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Painful Swelling On Face, Under Jawline. Had Fever. Could There Have Been An Abscess? Is Keflex Good?
Question: Awhile ago I woke up with painful swelling on the right side of my face. The swelling was located just under my jawline and extending back farther below my ear. There were no other symptoms besides a slight fever that only lasted a few hours. The next day I went to a clinic where the physician gave me a 14 day prescription for Keflex. She checked for an abscess in my molar, which there was none and said she was unsure of what caused it. The 14 days are almost up and though the swelling has gone subsided underneath my jaw it has worsened under my ear and has migrated up my jawline halfway to my temple. It is more uncomfortable and tender now, but not painful. It does not move if touched and feels hard, sort of like a muscle.
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
I have seen the images attached to the query.
There are a few possibilities for these symptoms which need to be ruled out and these include:
1) It can be a swollen lymph node like a submandibular lymph node which has swollen in response to infections.
2) Second possibility is of salivary gland swelling like sublingual gland infection or blockage which lies beneath the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth. The sublingual and submaxillary (also called the submandibular) glands empty into the mouth through ducts under the tongue.
Swelling of these glands due to blockage of these ducts leads to interference of production and drainage of saliva and pain and irritation. It may be due to some obstruction like stone or tumor, inflammation and infection.
3) Third possibility is of any cyst or benign skin growth.
You need certain investigations like blood count, sialography, sialendoscopy and ultrasound or CT scan of the area to confirm the diagnosis.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
Thanks for posting your query.
I have seen the images attached to the query.
There are a few possibilities for these symptoms which need to be ruled out and these include:
1) It can be a swollen lymph node like a submandibular lymph node which has swollen in response to infections.
2) Second possibility is of salivary gland swelling like sublingual gland infection or blockage which lies beneath the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth. The sublingual and submaxillary (also called the submandibular) glands empty into the mouth through ducts under the tongue.
Swelling of these glands due to blockage of these ducts leads to interference of production and drainage of saliva and pain and irritation. It may be due to some obstruction like stone or tumor, inflammation and infection.
3) Third possibility is of any cyst or benign skin growth.
You need certain investigations like blood count, sialography, sialendoscopy and ultrasound or CT scan of the area to confirm the diagnosis.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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