Swelling of the tongue: causes and treatment
Some doctors believe that many diseases can be identified by the appearance and condition of the tongue. And this is indeed so, since any changes associated with its color and structure are a symptom, and not an independent disease. therefore with swelling of the tongue, special attention is paid to identifying the cause of the appearance of such a sign and treating the underlying pathology.
Content
Causes of swelling of the tongue
There are many prerequisites for swelling of the tongue. Some of them lead to swelling in the mouth constantly, others rarely. The most common explanation why the tongue is swollen is the following factors:
- injuries
- allergic reactions;
- burns;
- infectious diseases;
- intoxication;
- oncology;
- hormonal disorders;
- congenital diseases.
It is worth considering each factor because of which the tongue could swell, because what needs to be done in each individual situation depends on the reason for its occurrence.
Injuries
Various damage to the tongue at home is not uncommon. Everyone at least once in his life bit him while chewing food or burned him with a hot drink. Usually, the consequences of injuring an organ of taste are limited to a small damage to its mucous membrane, swelling and unpleasant sensations, lasting for several days.
The reason why the tongue was swollen on the one hand could be bacteria that penetrated its internal tissues through damage to the surface. The tumor interferes with food intake, but mild infectious inflammation is quickly treated.
Injuries include piercing. After it, the tongue almost always becomes inflamed and increases in size. Therefore, a good master first puts on a looser decoration so that a person does not have a feeling of pain when the soft tissues of the organ of taste swell.
Allergy
Most often, allergies are complaining that the tongue is swollen. A similar reaction manifests itself in the most powerful allergens: citrus fruits, honey, some medications, nuts.
With an allergic reaction, the tongue increases evenly. Edema can spread to the airways and throat. Therefore, allergy sufferers always carry medicines with them that quickly relieve inflammation and other allergy consequences - antihistamines.
Burn
Often burns of excessively hot drinks lead to swelling of the tongue. Less common with such a symptom after eating spicy food.
Usually, the burnt tongue swells and slightly hurts for 2-3 days. At first, a burning sensation is possible, which can be easily removed with cold drinks.
Infection
Infections of the oral cavity are usually not accompanied by swelling of the tongue. If it increased, then it was damaged. This suggests that he was immediately affected by two factors: infection and trauma.
The cause of swelling of the tongue can be:
- candidiasis;
- syphilis;
- herpes.
These diseases are accompanied by a number of other symptoms that are more pronounced than swelling of the tongue, including plaque, burning sensation, itching, rash. Therefore, it is difficult to confuse an infectious lesion with other diseases.
In the photo, oral candidiasis
In the photo herpes
Body intoxication
The prerequisites for edema of the tongue due to intoxication of the body are comparable to those characteristic of allergic reactions. Insect bites or taking certain medications lead to inflammation of the tongue.
With intoxication of the body, swelling of the tongue increases evenly.It can reach a huge size and completely block the throat, so treatment should be started as soon as possible.
Oncology
The reason why the tongue swelled up could be an oncological disease of the oral cavity. Inflammation of the tongue may also be a reaction to cancers in other organs.
It will not be possible to determine the presence of oncological pathology by swelling of the tongue. Usually, such a symptom occurs much less often than others, by which a similar disease is diagnosed.
In the photo, the initial stage of cancer of the tongue
Hormonal disorders
Violations of the thyroid gland also lead to an increase in the tongue. Usually it swells with hypothyroidism, a prolonged lack of certain hormones. With such diseases, the entire pharynx often swells, which interferes with normal breathing, talking and eating.
At night, the symptoms are brighter and can lead to apnea - complete blockage of the respiratory tract and respiratory arrest. Therefore, when the tongue swells greatly, the patient is sent to a hospital so that he is always under the supervision of specialists.
Congenital diseases
Swelling of the tongue is observed in people with Down syndrome. This symptom is not serious or dangerous. With excessive edema, treatment is carried out aimed at reducing inflammation.
Possible consequences of edema
Swollen tongue can grow to large sizes and block the airways. If not only the tongue, but also the soft tissues of the pharynx have increased, the likelihood of suffocation increases several times. This condition is especially dangerous at night. During sleep, a person does not control the body, and during awakening, he may not even understand what is happening.
Apnea is possible if the tongue is swollen for one of the following reasons:
- hormonal disorder;
- allergic reaction;
- intoxication of the body.
In the first case, the tongue swells gradually. A person quickly notices that it becomes more difficult for him to breathe, and usually immediately consults a doctor. For allergies and intoxication, you need to act immediately. At home, you can only alleviate the condition, completely get rid of edema on your own will not work.
What to do if the tongue swells
If your tongue is swollen on one side only, you should not worry. Usually this symptom occurs with injuries. The main task in this case is to prevent infection.
If the tongue is swollen on both sides, you need to contact a specialist. If the tongue is swollen and rapidly increasing in size, you should immediately call an ambulance. When calling, be sure to report breathing problems, otherwise the ambulance will arrive in order of priority.
For allergies, you need to take an antihistamine or use an inhaler. You need to try to find help from the outside. It should be explained to others why the tongue is swelling so that they know what to do in an emergency.
Usually people with severe allergies always carry anti-shock injections with them. These are potent drugs that are introduced into the body only in the most extreme case. If such an allergic reaction occurs, it is necessary to tell others where the syringe is and show where exactly you need to do the injection.
If the tongue swells due to anaphylactic shock due to allergies or intoxication, an adrenaline or other similar drug should be injected into the upper third of the shoulder. You need to be calm, because due to panic, blood pressure rises, which leads to faster swelling.
The doctor must treat the underlying disease leading to swelling of the tongue and eliminate the consequences of such symptoms.
The tongue can swell and hurt both because of a minor injury, and because of a serious pathology of a general nature. In some situations, this symptom can be neglected. However, in most cases, it is worth visiting a specialist to identify the cause of swelling of the tongue and prescribe the correct treatment.
