Numbness of tongue

Numbness of the tongue is a rare form of paresthesia, a violation of sensitivity at any point of the body, which is accompanied by unpleasant tingling in it.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]

Causes of the numbness of tongue

The causes of numbness of the tongue can be very different: from sharpening any diseases to improperly taking medication. Therefore, you must first determine the type of illness: chronic numbness or passing. The latter usually passes by itself and occurs after mechanical stimulation (pressure or impact). But the chronic numbness of the tongue must be treated. The main causes of this disease can be called:

1. Side effects of taking medications. Some remedies irritate the nerves that are on the tip of the tongue. Usually, this condition is caused by antibiotics.
2. A disease called "glossalgia", which affects the mucous membrane of the oral cavity. When glossalgia is also a noticeable sensory neurosis.
3. Features of each individual organism, which can manifest with age. Numbness of the tongue can develop against a background of thinning of the mucous membrane, dysfunction of the thyroid gland or problems with the vasomotor system. Usually manifested in women during climate change.
4. When a person suffers from iron deficiency anemia.
5. Allergic reaction to medicines, food.
6. Sometimes paresthesia can occur against a background of depression and stress.
7. After the fifteenth week of pregnancy.
8. Some diseases: diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis, hypothyroidism, Lyme disease, aneurysm, syphilis, spinal cord cancer, Bell's paralysis.

Pathogenesis

Some bad habits can also be the cause of frequent manifestations of numbness of the tongue (taking drugs, smoking, alcoholism). Remember that this disease itself is never manifested, but comes from an external factor or other disease.

[7], [8], [9]

Symptoms of the numbness of tongue

The numbness of the tongue first begins with a slight unpleasant tingling at its tip. It does not cause any problems, so patients do not rush to see the doctor. Immediately after this, the entire surface of the tongue begins to "goosebumps" and only then there is complete or partial numbness.

Numbness of tongue during pregnancy

After the fifteenth week of pregnancy, some women begin to grow dumb language. Usually this happens in the event that the future mother develops a deficiency of vitamin B12. If this appears, you should contact your gynecologist who prescribes safe vitamins in your case.

Stages

There are three levels of intensity of numbness in the tongue:

1. The patient feels only light tingling at the tip or throughout the tongue.
2. On all surface of tongue unpleasant "shivers" are felt.
3. The last degree of disease occurs when the language completely loses its sensitivity.

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Forms

Numbness of the tip of the tongue

The tip of the tongue usually grows dumb for the following reasons:

1. If a person smokes tobacco.
2. With frequent use of alcoholic beverages.
3. If the body has a deficit or an overabundance of certain minerals.
4. When a person receives radiation or undergoing radiation therapy.
5. If the patient is poisoned by heavy metals.
6. With a deficiency of vitamin B12.

[11], [12], [13]

Numbness of lips and tongue

Numbness of the lips and tongue can occur continuously or periodically and indicates that the body has problems. The cause of this disease is the disruption of the work of the nerves in the tongue and lips. They come after mechanical damage, with vascular or infectious factors:

1. With acute migraine.
2. Bell's paralysis.
3. Stroke transmission.
4. Anemia (especially if there is a deficiency of vitamin B12).
5. Hypoglycemia.
6. Angioedema and edema.
7. Tumors (both malignant and benign).
8. Depression and other types of disorders.
9. Dental procedures.

Numbness of tongue after anesthesia

Sometimes after the dental procedures can remain numbness of the tongue, especially if a large amount of local anesthesia has been administered. This is considered normal and passes with time (when the effect of the injection).

Numbness of tongue after tooth extraction

In some cases, after tooth extraction, especially wisdom teeth, paresthesia of the tongue may appear. This phenomenon is manifested in 7% of cases. Particularly often numbness occurs in elderly patients, as well as those who suffer from an abnormally close position of the teeth to the tongue part of the jaw. If everything goes well, then after anesthesia and tooth extraction, numbness completely ends after 1-10 days. If there was a so-called persisting numbness (that is, paresthesia does not take more than a month), it is worthwhile to see a doctor.

