Burning tongue
introduction
Burning your tongue is an extremely uncomfortable feeling that can spread to the entire oral cavity. Often the tongue is in colour and Shape unchanged, tingles or burns. This symptom can persist for months.
The burning sensation that initially occurs in the morning can quickly spread to a sharp pain. In many cases, this is also impaired Salivation and the Taste sensation. The front 2/3 of the tongue is often affected in middle-aged women. There are many causes, and diagnosis is often made through the elimination process.
causes
Burning tongue can be caused by a number of different triggers. Finding out the cause is often difficult and requires precise diagnostics. Burning your tongue, for example, can be quite harmless sour drinks, coffee or Smoke be triggered. With underlying diseases such as Multiple sclerosis or Blood disorders however, the symptom is also common.
In women, too menopause behind it. Since a far-reaching hormonal change takes place here, the consequences can spread throughout the entire organism. The focus is still on drugs. Medicines like Antidepressants, Antihypertensive drugs or special disinfecting mouth rinsing solutions, for example Chlorhexamed® forte, often trigger this feeling.
A local cause of this symptom is one improper prosthesis, a protruding crown margin or Caries They can injure the mucous membranes or one allergic reaction causing a burning sensation in the tongue.
Also one allergy against cinnamon, nickel, tobacco or toothpaste can be behind it. Patients with a radiotherapy in the head and neck area should be aware that the salivary glands can be affected. This leads to reduced saliva formation and can trigger a burning sensation in the tongue.
Finally the psychological causes to be named. depressions can not only trigger psychological problems, but also cause physical impairment. The burning sensation is triggered by stress or fear of far worse illnesses.
Concomitant symptoms
Burning tongue is often preceded by itching or tingling. Sometimes the burning sensation can also turn into a strong pain stimulus. Often a disturbed taste sensation is also connected with it. Suddenly the food no longer tastes good and when food touches the tongue it starts to hurt. Sometimes the salivary glands are also affected. Patients complain of reduced saliva formation or even dry mouth, which is associated with burning tongue.
Read more on the topic: Pain in the tongue
If inflammation is the cause of the disease, swelling or red, bleeding spots may appear. A fungal infection manifests itself in white, wipeable coatings. If you experience abnormal sensations in your arms or legs in addition to the burning sensation, you should be careful. The family doctor should be consulted quickly in order to rule out diabetes mellitus. In rare cases, accompanying symptoms are completely absent, suggesting a psychological cause. Further research into the cause would then be advisable.
Read more on the topic: Burning at the tip of the tongue
diagnosis
Burning tongue can be caused by many different medical conditions. Depending on which doctor you visit at the beginning of treatment, the diagnosis therefore starts with different tests. However, the dentist is the specialist here. At the beginning there is always an anamnesis and a clinical inspection of the tongue in order to confirm or rule out common diseases.
At this point, the drugs that are taken regularly are also important, as these can also cause a burning sensation. This may be followed by blood tests and allergy tests. In the case of whitish, wipeable surfaces, a smear is taken to confirm fungal attack. If all examinations come to nothing, a neurological examination for psychological causes can be useful.
therapy
Therapy for this symptom should be tailored to the cause of the burning sensation. At a ill-fitting dentures Burning of the tongue can occur due to incorrect pressure or a fungal attack. A professional cleaning The prosthesis, possibly even the new production, are then pending. In the case of a fungal disease, there are some Antifungal drugs, also Antifungal drugs called, which can help quickly and curb the fungal attack. Fungal infection in the mouth sometimes referred to as Oral thrush.
In addition, is also a good one Oral hygiene always important as it contributes to a better mouthfeel. However, sometimes the symptoms cannot be completely cured. Patients then have to get used to the burning sensation and try to lead a normal life. Psychological therapy or relaxation exercises are then useful. The most important element that contributes to healing is the active cooperation of the patient. Without this, treatment becomes difficult.
Home remedies for burning tongue
In addition to medication, there are various home remedies to relieve the burning sensation of the tongue. If your mouth is dry, you should drink plenty of water or tea to ensure that the mucous membranes are constantly moistened. sage-, Linden blossom- or Mallow tea are particularly suitable. Of course, you can also rinse with these teas several times a day for an improvement.
Chewing gum and lozenges also have a moisturizing effect. If you use this frequently during the day, you should choose a sugar-free variant in order to keep the risk of tooth decay low. Also homeopathic remedies like Marum Verum or Mezereum are recommended against burning tongue. You should avoid coffee, acidic drinks or food, as well as spicy foods during the illness. These can even intensify the burning sensation. Also, stimulants such as smoking or alcohol should be avoided in order not to irritate the mucous membrane even more.
