From: Zardoz ®	10/11/2001 16:18:37
Subject: re: BODILY NOISES & FLUIDS FAQ	post id: 491239
Mucous & nasal passage & Salivary gland Mucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the body. "Mucus" without an "o" is the Latin noun for "a slimy semifluid discharge from the nose." "Mucous" with an "o" is the corresponding adjective. Nasal passage: The walls of the nasal passages are coated with respiratory mucous membranes which contain innumerable tiny hair-like cells that act to move waves of mucus toward the throat. Dust, bacteria, and other particles inhaled from the air are trapped by the mucus in the nose, carried back, swallowed and dropped into the gastric juices to nullify any potential harm they might do. The organs of smell are made up of patches of tissue (the olfactory membranes) about the size of a postage stamp and located in a pair of clefts just under the bridge of the nose. Most air breathed in normally flows through the nose but only a small part reaches the olfactory clefts, enough to get a response to an odor. When a person sniffs to detect a smell, air moves faster through the nose, increasing the flow to the olfactory clefts and carrying more odor to these sensory organs. Salivary gland: One of the glands in the mouth that produce saliva. There are 3 major salivary glands. They are the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. Each of these glands is paired; there is one parotid gland on each side of the head, etc. The parotid glands are located in front of the ears; the submandibular glands are under the mandible (the lower jaw); and the sublingual glands are under the tongue. Most of the mucosal surfaces within the mouth also contain many minor mucus-secreting salivary glands. Abnormal sublingual and submandibular glands can be felt when the floor of the mouth is palpated (felt) bimanually (with two hands). Enlargement of the parotid gland can occur in front of the ear or overlying the mandible. The salivary glands can be affected in various diseases. For example, in Sjogren syndrome the salivary glands are infiltrated with lymphocytes and the salivary gland ducts are damaged. The glands atrophy (waste away) so there is less saliva, resulting in extreme dryness of the mouth and lips (xerostomia) that inhibits chewing and swallowing and promotes tooth decay and formation of the calculi (stones) in the salivary ducts. In mumps, there is characteristically painful swelling of the salivary glands, most commonly the parotid glands. The mumps virus enters through the mouth and may be found in saliva for days before the salivary glands swell and for the duration of glandular enlargement. Pain on chewing or swallowing, especially acidic liquids such as lemon juice, is the earliest symptom of parotid gland involvement. The parotid (and any other swollen salivary glands) are typically very tender. There is usually marked swelling over both parotid glands giving the well-known chipmunk appearance. Tumors can arise in the salivary glands, most commonly occur in the parotid glands followed by the submandibular and minor glands and, least often, sublingual glands. About three-quarters of salivary tumors are benign slow-growing tumors. They are typically painless nodules beneath normal skin or the mucosal lining of the mouth. The most common is the mixed salivary gland tumor (a benign pleomorphic adenoma). It occurs predominantly in women over 40. Malignancies can occur within such tumors., resulting in carcinoma. The treatment is surgery. Phlegm Phlegm is an accumulation of mucus that you cough up from the lungs. The mucus is secreted within the lungs to keep things moist. It is also used as a 'conveyor belt' to trap dirt particles. Cell beneath the mucus layer (ciliated cells) move it along the connecting passageways of the lungs, ultimately into the trachea - your windpipe. Each day you unknowingly swallow most of this mucus, thus ridding your lungs of the dirt particles. The digestive system doesn't seem to mind, however. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=14387 Salivary gland http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=10681 Mucous http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9072 Nasal passage http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/mar97/858498689.An.r.html Phlegm