Numbness of tongue and hands

Usually, such symptoms appear if a person suffers from acute migraine attacks with an aura. In such cases it is necessary to undergo a complete examination with a neurologist, since the reasons may lie in the increased requirements of the body for the functionality of the brain.

Headache and numbness of tongue

If you feel not only numbness of the tongue, but also severe attacks of headache, these may be symptoms of developing hyperinsulinism. Often, patients strongly resemble those who received alcoholic intoxication. Also, the numbness of the tip and the entire tongue can be present with migraine-like headaches.

Numbness of tongue and throat

The cause of numbness of the tongue and throat may be malignant lesions in the laryngeal region. With such a disease, it is sometimes difficult for patients to swallow, there is a sore throat, as in ARVI, sometimes the digestive system does not work well.

Sometimes paresthesia of the throat and tongue manifests itself after inflammation of the oral cavity and larynx, especially if they have been in severe form or have not been cured in time.

Numbness of the palate and tongue

Paresthesia of the tongue and palate can manifest itself due to various injuries and diseases. Sometimes this occurs during the taking of some medications. Therefore, before you visit a doctor, you should carefully read the instructions for those medications that you are taking or have taken in recent times. It is also worth analyzing your emotional state. If you were often nervous or had stressful situations, it could cause paresthesia.

Numbness of mouth and tongue

Such numbness usually occurs after an allergic reaction to food, medicine, injections (especially in the dentist), and after tooth extraction. That the allergy is not developed further it is recommended to stop the use of products or medicines that could cause it. Usually, after a while (in particular, several days), paresthesia passes by itself.

Numbness of face and tongue

Numbness of the face occurs, most often, if the disease of the vessels or nerves that are in this area develops. When paresthesia goes into the language, it means that a person is sick at:

1. Bell's paralysis, which manifests itself after infectious diseases such as meningitis or herpes. In the course of this disease, nerves become inflamed.
2. Multiple sclerosis - the cells of the body itself attack the nerves and damage them. This is an autoimmune disease. As a result, the protective shell of nerves is thinned and destroyed.
3. The manifestation of trigeminal neuralgia develops when the trigeminal nerve is squeezed or irritated by tumors, adhesions, enlarged veins, inflammation.
4. Postponed stroke - blood vessels are torn and clogged, so oxygen does not come in the right amount in the brain.
5. If the ocular, mandibular or maxillary nerve was damaged.

Numbness of half of the tongue

With unilateral numbness of the tongue, the patient is likely to have a damaged lingual nerve. It often happens that patients complain of loss of sensitivity in only one half of the tongue. The throat, oral cavity and other parts remain sensitive. This fact should be indicated when going to the doctor, so that he managed to make an accurate diagnosis.

Numbness of the tongue with osteochondrosis

Numbness of the tongue is one of the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. This disease has become quite common recently, as it develops in those who spend a lot of time in front of the computer screen. Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease that develops against the background of infringement of the endings of the spinal nerves. Other signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are: dizziness and frequent headaches, pain in the chest and hands, lumbago in the cervical region. If you have found out this symptom in yourself, you should immediately visit a doctor.

Dizziness and numbness of the tongue

Numbness of the tongue is the first sign of an onset of a heart attack or stroke. First, at its tip appear "creepy", and then comes complete paresthesia. To make an accurate diagnosis with dizziness and numbness of the tongue, it is necessary to perform a radiography or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Depending on which disease became the cause, the doctor prescribes treatment:

1. Vegeto-vascular dystonia: helps drugs that improve blood circulation (Cavinton, Memoplant, Vitamins B, Sermion).
2. Neurological diseases: often also there is a vomiting, a nausea.
3. Osteochondrosis: the pressure rises, there is pain between the scapula.

[14], [15]

Vomiting and numbness of the tongue

Usually, with vegeto-vascular dystonia or panic attack syndrome, numbness of the tongue can be accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting. But the exact diagnosis can be made only by a specialist (neurologist). He must prescribe a treatment that is not limited to the medicamental method, but goes in a complex (massages, special exercises).

Numbness of the root of the tongue

If the root of the tongue grows numb, it can be argued that the patient has had a broken or injured glossopharyngeal nerve. It is this nerve that works in this area and is responsible for it.

