Warts form most often on the surface of the skin, but it also happens that they affect the tongue. Another name for the growths is papilloma. Both on the skin and in the language of the wart (a photo of the neoplasm is presented below) appear against the background of the development of an infectious disease in the body. Papillomas can occur in people of any gender and age.
Types of Warts
The tongue is an organ whose surface is covered with papillae. At the initial stage of papilloma growth can be confused with them. Over time, they form into neoplasms that are well felt and visualized with the naked eye.
Warts in the tongue (photo below) are divided into 2 types:
- Flat. Similar neoplasms have a round shape. Their contour is clearly outlined, while it has a more pronounced shade than the surface of the skin. These warts on or under the tongue are flat. They only protrude slightly above the surface of the skin. In the process of eating food, they are not damaged or slightly injured. Nevertheless, flat warts on the tongue in any case require treatment. In the presence of multiple neoplasms, their removal is indicated by the surgical method.
- Spiky. If the warts under the tongue on its root or surface have a similar shape, it is customary to talk about condylomas. Similar neoplasms protrude strongly over the skin. They are attached to the tongue with a light pink leg. Their upper part looks like a papilla. When condylomas grow, outwardly they become similar to cauliflower inflorescences. Such warts are most often localized on the root of the tongue (a photo of the affected organ is presented below) and on its lateral part. Less commonly, condylomas appear on the root near the throat. Such growths are constantly injured, and therefore there is a risk of their degeneration into a tumor. They significantly worsen the quality of life, making it difficult to eat and talk.
A doctor should be consulted if even one wart in the tongue occurs. This is due to the fact that growths are not always benign.
Causes
If warts appear on the tongue, this indicates the activity of the human papillomavirus in the human body. Normally, it is present in every second inhabitant of the planet. Moreover, the virus should ideally be in a sleeping form. Under the influence of various adverse factors, against the background of which there is a significant weakening of the body's defenses, it is activated. Then the papillomavirus begins to multiply rapidly, affecting the upper layers of the skin. It is against the background of his active life that pinkish or white warts form on the tongue or other parts of the body.
The following categories of people are at risk:
- The body which experiences a pronounced deficiency of vitamins, macro- and microelements.
- Suffering from pathologies of a chronic nature. The risk of the transition of the papillomavirus to its active form increases with exacerbations.
- Having undergone surgery in the recent past.
- Suffering from HIV.
- In the recent past, having had pathologies of an infectious nature.
- Regularly under stress.
- Smokers.
- Regularly abusing alcohol.
- Long-term hormonal drugs.
In addition, the virus can go into active form with the onset of menopause, pregnancy and during lactation.
In a sleeping state, the pathogen can be in the body for up to 5 years. Moreover, his carriage is not dangerous to others. Infection of other people can occur only if the virus is active and rapidly multiplies.
Ways of infection
The pathogen is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one. But this requires close contact with an infected person.
Ways of infection:
- Sexual. The virus is transmitted even through oral sex, especially the risk of infection is great if the partner already has warts on the tongue.
- Domestic. You can get infected by using personal hygiene items of a sick person.
- During kisses.
- In the process of delivery. In such cases, the virus is transmitted from mother to child. If the woman did not treat the infection during pregnancy, soon after birth the baby will soon notice warts on the root of the tongue and on the cheeks.
In addition, self-infection is not excluded. It occurs when the integrity of the skin of the lips, cheeks or tongue is violated. In such cases, the virus begins to spread to healthy tissues.
According to statistics, the most common pathogen is transmitted through sexual contact. However, it is able to maintain vital activity for a long time, especially in warm rooms with a high humidity indicator.
Associated symptoms
As mentioned above, the cause of warts in the tongue is papillomavirus. As the latter progresses, the number of neoplasms increases.
In addition, patients complain of the following conditions:
- In the process of swallowing food, pronounced discomfort is felt.
- The presence of pain. They appear if the warts are damaged or come off the tongue completely.
- Bleeding. They also occur with separation or violation of the integrity of the wart.
- Burning.
- Voice change.
- Disruption of the digestive system.
- In rare cases, the breathing process is difficult.
Regular injury to papillomas and genital warts is a danger to human health. This is due to the fact that a frequent violation of their integrity can lead to the development of a malignant process.
Diagnostics
If warts appear under the tongue, on the side or on its surface, you must consult an dermatovenerologist. Many people mistakenly come to the otorhinolaryngologist or dentist, which is wrong, since these specialists do not treat papillomavirus.
A dermatovenerologist will conduct an initial diagnosis, which consists in interviewing and examining a patient. After that, he will appoint the registration for a comprehensive examination, including:
- Blood analysis.
- Bacterial sowing.
Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor will draw up a treatment plan for warts in the tongue. The cause of the disease is the virus, in connection with which the specialist can additionally send an infection specialist for consultation.
Drug treatment
It is important to understand that any drugs are effective only at an early stage of the development of the disease. As a rule, doctors prescribe the following remedies to eliminate warts in the tongue:
- "Isoprinosine." This drug is an immunomodulator. Its active components contribute to increased production of interferon. In addition, they inhibit the foci of pathology. According to the instructions, "Isoprinosine" must be taken twice a day for 14 days. According to the doctor’s decision, this period can be increased to 1 month. Treatment with this drug is suitable for both adults and children over 4 years of age.
