Probably each of us at least once in our life experienced an unpleasant burning sensation or pain in the area of the tongue, and someone even observed various cracks, sores or tubercles on this organ.
Human language is considered a kind of beacon. By its appearance, one can judge the state of organs and systems of the body. What do the cracks in the tongue signal , the causes of their appearance, what are the treatment methods? Consider these issues in this article.
Classification of causes
- Birth defects on the surface of the tongue are not a common occurrence. There is a certain category of people born with cracks in the tongue. Such a symptom, as a rule, refers more to aesthetic defects than indicates serious pathologies of development. Therefore, in this case, does not require any special treatment.
- Defects of local localization suggest the presence of causes of cracks in the tongue at the location of the organ itself, that is, in the oral cavity. Causes of a dental nature cause glossitis. This disease is an inflammatory process in the tissues of an organ caused by trauma, the negative effects of microbes or diseases of the internal organs of a person.
- Cracks in the tongue, as a result of an unsatisfactory state of the body - this is the same glossitis provoked by internal diseases of the body, for example, diseases of the digestive system.
Local causes
As for inflammation of the surface of the tongue, two such similar phenomena as glossitis and glossalgia should be distinguished. The causes of cracks in the tongue with glossitis can be:
- Deficiency in the body of vitamins.
- Anemia.
- Infection of the body with helminths (worms).
- Severe poisoning.
- Mechanical tissue damage (e.g. due to bite or prosthetics).
- Diseases of the stomach, liver, or intestines.
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Allergy.
In contrast to glossitis, glossalgia is characterized by the appearance of pain in the tongue in the absence of obvious reasons. In addition, all the causes typical for glossitis can accompany glossalgia.
Human phobias are considered the main cause of glossalgia. In other words, the fear of acquiring an incurable disease, such as cancer, causes stress, and as a result, painful sensations until the appearance of visible organ defects. Such an ailment requires psychotherapeutic diagnosis and treatment. Among the symptoms of glossalgia, these are usually distinguished:
- Pain, burning or tingling on the tongue.
- Sensible organ fatigue after a long conversation.
- Difficulty and discomfort when moving the tongue.
- Swelling and pathological changes in the papillae of the organ.
- Cracks on the surface of the tongue.
- Feeling of dryness.
In this case, the above symptoms occur periodically depending on the mental condition of the patient. They may suddenly disappear, and after a while appear again. The main difference between glossitis and glossalgia is the change in organ sensitivity when eating. If a person eats spicy food, the painful symptoms of glossalgia are reduced, in contrast to the symptoms of glossitis, which are aggravated by eating.
Glossitis, as a result of local inflammation of tissues and disorders in the functioning of internal organs, has the following symptoms:
- Spots, bumps and cracks in the tongue in adults and children.
- Burning sensation and pain.
- The appearance of plaque.
Varieties of glossitis
In the diagnosis of a disease such as glossitis, the concept of "geographical language" is used, which characterizes the state of the organ. Consider the varieties of glossitis.
Desquamative glossitis
For such a pathology, the appearance in the language of pronounced tubercles with the definition of clear boundaries in which cracks form is inherent. In medicine, such a disease is referred to as desquamative glossitis, and the following are among the most common causes of the disease:
- diseases of the digestive system;
- blood diseases;
- metabolic disease;
- teething in children.
Reliable reasons for the emergence of a “geographical language” are difficult to determine, as the opinions of experts on this subject differ. Some of them are sure that the main cause is gastrointestinal diseases and hormonal failure, while others are sure that the cause of this pathology is the result of allergic reactions.
Median or rhomboid glossitis
It is characterized by the appearance of center cracks in the tongue, as well as oval or rhomboid spots of a bluish tint. Hypoacid gastritis, which is characterized by inflammatory processes in the gastric mucosa and accompanied by a decrease in the acidity of gastric juice , is considered as the main cause of median glossitis.
Folded glossitis
Relate to pathologies of congenital origin. In this case, folds and cracks in the tongue of the child are present from birth. Among other cracks, a deep longitudinal crack in the center of the tongue is noticeable. Such a defect does not bring the patient any inconvenience, with the exception of aesthetic discomfort.
Diagnosis of the causes. By concomitant symptoms
Depending on the location of the cracks, as well as the accompanying symptoms, we can assume the presence of the following deviations in the human body:
- cracks, accompanied by the appearance of a white-gray tinge of dense consistency over the entire area of the tongue, are characteristic of symptoms of acute inflammatory gastritis;
- if dark gray or yellow plaque is attached to the cracks in the tongue, then gastritis is accompanied by an increase in the acidity of gastric juice; on the contrary, loose plaque indicates a decrease in acidity in the stomach;
- cracks, spots and gray plaque can signal the presence of peptic ulcer;
- if the pathological condition of the organ is accompanied by the appearance of a plaque of brown shades, among the probable causes of this condition are hepatitis, cholecystitis or gallstone disease.
