Diseases of the Salivary Glands can be diagnosed by lumps in the upper third of the neck and lumps on the side of the face in front of the ear. There are two main glands that are affected, the Submandibular Gland and the Parotid Gland . With the Submandibular Gland the most common reason for lumps is stone formation .
Tumours are less common than in the Parotid Gland, and malignant tumours are rare .
With Parotid Gland the benign tumour grows slowly over months or years. Usually found in people around the age of 45, it can be found in younger people. This tumour is important for three reasons . Firstly because it is very near to the facial nerve which can be damaged at operation. Secondly because if the tumour is damaged in removal, recurrent disease is possible.