- Interferon It is an antiviral. Its active substance also helps to strengthen the body's defenses, thereby increasing its degree of resistance to pathogenic microorganisms. The duration of treatment with Warts "Interferon" is up to 2 months. It can be used even in infants.
- "Complies." This is a multivitamin complex designed to strengthen the body's defenses. It is necessary to take 1 tablet per day. The duration of treatment is 1 month. In the pharmaceutical market, Complivit is sold for different ages.
- "Acyclovir." An antiviral drug that kills pathogens. According to the instructions, the drug must be taken 1 tablet every 4 hours (the night period is not taken into account). The duration of treatment is 5 days.
- "Panavir". Available in the form of ointment and injection. This is a modern antiviral and immunomodulating drug. It is contraindicated in pregnant and breast-feeding women, as well as in persons whose age is less than 18 years.
This treatment regimen can be changed or expanded by a doctor. The specialist always prescribes drugs based on the individual characteristics of the patient’s health.
Papilloma removal methods
In many cases, drug treatment of warts on the tongue does not lead to the desired result. If the tumor is benign, it can be removed in one of the following ways:
- Laser. The method does not require preparation. The average duration of the procedure is 20 minutes. First, the doctor treats the tongue with an anesthetic, then burns out the papillomas. The final step is the use of an antiseptic solution. In the process of removing warts, bleeding does not occur. The method is considered safe and extremely effective. After laser removal of papillomas, the virus does not spread to healthy tissues.
- Cryodestruction. The method requires preparation: before the procedure, all existing pathologies of an infectious nature must be cured. Wart removal algorithm: the doctor treats the tongue with an antiseptic solution, after which it affects the tumor with liquid nitrogen. Then the procedure is repeated several times. Anesthesia is not required for this method.
- Electrocoagulation. Before the procedure, it is also necessary to cure all diseases of an infectious nature. First, the doctor heats the device to the required temperature, then treats the tongue with an anesthetic. After that, he touches the warts with an electrode. This method is not advanced. Currently, he is increasingly preferred to laser removal or cauterization with liquid nitrogen.
In some cases, traditional surgical excision of warts is performed. It is carried out under local anesthesia. After the introduction of the anesthetic, the surgeon excises the neoplasm with a scalpel. Then the wound is disinfected and sutured. The latter are removed after 2 weeks.
Folk methods
It is important to understand that the use of non-traditional methods does not eliminate the need to seek qualified medical help. This is due to the fact that warts on the tongue are constantly exposed and regularly injured, so that a benign process can turn into a malignant one. The use of alternative methods is permissible, but only at an early stage of development of papillomas and after the permission of the attending physician.
The most effective recipes:
- Take 1 chicken egg and separate the protein and yolk from each other. The first must be thoroughly beat. After this, you need to lubricate the affected area of the tongue with protein foam. The procedure can be performed every 20 minutes. As a rule, warts begin to dry out and decrease in size. After about 2 weeks, they disappear completely.
- Take 20-30 g of chestnut and pour 200 ml of boiling water over it. Allow the product to infuse for 6 hours. After that, it must be taken orally daily. In this case, the agent before each sip must be delayed in the oral cavity for several seconds. The duration of treatment is 14 days.
- Moisten a piece of sterile cloth or cotton wool in castor oil and attach to the wart. Try to keep the product in the language for at least a few minutes. When cotton wool or a napkin is completely saturated with saliva, remove this swab. The duration of treatment is 7 days.
- Mix in equal amounts the leaves of strawberries, hawthorn and hypericum. Then the grass must be poured with boiling water. Let it brew for half an hour. It is necessary to use the product before each meal in the amount of 3 tbsp. l The duration of treatment is 7 days.
Regular use of these recipes will help to cope with the early manifestations of papillomavirus in the tongue. When the growths are multiple and large, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor.
Prevention
In order to prevent infection and prevent the activation of the virus, you must regularly follow some recommendations:
- Observe good hygiene practices. Teeth and tongue should be cleaned of food debris daily.
- Avoid getting into stressful situations. It is proved that prolonged stay in such a state increases the risk of the virus transitioning from latent to active form.
- Regularly carry out activities aimed at strengthening the body's defenses. First of all, it is necessary to abandon bad habits and follow the principles of proper nutrition.
- Timely treat all identified diseases, especially infectious ones.
- Avoid hypothermia.
- Properly organize the regime of active activity and rest. It is important to remember that the duration of night sleep should not be less than 8 hours. In addition, short breaks should also be organized during the day.
If a human papilloma virus has been diagnosed with a sexual partner, treatment also needs to be passed without fail. In addition, during therapy, sexual contact with an infected person must be excluded.
Finally
The human papillomavirus is a pathogen, against the background of active life of which warts form on the mucous membranes and skin integuments. In the language they appear least often. However, when they are detected, it is necessary to consult a specialist in order to exclude the development of a malignant process. Regarding if the warts are in the tongue, which doctor should I contact. It is necessary to make an appointment with a dermatovenerologist. The specialist will conduct initial diagnostic measures, draw up a referral for a comprehensive examination and draw up the most effective treatment regimen.