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Burning in the tip of the tongue
Last reviewed: 19.11.2021
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Syndrome of burning of the mouth (stomalgia, glossodinia, gposalgiya) - burning sensation in the tip of the tongue or its lateral parts, which in severe cases cover the entire tongue, gums, palate, mouth. Usually, this loss is due to hypothalamic dysfunction - congenital or acquired. Hypothalamic dysfunction causes an increase in activity of the sympathetic-adrenal system. The main clinical signs are:
- obligate attributes:
- parasthesia of the tongue (sensation of tingling, tingling, pressure);
- plaque on the tongue and dryness;
- increased burning sensation after taking irritating food;
- disappearance of burning sensation while receiving non-irritating food;
- optional features:
- small cracks in the tongue;
- swelling of the tongue with prints of the teeth along the edges;
- hypertrophy or atrophy of the filiform papillae;
- hypertrophy of lymphatic follicles near the root of the tongue;
- mild soreness with palpation of the tongue;
- a decrease in taste sensitivity;
- tenderness in palpation of temporomandibular joints.
Differential diagnosis of this pathological condition should be carried out with:
- lesions of the glossopharyngeal and lingual nerves, the pterygoid node, the cervical nodes of the sympathetic trunk, in which painful (rarely burning) paroxysmal pain occurs in one half of the tongue with spreading to surrounding tissues or to the entire half of the face;
- glossitis, which shows moderate pain during eating, talking, palpation; hyperemia and swelling of the tongue, plaque, areas of desquamation, erosion or ulcers;
- B12- and folio-deficient anemia, in which patients complain of pain and burning sensation in the tongue and its characteristic changes: bright red, glossy and shiny ("lacquered") language.
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