Crack localization
By the localization of cracks, one can judge the following pathological conditions of the body:
- a longitudinal crack in the tongue in the center of this organ is a characteristic sign of glossitis or impaired functioning of the immune system;
- tongue, mottled with cracks, is observed in diseases of the digestive or endocrine systems;
- characteristic symptoms at the tip of the tongue are found in patients with stomatitis, as well as in people under constant stress; in addition, such damage occurs as a result of mechanical stress;
- defects on the lateral surfaces of the tongue are the result of blood diseases, as well as disturbances in the digestive and endocrine systems.
Of course, this method of determining the cause of the pathological condition of the organ cannot be considered accurate without a thorough examination and examination of a specialist.
Cracks in the tongue - which doctor should I go to?
If you suddenly have a cracked surface of the tongue, in no case try to eliminate the symptoms yourself, especially if along with the cracks there is a plaque and discomfort.
The first specialist to contact is a dentist. It is this doctor who will be able to exclude the dental causes of the inflammatory process and, if necessary, refer you to another specialist to clarify the diagnosis.
As a rule, the primary conclusion on the basis of examination and laboratory tests is made by the therapist.
If there are suspicions that there are certain violations in the functioning of the systems or organs, the therapist will refer the patient to narrow specialists, such as a gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, hematologist, nephrologist or urologist.
Further treatment of cracks in the tongue will directly depend on the diagnosis made to the patient. Therefore, it is important not to delay the visit to the doctor.
Treating Symptoms and Causes
The first question that a person has when detecting cracks in the tongue is what to do. Their elimination in the absence of concomitant symptoms boils down to local treatment. If such conditions are caused by diseases of internal organs and systems, the elimination of defects on the surface of the tongue is carried out by treating the underlying disease, which causes unpleasant symptoms. The treatment regimen for the underlying disease is drawn up directly by the specialist who diagnosed the disease.
Local symptoms are eliminated by such means as:
- antiseptics to relieve inflammation (furatsilin, decasan or baking soda);
- anesthetics for the analgesic effect (gels with novocaine, benzocaine or lidocaine);
- medicines for the healing of ulcers and wounds (for example, sea buckthorn oil).
In addition, herbal infusions and decoctions are widely used to eliminate cracks and pain.
Along with the use of medications to accelerate the healing of deep cracks in the tongue, it is recommended to observe oral hygiene, including daily two-time brushing of the teeth, rinsing the mouth after eating, and timely removal of caries foci on the teeth.
In case of pain, sharp and salty foods should be avoided so as not to irritate the inflamed surface of the tongue.
Folk remedies for cracks
Faced with the appearance of cracks in the tongue, the first thing that comes to the patient’s head is the use of folk remedies. They can also be used, but in conjunction with the recommendations of doctors. To relieve inflammation and accelerate the healing of defects in the tongue, traditional medicine recommends using the following recipes:
- Decoction based on oak bark. To prepare a decoction, ten grams of bark is poured into 250 ml of water, heated to a boil, and then insisted for half an hour. In a strained broth add a tablespoon of honey. Rinsing with a decoction is recommended at least three times a day after meals.
- Olive or sea buckthorn oil is used for topical treatment of cracks in the tongue with the help of applications. To do this, after waking up, it is necessary to apply a few drops of oil to the surface of the tongue and hold it, without swallowing, for fifteen minutes.
- Raw potato juice for rinsing the mouth. To prepare the rinse, raw potatoes are passed through a meat grinder and squeezed juice. It is recommended to rinse several times a day.
- Herbal infusion is used to rinse the mouth and is prepared from the following medicinal herbs: sage, coltsfoot, mallow and raspberry leaves. To prepare the broth, you need to mix one tablespoon of all the listed herbs, pour 250 ml of boiling water and let it brew for two to three hours. It is recommended to use only freshly prepared broth for rinsing.
- Horseradish, as a remedy for glossitis. With pathological conditions of the tongue, compresses and rinses with an aqueous solution of horseradish juice help. To prepare the product, 50 ml of freshly squeezed juice is dissolved in 150 ml of water.
To quickly stop unpleasant symptoms, eliminate cracks in the tongue and other defects on the surface of this organ, you can alternate medications with traditional medicine.
Prevention
To avoid the appearance of cracks in the tongue, most often it is enough to monitor the hygiene of the oral cavity and visit highly specialized specialists in time for the purpose of a routine examination of the entire body.
Conclusion
And do not forget! Any new unpleasant symptom is an occasion to consult a doctor. Indeed, in some cases, cracks at the tip of the tongue are a temporary manifestation of completely harmless ailments, while in other cases, such defects can signal the development of serious pathologies.