Such a small organ as the palatine tongue, in some cases, can cause a big health problem. As a rule, its inflammation does not threaten a critical condition, but sometimes swelling takes on such an intense nature that causes a significant difficulty in breathing.
Before you begin to understand the causes of problems with the tongue, you should describe its anatomical structure.
Anatomical structure
The palatine tongue itself, the photo of which is presented in this article, is nothing more than a continuation of the soft palate. It is located in the pharyngeal cavity, under the root of the tongue. The basis of it is smooth muscle cells, and the surface is covered with a mucous membrane.
Blood vessels pass through the soft palate region, which explains the occurrence of injuries and inflammatory processes. Often you can encounter intense swelling and redness.
The soft palate passes into the palatine arches, between which the glands are located. This explains the fact that in the presence of tonsillitis or tonsillitis, that is, when the body is damaged by viruses or bacteria, the inflammatory process spreads to the soft palate.
The situation, which in acute inflammation of the tonsils gives the impression that the small tongue is swollen, is explained by their anatomical proximity.
Small tongue function
The palatine uvula has a number of rather important functions. The soft palate together with a small tongue is involved in the rational separation and direction of air flow and food, prevents foreign bodies and food from getting into the respiratory system, forms a cough and vomiting reflex, warms the inhaled air and participates in the correct formation of sounds when pronouncing words. Inflammation of the tissues of the tongue can lead to a violation of each of the above functions. In medicine, it is called "uvulit".
How is uvulitis going?
If the sky is not infected, then the person does not feel it, but with the development of some pathological conditions, the sky and tongue swell and blush.
Most often, uvulitis proceeds in an acute form. The patient may even wake up at night from the feeling that the palatine tongue has become swollen and long. This causes a feeling of the presence of a foreign body in the oral cavity and a desire to cough. Coughing in this condition does not bring relief. Usually it provokes soreness and swelling of the soft palate.
The main causes of the disease
The main causes of inflammation of the palatine uvula include:
- infectious processes in the oral cavity that are caused by viruses or bacteria;
- purulent inflammatory processes in the jaw area;
- tonsillitis or tonsillitis, proceeding in a chronic form;
- suppuration of fiber located near the tonsils;
- the presence of injuries and burns of the soft palate;
- an allergic reaction of the body;
- swelling of the soft palate, pharynx, or pharynx.
- the presence of sinusitis or rhinitis;
- paratonsillar abscess;
- diseases of the teeth and jaw, accompanied by suppuration;
- mechanical damage to the tongue;
- exposure to low or high temperature;
- an allergic reaction;
- the presence of angioedema;
- the presence of a tumor in the throat ;
- long-term use of anti-hypertension drugs;
- taking ACE inhibitors.
There are also reasons that are not diseases, but can provoke the occurrence of uvulitis.
Symptoms of uvulitis
Signs of a disease such as uvulitis can make themselves felt during meals, after prolonged coughing or sneezing. People are more prone to uvulitis, whose small tongue has an elongated shape. The disease also develops in the presence of adenoids. If you look at the throat during inflammation, you can see a bright red palatine tongue, which began to hang down to the root of the tongue. Along with this, the soft palate swells and hurts.
Symptoms of uvulitis with the viral nature of the disease
With the penetration of bacteria and viruses are observed:
- Pain in the throat.
- Presence of perspiration and cough.
- Nasal congestion.
- Fever.
- Migraine.
- Pain in the joints and muscles.
- A sore throat.
Uvulitis therapy
The inflammatory process in the tongue, as a rule, acquires a sudden course. Whether a patient needs specialist help depends on the symptoms that the disease caused.
If the inflammatory process and swelling do not affect the function of breathing and are manifested by a coma in the throat, a nasal voice, painful sensations when swallowing food, then, as a rule, the disease passes by itself, without the intervention of a doctor.
The occurrence of uvulitis makes it difficult to breathe, causes shortness of breath, the outflow of saliva and provokes vomiting.
Since the cause of swelling of a small tongue in the throat can be an instant-type allergy, the symptoms listed above should be treated with care, and if they develop quickly, consult a doctor immediately.
The stopping of swelling of an allergic nature is possible thanks to three main groups of drugs:
- antihistamines;
- diuretic diuretics;
- glucocorticosteroids.
For example, if the process of the soft palate has increased in size due to the presence of allergies, then a patient from antihistamines may be recommended to use Claritin, and Furosemide is prescribed as a diuretic. With severe difficulty breathing, the use of "Hydrocortisone" is indicated. Isolated cases of swelling of the soft palate require radical help, namely, the conduct of such manipulations as tracheostomy.
The most important condition is to determine the cause of the disease. The therapeutic course also depends on this.
What to do if the tongue hurts? Usually this condition is provoked by injuries. In this case, special procedures are not required. As a rule, doctors are limited to ordinary observation, they recommend observing hygiene rules and caring for the oral cavity. We recommend using chamomile rinses. In this case, swelling subsides after a few days.
In case of the penetration of viruses or bacteria, such drugs as Amoxiclav, Azithromycin, Levomycetin, Arbidol are prescribed. The throat is irrigated with sprays that have a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect (Ingalipt, Givaleks, Gorlospas).
Angioedema in treatment is of great difficulty. It manifests itself suddenly and also quickly disappears.
If ulvit provoked the accumulation of pus, then ordinary sprays will not help. In this case, surgery is indicated. Following such an operation, a long rehabilitation period is required.
Papillomas and viruses do not pose a particular danger to the life of the patient, but when they appear, surgery is also indicated, since neoplasms are prone to overgrowth. This is a big discomfort for the patient.
It should be noted that the cause of swelling of the tongue can be the use of alcoholic beverages. This is due to dehydration of the mucous membrane of the organ. Treatment of this condition requires heavy fluid intake. Alcohol and carbonated drinks should be excluded.
A problem with the tongue, a sense of its increase in size, is also caused by the presence of benign tumors in the throat. In appearance, such a neoplasm looks like a growth that forms on the mucosa of the appendix of the soft palate and is more often a polyp or papilloma.
Polyps and papillomas usually do not threaten human health and life, but doctors recommend their removal, because if the growth increases in size, then the patient begins to suffer from coughing and a feeling of a foreign body in the throat.
If the growth and papilloma are exposed to systematic trauma or other irritating factors, then there are risks of their transition to a malignant neoplasm.
The treatment of the palatine tongue is distinguished by a high level of complexity, the swelling of which is provoked by angioedema. In this case, hypnosis, reflexology, and physiotherapeutic procedures are used as prophylaxis.
With a paratonsillar abscess and the presence of ulcers in the jaw, they resort to surgery. In this case, an autopsy and drainage are performed.
So, with the transient development of the disease, immediate medical attention is required. More often the process develops in a short time with allergies. Puffiness of an infectious nature also requires medical advice, but does not need to immediately contact a laryngologist. Even a small symptom can cause a major health problem.
General recommendations
Regardless of the reason due to which the palatine tongue has become inflamed, there are a number of certain rules that must be followed during treatment. First of all, oral hygiene should be maintained. You should also pay attention to the diet. Do not eat sharp and salty foods. Alcohol and smoking should be excluded.
Conclusion
Based on all of the above, we can conclude: if you have problems with such an organ as the palatine tongue, then you should immediately contact a specialist. Doctors will be able to figure out the cause of the ailment and prescribe appropriate therapy that can stop all manifestations of the disease. The main symptoms include swelling, nausea, pain, a feeling of pain.