In addition to the common symptoms of diseases, we can also feel strange, unusual. For example, a numb tip of the tongue. What can such a state say? How does it manifest itself? Why is the tip of the tongue numb? How dangerous can such a symptom be? What to do if it is found? We will answer these and other important questions on the topic in the course of the article.
What's going on?
Why does the tip of the tongue go numb? In the medical world, by the way, this condition is called one of the varieties of paresthesia. Violation of the sensitivity of any part of the body. Most often, this condition is just accompanied by a feeling of numbness in a given location or tingling, crawling.
How can you feel?
How do patients usually describe this condition? By the way, "numbness" is described by them quite individually. Someone notes only a loss of sensitivity in the area of \u200b\u200bthe tip of the tongue. Someone - a slight discomfort, accompanied by a feeling"freezing" of the body.
Depending on the cause of the condition, the patient may completely stop feeling the tongue. To this disturbing sensation is added a feeling of tingling, burning in the organ itself. The discomfort can also spread to other areas of the oral mucosa.
Since the symptom is incomprehensible and frightening, a person may additionally suffer from anxiety, fear, and be nervously excited. There may be a phobia that he has an incurable disease.
Cause groups
Tip of tongue numb? The reasons can be divided into several groups:
- Common.
- Not to be feared.
- Pathological.
- Dangerous.
Let's get acquainted with each of the groups of reasons separately.
Common causes of manifestation
If you have a numb tip of the tongue, the reasons can be very different, as this is a universal symptom. The most common are:
- Smoking. The receptors that are on the tongue are extremely sensitive to both strong and low-quality tobacco. In response to its exposure, the smoker may experience an unpleasant numbness for a certain time.
- Temperature fluctuations. Have you just eaten cold ice cream, and then drank a mug of scalding tea? There may be a feeling that the tip of the tongue seems to be numb. Next, you can feel goosebumps running through him.
- Reaction to drugs. If you are taking strongmedications, and especially in the case of a long course of therapy, a numb tip of the tongue will be one of the side effects. The fact is that many drugs damage sensitive nerve endings. The numbness of the tongue here will be a consequence of this.
- Allergy. Have you tried a new gum, toothpaste, balm or mouthwash? This will be the reason. The tip of the tongue was numb as a result of an allergic reaction to the new composition. Especially if there are a lot of minty, menthol components.
- Anemia. Numbness of the tongue, or just the tip, is a common sign that your body is deficient in B vitamins and/or iron.
- Diseases of the esophagus. Numbness of the tongue for a short period provokes reflux - a phenomenon when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
- Nervous disorders. Numb tip of tongue? The reason may be depression, prolonged stress, and even sleep disturbances. In these conditions, the sensitivity of certain parts of the body is often reduced.
- Climax. The reason here is the hormonal changes that shake the body. Their consequence can be both an increase in the sensitivity of nerve endings and numbness of the mucous membranes.
- Pregnancy. Functional disorders of the body during gestation often provoke strange, unusual symptoms. For example, against the background of jumps in blood pressure, many expectant mothers in the last trimester of pregnancy also begin to go numb at the tip of the tongue.
Non-dangerous reasons
Numbness may be the result ofin general, reasons that are not dangerous to your he alth:
- You burned yourself with too hot food. Here, along with numbness, there will be a red tip of the tongue, and even unpleasant, painful sensations in the mouth.
- You were at the dentist's. During a deep cleaning operation to remove a tooth, the doctor accidentally damaged a nerve. The tongue may react to this with a temporary loss of sensation. After a while, she will return on her own.
- Also, in the dentist's office, the doctor can use special painkiller sprays. They cause the effect of freezing - you feel numbness in a certain area of the body. If such a solution accidentally gets on the tip of the tongue, respectively, you will stop feeling it too. This will pass as the medication wears off.
- Mechanical damage to the tongue. If you accidentally bite on its tip, along with pain, you may also feel short-term numbness. It is not dangerous if you take proper care of the wound - do rinses with mouth disinfectant solutions.
- Incorrect bite. Also a common cause of numbness of the tongue. Moreover, he pursues a patient with such a problem periodically.
- Incorrect fitting of dentures. If there are metals in the prostheses, then galvanic currents can pass between these elements, which also reduce the sensitivity of the tongue.
- Taking oral pain medication. Like dental products, many of them have a "freezing" effect. Therefore, hitting the tip of the tongue, it can also cause numbness,"freeze". For example, medicines that relieve coughs, help to remove phlegm.
Allergy?
The red tip of the tongue and its subsequent numbness can also be signs of an allergic reaction. There are quite a few reasons that cause the latter:
- Individual components of foods or drinks.
- Medication taking.
- Household items.
