5. Increased Salivation: Noma’s Puzzling Paradox
Most symptoms of Noma are a brutal assault on the body, but increased salivation stands as an odd, almost paradoxical, symptom. It almost sounds benign, maybe even relieving, in the grand scheme of Noma’s horrors. But don’t be fooled. Like the other symptoms, it packs a punch, but in a much more deceptive manner.
You’d think a disease that wreaks such havoc in the oral cavity would dry it out. Strangely enough, the opposite happens. Salivation increases, leading to drooling, another symptom that chips away at one’s dignity. While it seems counterintuitive, the explanation is anything but simple. The body increases saliva production in a desperate attempt to clean and heal the mouth, but what it ends up doing is creating a more conducive environment for bacterial growth.
Here’s the kicker—this increased salivation does not assist in eating or speaking; rather, it complicates these basic functions. Imagine trying to speak when your mouth is constantly filling with saliva. Or try to picture consuming food when you’re already drooling. It’s a frustrating, debilitating symptom that makes basic activities a struggle.
Why is this fascinating? Because it demonstrates the body’s sometimes misguided attempts at self-repair. In trying to protect itself, the body sometimes does more harm than good. And in the case of Noma, where the stakes are extraordinarily high, such physiological misfires can be catastrophic. (5)
