It hurts under the tongue: what to do
The tongue is an important muscular organ in the human body that performs many different functions. It participates in pushing food, sucking, is the organ of speech, touch, determination of temperature and taste. Usually, a person does not think at all about the health of the tongue, remembering it only if unpleasant sensations appear in the oral cavity. In cases where it hurts under the tongue, you should seek help from an otolaryngologist or dentist.
Causes of pain under the tongue
When a person has a pain under the tongue at its base, it interferes with talking and eating, which significantly impairs the quality of life. There are several diseases that are accompanied by discomfort in this area:
- Glossalgia - manifested by a burning sensation, tingling and soreness in the tongue, tiredness of the tongue after speaking, difficulty in moving it, sometimes pain, which can also spread to the lips, gums, cheeks and even outside the mouth. This problem is usually faced by women over 30 years old. It can occur with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, dysfunctions of the endocrine system, neurogenic disorders, or after mental trauma;
- Allergies - An allergic reaction to foods or medications often causes pain under the tongue. This usually manifests itself in the form of stomatitis or fungal diseases, and the use of spicy food and alcohol aggravates the pain. The elimination of drugs or foods that caused the reaction leads to the disappearance of allergy symptoms;
- Oral abscess is an organic accumulation of pus in tissues that occurs during inflammation. In the maxillofacial area, an abscess usually appears as a result of a complicated dental disease. It can also be caused by boils, tonsillitis, damage to the skin or mucous membrane of the oral cavity, infection with a syringe during anesthesia, etc. The purulent process is accompanied not only by pain in the oral cavity, including under the tongue, but also by a general deterioration in the condition, high fever, impaired appetite and sleep;
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - can provoke rather severe pain at the root of the tongue, which bothers the patient for a long time;
- Avitaminosis - in this condition, patients often tingle and hurt under the tongue, at its base;
- Phlegmon - like an abscess, is a purulent inflammation of adipose tissue. Causes severe sharp pain at the base of the tongue, which interferes with closing the mouth, unpleasant odor and increased salivation (saliva drips from the mouth). At the same time, the tongue swells, speech deteriorates and breathing becomes difficult. Like an abscess, it is a very dangerous condition that requires immediate medical attention.
The bridle under the tongue hurts
The frenum of the tongue is the part of the lining of the mouth that connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Just like other functional parts of the human body, the bridle can hurt, making it difficult to move the tongue. As a rule, the frenum under the tongue hurts as a result of microtraumas, which can appear for various reasons, including due to:
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- Stomatitis;
- Inflammation of the gums;
- Using the wrong toothpaste;
- Internal inflammation;
- Long screaming or singing;
- Reactions to medications.
It is also possible that the frenum under the tongue hurts due to its size. If it is short, the process of chewing food becomes more difficult and unpleasant sensations appear. The solution to this problem is to cut it. This simple and painless procedure is usually done in early childhood, but it can also be done in adulthood.
How to relieve pain
You can independently get rid of pain under the tongue by rinsing with an antiseptic solution or soda and salt. Another way is to hold the sea buckthorn oil under your tongue. Repeating these procedures several times throughout the day should ease the pain or eliminate it entirely.
If these measures do not help or the pain is too strong, then it is better not to self-medicate and seek help from a dentist, otolaryngologist or therapist. In advanced cases of the disease, which lead to the fact that it hurts under the tongue, can cause difficulties in eating, incorrect pronunciation, impaired facial aesthetics and breathing difficulties. Sometimes only timely seeking medical help can get rid of unpleasant consequences.
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