Burn tongue mucous: thermal, boiling water, hot, chemical, alcohol

How often does such a domestic trauma occur as a tongue burn? In fact, this is a very common injury, which, however, most people try to treat at home without seeking medical help. Can this be done, and in what cases is the doctor's help necessary? And what can a person do on their own to ease their condition when a tongue is burned?

[1], [2]

Epidemiology

Among all patients who applied for medical care for a tongue burn, 70% are children under 10 years old, and only up to 30% are adult contingents. Such statistics are due, above all, to the children's reflex to taste everything, as well as the negligent attitude of adults to the security measures in the apartment in which the children are.

Adults often receive tongue burns due to inattention.

[3], [4], [5], [6],

Causes of the burn of tongue

Burning the tongue can result in an incorrect evaluation of the temperature of the food, drinks, and also the temperature of the steam (for example, with inhalation).

Chemical burns of the tongue are a consequence of accidental (as a rule) penetration into the mouth of chemically aggressive liquids - acids or alkalis.

Risk factors

Risk factors in this case are as follows:

• hurry during meals, which does not allow you to check the temperature of the dish beforehand;
• inattention during cooking and eating;
• eating food while watching TV or watching a computer monitor.

Medicine defines four types of burns that can be applied to both burns of the tongue:

• Thermal burns are caused by the ingress of too hot foods, drinks, or hot objects into the tongue.
• A chemical burn of a tongue is a consequence of the chemical agent entering into the mouth cavity, most often acid or alkali.
• An electric burn of the tongue is associated with the contact of the mucous electric current.
• Radiation burn of the tongue is considered the most rare: it is associated with direct exposure to radiation mucosal radiation.

[7], [8], [9], [10]

Pathogenesis

In addition to the tongue, while receiving a burn, another part of the oral cavity may also be affected - the gum or throat. The degree of burn damage depends on the temperature of the attacking agent, on the duration of its contact with the mucous membrane, or (if the chemical burns) on the concentration of the chemical aggressive substance.

In severe cases, ulcers and erosion on the mucous tissues, up to the necrosis of tissues and perforation.

If we consider a chemical burn of the tongue, then most often such a trauma is associated with the ingestion of caustic soda, concentrates of sulfuric, hydrochloric, acetic acid into the oral cavity. In more rare cases, burns caused by phenol, iodine tincture, lysol, and sulemine are found.

[11], [12], [13]

Symptoms of the burn of tongue

Like other burns, the burn of the tongue is divided by severity into 4 degrees.

1. At the first degree there is swelling and reddening of the mucous tongue. As a rule, this degree does not need special treatment: such a burn passes without a trace on its own.
2. At the second degree, bubbles with liquid contents appear on the surface of the tongue. Such a burn of the tongue already requires medical intervention.
3. At the third degree in the place of a burn there are ulcers and areas of necrosis of tissues. This condition requires urgent medical attention and anesthesia.
4. At the fourth degree of a burn, all soft tissues with complete or partial charring are affected. The possibility of preserving the organ in this case is not considered.

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First signs

The first signs of a burn of a tongue may differ - both in appearance and sensation.

Most often the tongue can look red and swollen, it can appear with bubbles with liquid contents, or ulcers and pale areas of the mucosa. Such signs depend on the degree of burn damage.

In especially severe cases, the layers of tissues darken, and the injured person experiences numbness or sharp soreness and burning sensation.

If the swelling and redness increase, then small papillae on the surface of the tongue can be smoothed, and the surface itself will become glossy. Since the tongue papillae are responsible for the taste sensations, they can temporarily change or disappear. The easier the degree of burn damage, the faster the taste buds will be restored.

In addition, there may be such symptoms:

• burning tongue tip;
• the appearance of an unpleasant aftertaste (the taste of blood, metal, bitterness);
• dry mouth;
• increased salivation.

[15]

Thermal burn of tongue

A thermal burn can be obtained by exposure to heat. The severity of the injury can be different: the lightest degree of severity with a thermal burn of the tongue is characterized by redness and a slight swelling of its surface or tip. The more severe cases are accompanied by deformation and coagulation of the mucous tissues, and in the place of the burn remain bubbles with liquid contents, or erosion.

