

What is "classic" humidification? I am currently using 4 or 5.

Some people are more likely to suffer from it than others, breathing from your mouth is likely culprit
Normal stuff for dry mouth ... drink plenty of water, fiddle with humidity level, chinstrap to keep mouth closed, full face mask, different mask and don,t over tighten the straps
Wash everything regularly, change the filter as recommended and use clean water in the tank

According to the wife I'm not breathing through my mouth any more. I started using a new mask the nuance pro, one I really like. I've been trying to get the humidity right between 4 and 5 so far. 5 seems to build up some water in the nasal pillows 4 seems better. But no matter the setting the dry mouth is creeping up. Washing everything every day, and topping the water washing it every third or second day as it empties. Filter is not yet due according to them.

I don't know if it's the same thing as I had happen or not, but in my case I had a major ouchy in between my right ear and my jaw and the side of my face swelled up smartly. It happened following a super bad session of bronchitis for which I had done a course of antibiotics and even a short course of prednisone. The particular night I slept on my left side, as was my custom before I figured out I can now sleep mostly on my back. I used a chin strap cinched up pretty good to keep my mouth shut. So I blamed it on the chin strap and perhaps my jaw dropping to the left as I tried to get my mouth open. And yes, I did have dry mouth too.

The only thing I'm certain of is I really did not have a good time, and I would just as soon not repeat the experience.

Yes, that is exactly it, and I do sleep on my side, my left side, not been able to sleep on my back for a long time now, likely because of the OSA, could try again now possibly. Yes I agree would just as soon not have it happen again!

If it were me, I would be making a trip to the doctor as soon as possible, especially if you just came off of antibiotics (what were you taking them for?) More than one thing can cause this and you wouldn't want something to get missed and become something more serious. You could go to a good ENT

I was on antibiotics as a precautionary measure after they did a biopsy. You call the doctor they can't see you for two weeks, as they are booked up, so I don't really see the point of running to the doctor. Besides I know what it was, I did as recommended and it resolved in under 48 hours. However, it was very painful, the dry mouth persists and I would just as soon not have it happen again which is why I'm asking if you guys also have dry mouth issues and what you have done to help it.

I'm a mouth breather, use a nasal pillows system, and at the moment don't use a chin strap (can't stand them), but have to overcome this issue, and start using one. Hence the dry mouth

With regards to the parotid gland. I had a cyst for YEARS, and finally had it removed back in 2004. I don't believe it has anything to do with using a CPAP. However, I'm not a doctor. I didn't use a CPAP back then (20's I mean). I think the cyst was present and growing from my 20's. I'm in my late 60's now.

So you feel the dry mouth is from the nasal pillow mask?

I do not know what your leak rate is but I suspect that you are leaking or breathing through your mouth assuming that you are still using a nasal mask. As I believe most of the board members would recommend you might try a chin strap to reduce the leakage and hence the dry mouth.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

I guess I can try the chin strap even though it annoys me and the wife says I am not breathing through my nose.

[retired_guy]

Try sleeping on your back again. I was not able to do that for as long as I can remember. When I had my sleep study, sleeping on my left side was "marginally" an issue. But the few minutes off and on during the night when I ended up on my back sent my osa's through the roof. Now, with the machine I am experiencing back-sleeping nirvana! My ahi is very low, typically showing 2 or 3 events per night. As enjoyable as I found the back sleeping to be, I found I began to miss sleeping on my left side. So I'm doing that carefully now. I don't want Mr. Bad Pain-in-ear to come back! I still believe the problem was I tried to keep from breathing through the mouth, but over compensated with a too tight chinstrap.

[me50]

I would be concerned that, after having a biopsy, being on antibiotics, having the symptoms you just had, that a doc's office would ask for you to wait for 2 weeks to be seen, especially with doing a biopsy where they are looking to rule out something, whether it be cancer or some other issue(s).

As far as dry mouth, try biotene toothpaste, mouthwash, mouth spray (it is not inexpensive) but it does work.