Category: Health Problems
Dealing with problem in the Tongue
Tongue is an important part of the human body because it helps you swallow and chew. It also helps you in forming words and tastes the food you eat. At times, swelling or pain in the tongue can make it difficult for you to eat or speak. Some people also develop white or red spots on the tongue which can make it difficult for them to move their tongue.
Symptoms of problem
Here are some common symptoms of problems in the tongue:
Problems in moving the tongue
If you are facing problems in moving the tongue, it could be due to nerve damage. At times, problems in the tissues that attaches the floor of the mouth to the tongue could restrict the movement of the tongue. Problems in tongue movement can cause breastfeeding problems in babies, difficulty in moving food during swallowing and chewing and speech difficulties.
Unable to taste food
One of the side effects of infection in the tongue is the damage to taste buds. Infection in the tongue can damage the taste buds which are responsible for recognizing salty, sweet, bitter and sour taste.
Increase in the size of the tongue
An allergic reaction or side effects of drugs can lead to swelling of the tongue. The tongue can become wider in people who don’t wear dentures or in people who don’t have teeth. Some of other causes of swelling include myxedema, acromegaly, rhabhomyoma, down syndrome and amyloidosis.
Color Changes
The tongue can change its color when it becomes inflamed. The color of the tongue can change to white or red. This change of color will usually be the area of infection and can change from day to day.
Dealing with symptoms
One of the ways of dealing with the symptoms of the problems is eating a well-balanced. Also, you must take good care of your tongue and keep it clean. If the problem is caused by dentures, you must contact the dentist immediately. If the swelling is caused by allergies, you must avoid taking foods or drugs that can cause swelling. You must get medical help if the swelling makes breathing difficult.
Call your health care provider if the problem persist, When you visit your doctor, explain to them when you first noticed the problem, the symptoms of the problems, what makes your problem worse, the precautions you have taken and all other details that will help the doctor solve your problem.
Treatment
Your doctor could suggest blood test to find the cause of the problem in the tongue. At times, tongue biopsy may be needed to find the cause of the problem. Once the doctor finds out the cause of the problem, they will suggest treatment that will help in solving the problems. For example if the nerves are damaged, it could make it difficult for the person to speak or swallow. To deal with the problem, the doctor may not only give medications but also recommend therapy. For problems like mouth sores and ulcers, medication may be prescribed by the doctor. Anti-inflammatory medicines could be prescribed by doctor for geographic tongue and glossititis.
Common skin problems and rashes on babies
If your baby is suffering from rashes or any other skin problem, don’t be scared, as most problems will go away on their own in a few days. However, if the problem persist for more than a week, it is best that you get medical help. Here are some problems that your baby can suffer from:
Pimples
Babies can get pimples in nose, cheeks, and forehead. Acne can show up in the first few weeks of their life but they usually clear up in few months. Acne has nothing do with whether a child will suffer from acne when they grow up.
At times white spots may appear on the face of the baby. These spots are known as milia. They are also known as Epstein if they appear on the gums and the roof of the mouth. These are usually not dangerous and they disappear in a few weeks.
Blotchy Skin
During the first few days, the baby may get red blotches that contain pus. These blotches are known as erythema toxicum and they are usually harmless. Some babies may have it all over their body while others have these blotches in some parts. These blotches will usually go away within a week.
Some babies may suffer from harmless rashes known as pustular melanosis. These rashes can cause pus-filled pimples that usually break open to form dark spots. Most babies who suffer from these rashes are usually born with it. These rashes will disappear within a week but dark spots caused by rashes can take a few months to disappear.
During winters, some babies can get lacy or blotchy rashes on their torso and limbs. If you take steps to keep your room warmer, these rashes will disappear. Babies who are more than 6 months of age usually don’t suffer from this problem.
Rashes
Some babies get heat rashes when they are dressed warmly or when the weather is hot. These pink or red rashes are known as prickly heat and they are usually found in areas that are covered by clothes. These rashes can itch which can make your baby very uncomfortable. To avoid these rashes, you must dress you baby in clothes that are light and lose. Also, give your baby a cool bath at least once a day during summers to avoid rashes.
Wearing wet diapers for a few hours can cause soreness and red rashes on the genitals or bottom of the baby. The stool and urine on the diapers can irritate the skin of your baby. Babies can also suffer from diaper rashes when they in same position for several hours. Diaper rashes can also be due to infection caused due to yeast or bacteria. If your baby is suffering from diaper rashes, you must take extra care to protect your baby from infection causing bacteria. Also, make sure you change their diapers every few hours and keep them as dry as possible.
Some babies have rashes on their face near the mouth and the chin. These rashes could be caused by spitting up or drooling. You can get rid of these rashes by cleaning your babies face as often as possible especially after your baby spits up or eats.
Scaly Scalp
Many babies get have a crusty or scaly skin on the top of their head. This is a normal build-up of scales, oils and dead cells. Like other problems, you can treat this problem by using mineral oil or shampoo. This is not a serious problem, as the scaly skin will usually disappear in a few months.
