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.

Category: Health Problems, Tongue Problem