SALIVATION
It
is defined as an act or process of secretion of saliva in mouth or
excessive secretion of saliva. It is also known as ptyalism.
Drooling- can be defined as salivary incontinence or the spillage of
saliva over the lower lip. Drooling is generally caused by excess
production of saliva, inability to retain saliva within the mouth, or
problems with swallowing.
Cause-
Drooling is generally caused by:
- Problems
keeping saliva in the mouth
- Problems
with swallowing
- Too
much saliva production
Some
drooling in infants and toddlers is normal and is not usually a sign of
a disease or other problem. It may occur with teething. Drooling in
infants and young children may get worse with upper respiratory
infections and nasal allergies.
Drooling that occurs with fever or trouble swallowing may be a sign of
a more serious disease, including:
- Mononucleosis
- Peritonsillar
abscess
- Retropharyngeal
abscess
- Strep
throat
- Tonsillitis
Sudden
drooling may occur with poisoning (especially by pesticides) or a
reaction to snake or insect venom.
Other things that can cause drooling:
- Certain
medications
- Nervous
system (neurological) problems
Those
Conditions where saliva secretion is increased include Stomatitis,
Chronic gastritis, Pregnancy, Maniacs, Hydrophobia, Drugs -mercury,
iodide, bitters, Sinemet, Sinemet CR, Lodosyn, Levodopa, Dopar, etc.
Excessive capsaicin can cause drooling. Drooling may be one symptoms of
following disease; Alzheimer's Disease, Ataxia Telangiectasia, Bell's
Palsy, Cyclic vomiting syndrome, Epiglotitis, Epiglottis diseases,
Grand mal seizures, Homocystinuria, Motion sickness, Rabies,
Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome, Sjogren's Syndrome, Wilson's Disease, etc.
History
Make an assessment of the severity and frequency of drooling, and
inquire about the effect on the quality of life for the patient and
family. Importantly, identify factors contributing to drooling.
Caregivers or parents can assist in assessing the characteristics of
drooling, such as peak time of day, changes in volume with specific
activities, consistency of saliva (ie, thick, mucinous, watery), and
the frequency of drooling.
The severity of drooling can be classified with the following scale:
- Dry
- Never drools
- Mild
- Only lips wet
- Moderate
- Lips and chin wet
- Severe
- Clothing soiled
- Profuse
- Clothing, hands, and tray moist and wet
Treatment-
A comprehensive treatment plan incorporates several stages of care:
correction of reversible causes, behavior modification, medical
treatment, and surgical procedures. In general, surgical procedures are
considered after evaluation of non-invasive treatment options.
Role of homoeopathy
Homeopathy is a profound natural way of treating all forms of diseases.
Homeopathy uses natural substances and is a completely non-invasive
form of therapy. Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that
homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as
his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected
after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which
includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental
constitution etc.
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