- Wool, saliva, pet urine.
- Toothpaste, chewing gum or other oral hygiene products, etc.
Accordingly, the symptom goes away on its own - with the elimination of the effect of the allergen on your body. Of course, you need to see a doctor - to determine the irritating substance, prescribe medications that stimulate your condition.
Serious reasons
If you see that the tip of the tongue is white, feel its numbness and other incomprehensible, disturbing symptoms, this is a reason for urgent medical attention. And caution in this case will not be superfluous at all. After all, such a seemingly harmless manifestation, like numbness of the tongue or some part of it, can speak of the following serious diseases:
- Pathologies affecting the cervical spine.
- Thyroid disease.
- Diseases of the nervous system.
- Problems with the functioning of the digestive tract.
- A number of diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- Diabetes mellitus.
Anxiety symptom
If the tongue hurts at the tip, then in most cases this indicates its mechanical damage - you accidentally bit the organ. Either they ate, drank a too scalding product or drink. But already the numbness of the tongue without any reason may indicate a serious illness. So, this is one of the signs of an impending stroke or heart attack. Therefore, this manifestation is dangerous to ignore.
Complex of symptoms
If numbness of the tongue is accompanied by a number of other characteristic symptoms, this may indicate the following diseases:
- The defeat of the cardiovascular system. Additionally, there is shortness of breath, chest pain, heart rhythm disturbance.
- Pathologies of the brain. In addition, speech impairment is noted. Can talk about both severe injury and stroke.
- Multiple sclerosis. Numbness can "walk" in many parts of the body, including stopping at the tongue.
- Diabetes. The numbness here is caused by dry mucous membranes and diabetic neuropathy.
- Lyme disease. Caused by a tick bite, it is characterized by a general disorder of nerve conduction, which can also be felt as numbness.
- Hypothyroidism. A lack of thyroid hormones can also manifest itself as numbness, such as part of the tongue.
- Tumours of the spinal cord and brain. Numbness can be felt from crushing the neoplasm of the nerve endings that innervate this organ.
- Severe poisoning. For example, alcoholdrinks, heavy metals, highly toxic food, or overdose of drugs.
Call an ambulance
You need to call an ambulance if the numbness of the tongue is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Turnout or loss of consciousness.
- Distorted perception of the outside world, the appearance of hallucinations.
- Violation of sphincter activity.
- Incoherent speech or inability to speak.
- Feeling weak or numb on only one side of the body.
- Spontaneous, uncontrolled actions and movements.
- Impaired swallowing and breathing.
What needs to be done?
As with every incomprehensible condition and sensation in the body, the surest way to solve the problem is to contact a medical institution. Go to your therapist. If the doctor has reason to suspect you have a serious disorder or illness, he will refer you for a comprehensive diagnosis. Testing for sensitivity to various allergens will also be scheduled.
Be prepared to answer the following questions your doctor may ask you:
- What medications have you taken lately? At what dosage? What is the duration of treatment? Have you previously found intolerance to them?
- What illnesses have you had this year?
- What is your diet like?
- What hygiene products do youuse for oral care?
- What is your daily routine?
Depending on the answers to these questions, additional procedures may be prescribed: magnetic resonance imaging of both the cervical spine and parts of the brain.
Based on the results of diagnostic studies, the therapist will redirect you to narrower specialists: dentist, allergist, endocrinologist, neurologist, etc.
Folk remedies for a problem
If the tip of the tongue is numb, what should I do? The most correct decision is to contact a medical specialist. As you can see, there are many reasons for this condition, both completely harmless and pathological. Only a doctor can correctly determine what caused this unusual sensation in you.
If a visit to the doctor confirmed that you have no he alth problems, but the numbness of the tongue still continues to bother you, pay attention to these popular recipes:
- Dilute the solution: in a glass of water at room temperature - 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 3 drops of iodine.
- Prepare the infusion: 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of sage, medicinal chamomile or oak bark with boiling water. Let the mass brew, then carefully strain it.
- 1 teaspoon of St. John's wort and 1 teaspoon of celandine dilute with one glass of boiling water. Let the solution steep for about half an hour, then strain it.
Use the suggested means to rinse the mouth area at least 2-3 times a day. With their periodic use, unpleasantsensations in the tongue will stop.
Single numbness of the tongue, of course, can cause anxiety, discomfort, but, in fact, is not a serious symptom. Perhaps this is a reaction to a mint product, a refreshing toothpaste, tobacco, a drink that is too hot or cold. But if the symptom constantly torments you, is accompanied by other serious manifestations (for example, a sore on the tip of the tongue), pain, deterioration in well-being, you need to make an urgent visit to the doctor. Serious pathologies can be hidden behind such a phenomenon.