About thermal burns can be said if the tongue is damaged by hot liquid, hot food, steam, fire or hot objects.

Burning tongue with hot tea

Burning tongue with boiling water or other hot liquid - in particular, tea - refers to thermal injuries of the tongue. Mucous tissues of the tongue and oral cavity are very sensitive to the temperatures, and when exposed to hot fluid, thermal irritation of the tissues occurs, and when they get into the mouth of boiling water - necrosis and detachment of superficial mucous layers.

If contact with the hot liquid was not long, the victim will feel numbness, pain and burning sensation in the tongue, which usually take place after 1-3 days. With a more serious injury, there is a lot of pain, the tongue swells, it becomes difficult to move and even more so to speak. Sometimes swallowing and even breathing can be difficult. In such a situation, urgent medical attention must be compulsory.

[16]

Chemical burn of tongue

Chemical burn is the result of the contact of chemicals with chemicals on the surface of the tongue. First, the chemical trauma is dangerous because the substance continues to destroy the mucous tissues after they hit them until it is washed away with water or neutralized by another substance.

A chemical can enter the oral cavity accidentally, or intentionally, for self-poisoning and / or suicide.

Chemical damage can be acidic or alkaline, depending on the nature of the attacker.

A tongue burn with acid is considered a safer damage, unlike a burn with alkali. The point is that acid, in contact with mucous tissues, contributes to the formation of a dense crust - a scull that does not allow the chemical substance to penetrate into deeper layers of tissues. Alkaline concentrate causes wet tissue necrosis - such damage is always deep and difficult to treat.

[17], [18], [19], [20]

Burning tongue with alcohol

Ethyl alcohol is a chemically active agent, and therefore a burn of the tongue with alcohol can be safely attributed to the category of chemical burns. Burns with alcohol are not all and not always: most often they are owners of sensitive skin.

In most cases, a burn is obtained with alcohol with the occasional use of this liquid. The severity of damage is estimated by the concentration of alcohol. The victim may feel pain in the tongue, mouth and esophagus (if alcohol was swallowed). Among the additional symptoms, one can distinguish a violation of swallowing, a change or loss of taste, a state of general weakness and dizziness.

Burns of the tongue with alcohol almost always heal independently, without medical intervention. However, if there is difficulty in swallowing, breathing, if the patient has other suspicious symptoms, then the doctor's consultation should be immediate.

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Burn under the tongue

The burn of the mucous membrane under the tongue is often accompanied by the development of the inflammatory process, since this part of the oral cavity is very vulnerable: it is here that the sublingual salivary glands are located.

Burns can be accompanied by the appearance of painful swelling. Mucous in this place blushes, thickens, becomes glossy.

If there was a burn under the tongue, it is better to consult a doctor, as a result of which the function of the salivary glands may be disturbed. And this, in turn, can lead to digestive disorders, dry mouth and other troubles.

[22], [23]

Language burn in the child

The burn of the tongue and mouth after contact with the mucous membrane of hot food or drinks is most often given to children. This happens, first of all, through negligence and inattention, and in young children - because of ignorance.

Of course, the mucous tissues of the child are more tender and more vulnerable than the adult. And even a small exposure to high fever can lead to redness, irritation and burning of the mucosa. The child becomes whimsical and whiny, complains of soreness in the oral cavity.

This situation requires urgent consultation of the pediatrician. Sometimes parents can take for a burn manifestations of aphthous or herpetic stomatitis, scarlet fever or symptoms of banal beriberi. For this and for many other reasons, a doctor's consultation should be mandatory, regardless of the age of the child.

Complications and consequences

If you do not help on time, or do not continue treatment and care for the injured language, then the infection can enter the wound, which will lead to the development of the inflammatory process (the inflammatory process in the language is glossitis).

A severe burn of the tongue can cause destruction of the taste buds, which subsequently leads to loss of taste.

A tongue burn often results in loss of appetite or inability to consume food. This, in turn, causes the victim to become emaciated, digestive disorders, irritability and insomnia.

