In addition to the common symptoms of diseases, we can also feel strange, unusual. For example, the numbed tip of the tongue. What can such a state say? How does it manifest itself? Why does the tip of the tongue go numb? How dangerous is this symptom? What to do if it is detected? We will answer these and other important questions on the topic throughout the article.
What's happening?
Why does the tip of the tongue go numb? In the medical world, by the way, this condition is called one of the varieties of paresthesia. Violation of the sensitivity of any part of the body. Most often, this condition is just accompanied by a feeling of numbness in a given location or tingling, crawling ants.
What can you feel?
How do patients usually characterize this condition? By the way, "numbness" is described by them rather individually. Someone notes only a loss of sensitivity in the area of the tip of the tongue. Someone - a slight discomfort, accompanied by a feeling of "freezing" of the body.
Depending on the cause of the condition, the patient may completely stop feeling the tongue. To this disturbing sensation is added a tingling sensation, burning sensation in the organ itself. An unpleasant sensation can also go to other areas of the oral mucosa.
Since the symptom is incomprehensible and frightening, a person can additionally suffer from anxiety, fear, and be nervously excited. A phobia may appear that he is sick with an incurable disease.
Reason groups
The tip of the tongue is numb? The reasons can be divided into several groups:
- Common.
- Not a concern.
- Pathological.
- Dangerous.
We will get to know each of the groups of reasons separately.
Common Causes
If the tip of your tongue is numb, the reasons can be very different, as this is a universal symptom. The most common are the following:
- Smoking. The receptors that are on the tongue are extremely sensitive to both strong and low-quality tobacco. In response to its effects, the smoker may feel unpleasant numbness for some time.
- Temperature changes. Did you just eat cold ice cream and then drink a mug of roasting tea? You may feel like the tip of your tongue is numb. Then you can feel the goose bumps on him.
- Drug response. If you are taking potent medicines, and especially in the case of a long course of therapy, a numbed tip of the tongue will be one of the side effects. The fact is that many drugs damage sensitive nerve endings. Numbness of the tongue here will be a consequence of this.
- Allergy. Have you tried a new chewing gum, toothpaste, balm or mouthwash? This will be the reason. The tip of the tongue is numb as a result of an allergic reaction to the new composition. Especially if there are a lot of mint, menthol components.
- Anemia. Numbness of the tongue or just its tip is a frequent sign that your body lacks B vitamins and / or iron.
- Esophageal disease. Numbness of the tongue for a short period provokes reflux - a phenomenon when the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus.
- Nervous Disorders. The tip of the tongue is numb? The cause may be depression, prolonged stress, and even sleep disturbances. Under these conditions, the sensitivity of individual parts of the body often decreases.
- Climax The reason here is the hormonal changes that shock the body. Their consequence can be both an increase in the sensitivity of nerve endings and numbness of the mucous membranes.
- Pregnancy. Functional disorders of the body during gestation often provoke strange, unusual symptoms. For example, against the background of jumps in blood pressure in many expectant mothers, the tip of the tongue also begins to go numb in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Non-dangerous causes
Numbness can be the result of, in general, causes that are not harmful to your health:
- You burned too hot food. Here along with numbness there will be a red tip of the tongue, and even unpleasant, painful sensations in the mouth.
- You were at the dentist's appointment. During deep cleaning, tooth extraction surgery, the doctor accidentally damaged a nerve. The tongue may respond to this with a temporary loss of sensation. After a while, she will return on her own.
- Also, in the dentist’s office, the doctor can use special painkillers sprays. They cause the effect of freezing - you feel numb in a certain area of the body. If such a solution accidentally gets on the tip of the tongue, respectively, you will stop feeling it too. This will pass along with the cessation of the drug.
- Mechanical damage to the tongue. If you accidentally bite its tip, you may feel short-term numbness along with the pain. This is not dangerous if you will properly care for the wound - rinse with oral disinfectant solutions.
- Malocclusion. Also a common cause of numbness in the tongue. Moreover, he persecutes a patient with such a problem periodically.
- Incorrect installation of dentures. If there are metals in the dentures, galvanic currents can pass between these elements, which also reduce the sensitivity of the tongue.
- Taking painkillers for the oral cavity. Like dental products, many of them have a "freezing" effect. Therefore, once at the tip of the tongue, they can also cause its numbness, "freezing." For example, medications that relieve coughs and promote sputum production.
Allergy?
The red tip of the tongue and its subsequent numbness can also be signs of an allergic reaction. The reasons that cause the latter are quite a few:
- The individual components of food or drink.
- Taking medications.
- Housewares.
- Wool, saliva, urine of domestic animals.
- Toothpaste, chewing gum or other oral hygiene products, etc.