Partial numbness of the tongue

If you notice a partial numbness in your tongue, you need to see a doctor immediately. The fact that such a violation is usually a symptom of serious diseases: vegetative-vascular dystonia (when the brain receives insufficient oxygen due to improper circulation), cerebral vascular pathologies (including chronic ones), stroke.

Dry mouth and numbness of tongue

Dry mouth and numbness of the tongue can be symptoms of many serious enough diseases. As a rule, they arise due to chronic, as well as some other diseases: diabetes, acute infectious diseases, beriberi, radiation sickness.

Bitterness in the mouth and numbness of the tongue

Typically, such symptoms appear if a person takes certain medications. Even common vitamins can cause numbness in the tongue and a bitter taste in the mouth. In such cases it is recommended to suspend the treatment and seek help from a doctor who has prescribed the remedy.

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Numbness of tongue after eating

If the tongue numbness arose after eating, it could be a common allergic reaction to certain foods. But there are cases that paresthesia of the tongue remains, and it also intensifies when a person eats or talks, causing inconvenience. This may be a symptom of glossalgia. Glossalgia is not the disease itself, but the cause of untreated or untreated diseases.

Complications and consequences

If you are speechless only one side of the tongue, it is considered less dangerous. Here the matter is most likely in nerve damage. But bilateral is the cause of serious diseases, which can develop further if they are not detected on time. That is why you should immediately consult a neurologist if you feel the first symptoms of paresthesia.

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Complications

The main complications after numbness of the tongue are heart attacks, strokes and the development of benign and malignant tumors. Remember, if you do not visit a doctor on time, it can develop into a serious problem with a risk to your health and life.

[23], [24]

Diagnostics of the numbness of tongue

Once a person treats the problem of language paresthesia, a comprehensive examination begins that helps to know the cause of the appearance of such a pathology.

First, the doctor conducts an examination of the patient, collects an anamnesis, as well as all the information that is associated with the first signs of the disease. Also, the patient tells what diseases he was treated in recent times and what. After this, it is necessary to give a general blood test to see if the patient has diabetes. Then a full-fledged examination of the cardiovascular system begins. In some cases, additional research may be needed: magnetic resonance, ultrasound.

[25], [26],

Analyzes

To get the full picture, the doctor will ask you to do a blood test. Thanks to this study, the number of all types of blood cells is counted, and their shape and size are examined. Due to the general analysis of blood, it is possible to determine diabetes mellitus, in which there is often numbness of the tongue.

[27], [28], [29], [30], [31]

Instrumental diagnostics

1. Magnetic resonance imaging is the most effective method for diagnosing various diseases of the brain and spinal cord, of which paresthesia is a symptom.
2. Ultrasound is a mechanical oscillation at a very high frequency level. Special ultrasonic radiators are used for this.

Differential diagnosis

A very important moment in setting the right diagnosis is a professional examination of the patient by a doctor.

Treatment of the numbness of tongue

Since paresthesia of the tongue is only a symptom, therapy is aimed at eliminating the disease that caused it. As a rule, after diagnosis of the disease, the doctor prescribes special complexes of vitamins, medicines that help improve metabolic processes in the nerves, and physiotherapy procedures also help. Note that self-treatment in this case is unacceptable, since the patient usually does not know the cause of numbness.

Here everything depends on the diagnosis.

With vegetative-vascular dystonia, the main task is to improve blood circulation. To do this, prescribe various vitamins, minerals.

With cervical osteochondrosis, special exercises and massages are recommended.

Cancer of the larynx is another disease in which the tongue, throat, face and mouth can dumb. Develops, as a rule, in heavy smokers. Treatment is reduced to surgical intervention, although it must be carried out in conjunction with the medication method.

With the defeat of nerves that are located in the area of the mouth and throat, especially in trigeminal neuralgia, both medical therapy (carbamazepine) and physiotherapeutic and surgical methods (acupuncture, pulse currents, laser puncture, surgeries) are used.