Recovering the taste after a tongue burn

When a tongue burns, a loss of taste sensitivity often occurs, due to traumatic damage to the taste buds. This phenomenon in most cases is temporary and self-eliminated depending on the degree of burn:

• with a superficial burn of the tongue - within 1-3 days;
• with a deeper lesion - within 1-2 weeks.

When the necrosis areas appear on the surface of the tongue, recovery can take significantly longer, and in severe cases, taste sensitivity disappears altogether. However, such cases are still very rare.

[24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29]

Diagnostics of the burn of tongue

As a rule, in all cases the diagnosis of a language burn is established on the basis of a survey and examination of the victim. No further research is required.

The analysis of blood or urinary fluid may be required only with extensive burn lesions in order to determine the presence of burn intoxication.

Other types of studies can be used with combined burns, or to exclude the impact of the damaging factor in the respiratory system or the digestive tract. It can be X-ray examination, fibrogastroscopy, etc.

Differential diagnosis is carried out between thermal, chemical and other variants of tongue burns. Such diagnostics are important in cases when the patient can not pinpoint the cause of the burn (this is often the case with chemical lesions).

[30], [31], [32]

Treatment of the burn of tongue

In the overwhelming majority of cases, competent and timely first aid can simultaneously be the main part of treatment. For example, if you immediately rinse the oral cavity with clean, icy water when burning a first-degree tongue, then further treatment may not be necessary. The only exception is a short-term diet:

• until the mucosa is completely restored, hot liquids should not be drunk and hot foods taken;
• you can not drink acidic liquids and use sour dishes.

The fact is that hot and sour food irritates the damaged mucous tissues and slows their recovery.

If the burn is more severe, you may need the help of a doctor.

The doctor will assess the depth of the burn of the tongue and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

What should I do if my tongue is burned?

If the tongue is burned, help should be given as soon as possible. Actions and emergency measures are selected based on the cause of the burn injury.

• The first action to be taken when a tongue is burned is to rinse the mouth thoroughly with cool water.
• If the tongue burn is significant, then additionally it is necessary to treat the mouth with a disinfectant solution - for example, furatsilinom, a weak solution of manganese-acid potassium.
• If the tongue burn was caused by a chemical fluid, then water flushing is not enough:
  • the wound from the alkaline burn is washed with a weak solution of citric acid or diluted vinegar (not with essence);
  • The wound from the acid burn is washed with a solution of baking soda.

If the victim has received, in addition to a tongue burn, a burn of the esophagus or stomach, then seeking medical help should be immediate.

• If the tongue burn is accompanied by severe pain, then the person should be given any analgesic - for example, analgin, ibuprofen, ketanol.

Medications

To speed up the healing of the burn of the tongue, you can apply such medications:

	Dosing and Administration	Side effects	special instructions
Olazole Aerosol	The drug is sprayed on the affected surface of the mucosa from 1 to 4 times a day, every day, or every other day.	Rarely there is nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, pain in the head.	Olazole can not be used during pregnancy.
Hepilor Aerosol	Spray into the oral cavity 4 times a day, but not more than 5 days in a row.	Perhaps a temporary change in taste, cough, dryness in the mouth, a transient discoloration of the mucosa.	Hepilor is not used to treat children under 6 years old.
Chlorophyllipt spray	Spray on the surface of the tongue 3-4 times a day, for 3-4 days.	Sometimes treatment can be accompanied by allergies, irritation of the oral mucosa, nausea.	Chlorophyllipt can enhance the action of other local antiseptics.
Miramistine solution	They are used as lotions three times a day.	Rarely there is a brief burning sensation.	Miramistin can be used during pregnancy.
Chlorhexidine solution	Apply 0.05% or 0.1% solution up to 3 times a day, in the form of rinses or irrigation.	Rarely, dry mucous membranes, rashes, temporary discoloration of tooth enamel, temporary change in taste.	The drug should not be used in combination with other antiseptic agents.

Physiotherapeutic treatment

Physiotherapy for a tongue burn is rarely used and only under the supervision of a doctor. Not all procedures are authorized for carrying out with this type of injury, and some of them may even complicate the condition of the victim.