Accordingly, the symptom disappears on its own - with the elimination of the effects of the allergen on your body. Of course, you need to see a doctor - to determine the annoying substance, the appointment of drugs that stimulate your condition.
Serious reasons
If you see that the tip of the tongue is white, you feel numbness and other incomprehensible, disturbing symptoms, this is a reason for urgent seeking medical help. And precaution in this case will not be superfluous. After all, such a seemingly harmless manifestation, like numbness of the tongue or some part of it, can talk about the following serious diseases:
- Pathologies affecting the cervical spine.
- Thyroid disease.
- Diseases of the nervous system.
- Problems with the functioning of the digestive tract.
- A number of diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
- Diabetes.
Alarming symptom
If the tongue hurts at the tip, then in most cases this indicates its mechanical damage - you accidentally bit an organ. Eaten, drank too much burning product or drink. But numbness of the tongue without any reason may indicate a serious illness. So, this is one of the signs of an impending stroke or heart attack. Therefore, this manifestation is dangerous to ignore.
Symptom complex
If numbness of the tongue is accompanied by a number of other characteristic symptoms, this may indicate the following diseases:
- The defeat of the cardiovascular system. In addition, shortness of breath, chest pain, and heart rhythm disturbance appear.
- Pathology of the brain. Additionally, speech impairment is noted. It can speak of both a serious injury and a stroke.
- Multiple sclerosis. Numbness can “walk” over many parts of the body, including stopping at the tongue.
- Diabetes. Numbness here is caused by dry mucous membranes and diabetic neuropathy.
- Lyme disease. It is caused by a tick bite, it is characterized by a general disorder of nerve conduction, which can also be felt as numbness.
- Hypothyroidism The lack of hormones produced by the thyroid gland can also manifest itself as numbness, for example, part of the tongue.
- Tumors of the spinal cord and brain. Numbness can be felt from squeezing by a neoplasm of nerve endings that innervate this organ.
- Severe poisoning. For example, alcohol, heavy metals, food contaminated with potent toxins or drugs taken in too high a dosage.
Ambulance call
You need to call an ambulance if numbness of the tongue is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Turbidity or loss of consciousness.
- Distorted perception of the outside world, the appearance of hallucinations.
- Violation of the activity of the sphincters.
- Incoherent speech or inability to speak.
- A feeling of weakness or numbness on only one half of the body.
- Spontaneous, uncontrolled actions and movements.
- Impaired swallowing and breathing.
What needs to be done?
As with every incomprehensible state and sensation in the body, the surest way to solve the problem is to contact a medical institution. Go to your therapist. If the doctor has reason to suspect you have a serious disorder or illness, he will refer you to a comprehensive diagnosis. Also, tests for sensitivity to various allergens will be prescribed.
Be prepared to answer the following questions that the doctor may ask you:
- What medications have you taken recently? What dosage? What is the duration of treatment? Have you previously been found to have intolerance to them?
- What diseases did you suffer during the current year?
- What is your diet?
- What hygiene products do you use to care for your oral cavity?
- What is your daily routine?
Depending on the answers to these questions, additional procedures can be assigned: magnetic resonance imaging of both the cervical spine and the brain.
Based on the results of diagnostic tests, the therapist will redirect you to narrower specialists: a dentist, an allergist, an endocrinologist, a neurologist, etc.
Folk remedies for the problem
If the tip of the tongue is numb, what should I do? The most correct decision is to contact a medical professional. As you can see, there are many reasons for this condition, both completely harmless and pathological. Only a doctor can correctly determine what caused this unusual sensation in you.
If a visit to the doctor confirms that you have no health problems, but numbness of the tongue still continues to bother you, pay attention to these folk recipes:
- Dilute the solution: in a glass of water at room temperature - 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 3 drops of iodine.
- Prepare the infusion: 1 tbsp. spoon of sage, medicinal chamomile or oak bark pour boiling water. Allow the mass to brew, then strain it carefully.
- 1 teaspoon of St. John's wort herb and 1 teaspoon of celandine are diluted with one glass of boiling water. Allow the solution to brew for about half an hour, then strain it.
Use the proposed products to rinse the mouth at least 2-3 times a day. With their periodic use, unpleasant sensations in the language will stop.
A single numbness of the tongue, of course, can cause anxiety, discomfort, but, in fact, is not a serious symptom. Perhaps this is a reaction to a mint product, a refreshing toothpaste, tobacco, too hot or cold drink. But if the symptom constantly torments you, is accompanied by other serious manifestations (for example, a sore on the tip of the tongue), pain, deterioration of well-being, you need to make an urgent visit to the doctor. Serious pathologies can be hidden behind this phenomenon.