Medications

1. Vitamins, which contain B12 - are used if paresthesia started after a decrease in the amount of this vitamin in the human body (especially during pregnancy). Appointed individually by a doctor.
2. Carbamazepine is a drug used in trigeminal neuralgia. Helps inhibit neural populations. The course begins with a small dose (one tablet twice a day), but gradually increases. The drug is taken from six to eight weeks. Carbamazepine can not be used for glaucoma patients, blood diseases, prostatitis.
3. Ambene is a complex remedy for cervical osteochondrosis. Ampoules include cyanocobalamin and phenylbutazone. To the use of Ambien injections there are contraindications: problems with blood vessels and the heart, ulcers of the duodenum or stomach, gastritis, renal or hepatic insufficiency, infectious diseases, allergies and pregnancy. When used, side effects may occur: nausea, vomiting, pain in the stomach, headache, dizziness, anemia, insomnia. The drug is administered intramuscularly. The course includes three injections (every other day).
4. Cavinton - a drug that is prescribed for vegeto-vascular dystonia. It helps to expand the vessels of the brain. One or two tablets are taken three times a day. The course can be quite long (but this requires a doctor's examination). There are practically no side effects, since Cavinton is well tolerated by the body. It can not be used for ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias and pregnancy.

Alternative treatment

1. Take a slice of garlic, put in your mouth and lightly roll with your tongue. You can bite a little. Do this within ten minutes after eating up to three times a day. Must repeat before bedtime. After the procedure, attach a warm compress to the tongue with sea buckthorn oil.
2. Many patients get rid of numbness of the tongue through meditation or yoga.
3. When paresthesia of the language must adhere to a strict diet. It is very important at least for a while (2-3 months) to exclude from your diet acute, acidic and salty foods.

[32],

Herbal treatment for numbness of tongue

1. Take a tablespoon of dried sage and a glass of hot boiled water. Repeat the same with dried celandine. In turn, rinse the mouth with a tincture two months every day.
2. Take the oak bark and add honey to it. Make such a tincture so that you can rinse your mouth every day (the more often, the better).
3. Take the crushed dried herb grass, a glass of water, boil until boiling and then another about five minutes. Strain in a hot state, cool. Broth twice a day rinse the mouth, then drink 1 tablespoon. Apply three weeks.

Homeopathy

1. Nervochel is a homeopathic drug that is used in vegetative-vascular dystonia (which can be manifested by numbness of the tongue). Due to its composition, Nervochel helps to reduce neural cramps and withdraw from a depressive state. It is used three times a day before meals. It is not recommended to take if you have an individual intolerance to the components of the drug.
2. Stontsiana Carbonic is a homeopathic preparation that helps in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. It must be diluted depending on the strength of the disease, so you must first consult your doctor.
3. Gelarium Hypericum - has an anxiolytic and antidepressant effect. It is taken in the process of eating one tablet three times a day. The course takes up to four weeks. In some cases, after intake, vomiting and severe nausea may occur, as well as allergies to components. Do not take patients for lactase deficiency, galactosemia.

Operative treatment

Since numbness of the tongue is only a symptom, and not an isolated disease, sometimes serious diseases require surgical intervention. For example, with neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve, surgery is performed only if it is necessary to move a blood vessel that traumatises the nerve. Sometimes the nerve is destroyed. Radiosurgery (bloodless method) is also considered part of the surgical intervention in this case.

In cancer of the throat and larynx, various methods have recently been used, which depend on the degree of the disease:

1. The initial (superficial) stages are treated usually with the help of endoscopy. The operation is performed with anesthesia with a laser.
2. Laryngeal removal - if the size of the tumor is still small.
3. Removing the pharynx - usually only a part of the organ is removed. A plastic surgery is also performed, during which the pharynx is restored.
4. Dissection - the lymph nodes are removed.

Prevention

In order to effectively prevent paresthesia attacks, you need to look at your daily diet. Eliminate from foods that are too sharp or salty. If you are numb from an allergic reaction to taking medication, you should contact your doctor who appointed them, to stop using altogether.

[33], [34]

Forecast

Here, immediately it is worth paying attention to the reason, because of which the paresthesia of the tongue manifested itself. With glossalgia the prospects are very favorable, especially if the treatment is started on time. If the disease is more serious, it can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, at the first signs of numbness, it is worth immediately contacting a doctor.