Only the following physiotherapy methods can benefit:

• UV irradiation is carried out through a tube with an oblique cut. The patient opens his mouth wide, the tongue is pressed against the bottom of the oral cavity. Tubus UFO goes to the burned place. If there are several such areas, then irradiation is carried out sequentially. The course of therapy UFO - from 10 to 12 procedures.
• UHF is the use of an alternating electric field of ultrahigh frequency (40 MHz). The maximum exposure time is 8-10 minutes. The duration of the course of UHF therapy is determined by the doctor.

Alternative treatment

A tongue burn is a trauma that is most often received at home - for example, by eating food, or under other circumstances. No one from such damages, as they say, is immune. However, not always in the home medicine cabinet there are anti-burn agents to provide first aid to the victim. How to be? It does not matter: people's, time-tested funds can come to their aid.

• First, it is very important immediately after getting a burn, rinse the tongue and mouth with a lot of running cool water. If there is no cold water, you can use other non-acidic drinks from the refrigerator - for example, milk.
• Secondly, one of the effective ways to relieve the condition when a tongue is burned is sprinkling it with sugar, or applying a lotion - a tissue wipe moistened in sugar syrup.
• Healing and antiseptic effect can be achieved by smearing the burnt surface of the tongue with honey with the addition of a small amount of baking soda. This method is not suitable if the burn is obtained from the influence of an aggressive alkaline liquid.
• A wonderful healing effect is obtained from the lubrication of the mucous membrane of sea buckthorn oil.

Herbal Treatment

Alternative medicine also implies the use of herbal medicines - based on medicinal herbs. True, such drugs are unlikely to be used as "first aid" drugs, because they require some time for preparation.

• Infusion of chamomile is great for mouth rinses with burns. In order to cook it, you need to fry 1 full tablespoon of chamomile in 1 glass of boiling water, insist until it cools. This infusion can be used up to 5 times a day.
• A good remedy for burns is a decoction of oak bark, as it has an astringent and healing property. To prepare the decoction, 20 g of bark is boiled for 15 minutes in 200 ml of water, insist until it cools. It is used for rinsing the oral cavity.
• Another effective remedy for tongue burn is a decoction of psyllium seeds: two tablespoons of ground seeds are poured into 200 ml of boiling water, mixed well. The product can be used to rinse the affected mucosa.

Homeopathy

To treat a burn of tongue I-II degree, homeopathic remedies can be used:

• Arnica 30 - 5 granules in case of pain;
• Kantaris 6, 12 or 30 - keep in the mouth for 5 granules every 30-60 minutes. As the acute symptoms subsided, taking the drug should be reduced to 2-3 times a day;
• Urtica Urens 6, 12, 30 - 5 granules, 2 times a day.

For first aid in case of tongue burn, homeopathic remedies such as Arnica 30 or Reskju rmedi spray are the most suitable. But it should be remembered that with severe or extensive burns, it is necessary to appear to the doctor.

Prevention

Since the majority of cases of language burns are fixed, as household injuries, it is necessary to reduce the probable danger, and reduce the risk of getting such traumas to a minimum.

• If children live in an apartment, it is necessary to control their access to hot drinks and food.
• Before offering food to a child, check its temperature.
• If you heat food in a microwave oven, let it stand for several minutes after warming up so that the temperature of the food is balanced. The microwave oven, as a rule, unevenly warms up the products.
• Do not eat dishes directly from the pan or pans in which they are cooked or heated.
• Any chemical should be stored separately from other drugs and even more so from products. Each bottle or bank with a chemical must be signed, depending on the content. It must be strictly controlled so that children can not reach the storage place for such chemicals.
• A person must constantly control himself, and even more so, being in a state of alcoholic intoxication - after all, in this state, people often get burns of the tongue.

[33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39]

Forecast

Most of the burns of the tongue have a favorable current and prognosis. If the third degree burn spread to the entire oral mucosa, then this case is considered severe, and the fourth degree burn is unfavorable to the life of the victim.

The worst prognosis is burns of the tongue, combined with burns of the oral cavity, esophagus and / or respiratory tract.

How long does it take to burn the tongue?

The superficial burn of the tongue heals fairly quickly - for 1-3 days. More severe burns - for example, with swelling and the formation of vesicles with fluid - heal within 1-3 weeks, depending on the depth of tissue damage.

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