Duration
Unfortunately, it is not possible to give an exact length of time for the burning of the tongue. However, the course depends on the type of underlying disease. For example, if the cause is an incorrectly fitting prosthesis, the problem can be addressed and resolved quickly. The same applies to allergies or a fungal attack. However, if the cause cannot be found easily, burning tongue can become a tedious affair. Often only a reduction in symptoms is achieved, but no freedom from symptoms.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 is a vitamin that is necessary for the formation of new cells, especially blood cells, and the functioning of the nervous system. A severe deficiency only becomes noticeable after a while, but can then have far-reaching consequences.
The Blood formation is disturbed and calls one Anemia, also called anemia. This allows a Hunter glossitis occur. This is an inflammatory one Changes in the lining of the tonguewhich is associated with a remodeling of the lining of the tongue. The rebuilding gives the tongue a very smooth, red surface in which there are no more furrows. They are therefore also called Lacquer tongue.
In addition to false sensations, this disease is mainly associated with the symptom of the burning tongue. The recommended therapy is to combat the cause, in this case one Vitamin B12 intake. It is found in many animal foods, especially Meat and cheese are available, which is why vegan people often have problems with this disease. Since it cannot be given in tablet form, a balanced diet is extremely important
Burning tongue caused by the thyroid gland
An underactive thyroid can also trigger a burning sensation in the tongue. At a Hypothyroidism, also Hypothyroidism called, hormone production does not work properly and too few hormones are made. Initially, only mild symptoms appear, which only gradually worsen. Therefore, this disease is usually recognized late. The effects of the hormones are manifold. For example, the heart, the release of insulin and the central nervous system are controlled by it. Receptors are represented throughout the body. For this reason, a deficiency has an impact on the saliva composition and thus triggers a burning sensation in the tongue.
Burning tongue from stress
Stress, especially psychological stress, is a neurological symptom. Similar to fear or depression, it can ensure that you clench, clench or subconsciously your teeth crunches. Next TMJ discomfort or Muscle tension Burning tongue is also a common symptom. Psychological therapy can help in this case. Behavioral therapies in particular have proven their worth. Here you are instructed by a therapist to discard old behavior patterns in order to learn new ones. This form of therapy is therefore “helping people to help themselves”. You learn to guide yourself out of the problem and thus to alleviate the symptoms.
Burning tongue from smoking
In smokers, the constant contact of the mucous membrane with the toxic smoke gases can cause a Inflammatory response arise. nicotine and tar In this case, irritate the lining of the tongue and thus cause the symptom. In addition, smokers are also more likely to experience one Leukoplakia elevated. Leukoplakia is a white change that cannot be wiped off and often occurs on the lining of the cheek. Occasionally it also appears on the tongue. Besides the fact that this change doesn't look pretty and can cause a burning sensation or pain, it can change over time and into one Cancer pass over.
Burning tongue after eating
Various foods and stimulants can also irritate the tongue and cause a burning sensation. Strongly acidic foods or coffee in particular are among the triggers. Also Pineapple sometimes leads to fountain burns. A particular enzyme, bromelain, is responsible for this. The job of bromelain is to digest meat protein. For this reason, when the pineapple is consumed, the tongue is irritated by the enzyme and small inflamed areas can develop which, sometimes even bleed. The only way to prevent this is to eat ripe pineapple, as it contains less bromelain. The burning tongue will go away on its own after a while.
Burning tongue from fungal infection
The fungal infection of the oral cavity is also called in technical jargon Oral thrush or Candida infection. With this infection, a fungus can spread quickly in the mouth due to a weakened immune system. In addition to individual red, inflamed areas of the mucous membrane is a whitish coating recognizable. This covering can usually be stripped off with simple means. If you examine it under the microscope, you can quickly get confirmation of the visual diagnosis.
The sore spots can then spread the feeling of burning your tongue. One should consult a doctor to determine the cause of the fungal disease. Furthermore, he can also prescribe a drug that helps and accelerates healing.
Burning tongue from HIV
When infected with HIV, the immune system is severely impaired. It can happen that other pathogens have an easy time of it and spread faster than usual. Fungal infections in particular often affect HIV-infected people. Many people are confused as to whether this symptom appears in the acute phase of the infection or later. It can be said with a high degree of probability that this HIV symptom only appears later, when there is already a certain amount of previous damage to the immune system, since a fungal attack cannot normally spread as much in completely healthy people.
