Without chewing, they slid down my throat one-by-one until the pain became unbearable.
The mass had developed a couple of weeks prior and had been growing by the day.
When I first noticed it, it was about the size of a shelled peanut.
Letizia Le Fur/Getty Images
But it grew and grew and was now very noticeably protruding from my neck.
And although the mass was on my neck, my throat didnt hurt like a typical sore throat.
National Library of Medicine, salivary stones are deposits of minerals in the ducts that drain the salivary glands.
Courtesy of Kate Gardner
They occur when the chemicals in saliva form a hard crystal that blocks the salivary duct.
Dr. Liess tells SELF that he treats the condition about three to six times per year.
Its typically a function of slow saliva movement, Dr. Liess says.
Courtesy of Kate Gardner
My left gland had been swelling every few months for about two years at that point.
It usually lasted a few days to a week and was never painful.
This time, though, the lump showed no sign of receding.
Dr. Liess also recommended warm compresses.
He says that if the stones are 1-1.5 cm or larger, they’ll likely require surgery to remove.
Other times, they get stuck in the duct or grow so large they get stuck in the gland.
The duct, a tube-like passageway, drains saliva into the mouth from the gland, which produces saliva.
The only way to remove the stones involved removing the gland itself, which required surgery.
Library of Medicine, the submandibular glands are one of three pairs of salivary glands.
Theyre located on each side of the jaw and transfer saliva into the mouth.
He used a nerve monitor during the procedure to prevent any facial nerve damage.
I was completely sedated with anesthesia, which took me about two hours to wake from.
(Thank goodness my mom was there to take notes!)
The next four days were nothing short of pure hell.
(Doing so would have been near impossible, though.
The tube was about two-inches deep in my neck and held in place with stitches.)
The hole from the tube closed within a week.
Now almost a year later, my two-inch scar is hardly noticeable.
Its as if I never had salivary stones.
Surprisingly, Im proud to show off my scar.
