From the Research
Parotitis management involves treating inflammation of the parotid gland through a combination of supportive care and targeted interventions, with the most recent and highest quality study 1 guiding the approach to prioritize reducing inflammation, eliminating infection, and addressing underlying causes. The management of parotitis can be divided into acute and chronic forms. For acute viral parotitis, treatment includes:
- Adequate hydration
- Warm compresses to the affected area
- Analgesics like acetaminophen (500-1000mg every 6 hours) or ibuprofen (400-600mg every 6-8 hours)
- Sialagogues such as lemon drops or sour candy to stimulate saliva flow For bacterial parotitis, empiric antibiotic therapy should be initiated promptly with coverage for Staphylococcus aureus, typically amoxicillin-clavulanate (875/125mg twice daily for 7-10 days) or clindamycin (300-450mg four times daily for 7-10 days) if penicillin-allergic, as suggested by 2. Severe cases may require intravenous antibiotics like ampicillin-sulbactam (3g every 6 hours), and parotid abscess formation necessitates surgical drainage, as noted in 3. For chronic parotitis, management focuses on addressing underlying causes such as Sjögren's syndrome, maintaining good oral hygiene, increasing fluid intake, and using sugar-free gum or lozenges to stimulate saliva production, with recurrent episodes potentially benefiting from sialendoscopy to remove stones or strictures, as discussed in 4. The key to effective parotitis management is early recognition and appropriate intervention, prioritizing the reduction of inflammation, elimination of infection, and addressing of underlying causes to improve patient outcomes and quality of life, as emphasized by the most recent study 1.