In the December issue of Movement Disorders, four neurologists wrote an article about current treatments that are meant to relieve drooling—or sialorrhea in medical lingo.
Continuing with the theme of openness—the average person's salivary glands secrete more than a liter of saliva each day. Usually swallowing reflexes take care of it. However, people living with Parkinson's often lose that reflex . Parkinson's may impair the ability to swallow as well, only getting the job partially accomplished. As a result many people with Parkinson's end up with frustrating episodes of drooling.
There are some treatments that your doctor may consider for addressing drooling including:
- Anticholerginc medications
- Botulinum toxin injections
- Adrenergic receptor agonist medications
- Mouth surgery to reduce saliva production
Interestingly, one of the less scientific solutions is quite simple. "Chewing gum or sucking on hard candy may provide temporary improvement by serving as a motor or tactile cue to swallow more frequently, but this does not work for all patients," the authors write.
Doctors and researchers are also experimenting with reminder programs and other behavioral techniques to get people with Parkinson's to swallow more often. The research is still maturing.
If drooling is a problem for you, talk with your doctor about some of these strategies. Under his or her direction you may find strategies to stop the hassle.
Source:
Movement Disorders, December 2007
