The phrase “geographical language” will seem strange and incomprehensible to some, but will cause laughter in others. Indeed, pictures in the brain appear very entertaining. But in fact, such a name has nothing to do with the subject of geography, either with linguistics, or with food ... So what does this mean - “geographical language”?
What are we talking about
Geographic language is nothing more than the name of a particular disease, or rather it will even say pathology, language. As a result of this pathology, the tongue begins to peel off, its surface can peel off. This is due to malnutrition of its tissues. Because of this, various kinds of inflammation appear on its upper layer (it is called the epithelium), and outwardly the tongue begins to resemble a geographical map with oceans and various continents.
It is for this reason that this unpleasant disease received such an unusual, original name. However, he also has another name - a more scientific, official one. Desquamative glossitis - this is how doctors determine this pathology. Not everyone is able to remember and pronounce such a thing, which is why the vast majority uses the phrase “geographical language”.
In other words, the so-called changes in the mucosa, which are visible, so to speak, with the naked eye. Most often, children are affected by this disease, and the pathology progresses very quickly, the foci of the disease and all new “drawings on the map” arise at an incredible speed. Adults suffer from this scourge much less often, while the male part of the population is least affected.
It's important to know
Before speaking about the causes of the appearance of such an ailment as the “geographical language” disease, its symptoms, methods of treatment and prevention, it is necessary to mention one simple, but at the same time very important thing. If suddenly this pathology touched someone, you do not need to beat the bell and panic. Desquamative glossitis, although it does not look too pleasant, does not threaten the life or health of its “master" in any way. And often - it doesn’t even bother, it does not cause any inconvenience.
It happens that a disease stays with a person for life, not giving in to treatment (how and what exactly to treat will be described in more detail below) - this often happens especially in cases where the pathology is congenital. It can only remind itself of itself during the period of exacerbation, while the rest of the time, a person usually lives without noticing his sore. The same applies to situations where the geographical language takes on a chronic form - then it is almost impossible to get rid of it. However, it is completely permissible not to bring to a chronic stage. And how - described below.
Causes of occurrence
So what are the causes of a geographic language? First of all, it is important to understand: if the disease is not congenital, then it appears solely as a result of any other processes occurring in the body. Thus, geographical language is the result of other diseases, their reflection.
And the list of such ailments is extremely extensive and impressive. For example, glossitis can occur due to a lack of vitamins or due to a violation in their metabolism. This applies primarily to B vitamins. Impaired vitamin metabolism can lead to nervous and digestive disorders, inflammation of the lips, anemia, ulcers, gastritis and the like. And all the aforementioned ailments cause the appearance of a geographical language.
Especially reflected in the tongue is everything that happens in the stomach. A person’s geographical language very often arises from pancreatitis, hepatitis, arthritis, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Surprisingly, glossitis is also a consequence of viral diseases, of course, this applies mainly to small inhabitants of the planet. So do not be surprised to pick up a geographical language after the most common cold, or even during it.
This disease is also a familiar good companion for any diseases of the blood or thyroid gland. The causes of a geographical language can easily be diathesis, liver problems, and vegetative ailments. In addition, heredity should not be discounted - it also plays an important role in the possible development of pathology.
Lovers just grabbing pills and drinking a course of antibiotics need to remember that glossitis can be a reaction precisely to a long-term treatment with medications. In some cases, it is not possible to avoid the occurrence of an ailment as a result of past severe shocks, nervous overloads and stresses.
Symptoms of the disease
How to recognize the appearance of a geographical language in yourself or your child? As a rule, and this has already been mentioned above, glossitis does not cause pain or inconvenience to its owner, and therefore it is often noticed only by specialists when examining the oral cavity - for example, dentists in dental treatment. In addition, external signs are mainly localized either on the lateral or on the back surface of the tongue, respectively, to see that something is wrong is much more difficult.
It is necessary to pay close attention to your tongue, and therefore to your health, if unknown spots of irregular shape suddenly appear on this very strong human muscle. They can be absolutely any shades - white, gray-white, gray, pink and so on. In addition, when eating some food (usually hot, spicy, salty), itching, burning are permissible, and the sensitivity of the tongue can either increase or decrease. All these are signs of glossitis, which eloquently indicate that not everything is in order in the body and it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor in order to eliminate possible diseases on the root.
The symptoms listed above are not the only signs of a geographic language. A rough tongue with a peeling surface, and thickenings of red color that appeared on it indicate this pathology. The red geographical tongue, as a rule, has a white rim that stands out on the muscle.
It is characteristic that the “map of the area” of spots in the language can constantly change. Today the picture is one, tomorrow is another. This is an interesting feature of the disease. It is worth emphasizing once again - most patients do not pay the slightest attention to all these signs. That is why the geographical language of an adult is not at all uncommon. But children are often interested in what is in their mouth, and therefore it is possible to quickly detect the presence of this disease in them.
Types of geographical language
There are three forms of glossitis. The lightest of them, at the initial stage, is called superficial. The upper layer of the epithelium is not completely damaged yet, there are only slight itching and small bright red spots. This kind of disease is quite treatable.
The next stage of the geographical language is hyperplastic. The spots on the tongue are no longer just red, but with a slight shade of white or yellow plaque. By touch, the surface of such spots is much denser than the rest of the tongue. This form can cause a person discomfort and even pain.
The last and most difficult stage is called lichenoid. This is the most advanced form of pathology, in which there is a very high sensitivity of the tongue. Characteristic for such cases is the presence of severe burning, and the constant movement of spots, and sharp sharp pain, even just during a conversation. Bringing the disease to this form is, of course, highly discouraged.
Geographic language in a child
As already mentioned, children suffer from this scourge more often than adults. More often - because they are often born already with this disease. But if the disease is not congenital, what contributes to the appearance of a geographic language in a child?
In general, in many respects, everything is the same as in adults: liver diseases, vitamin metabolism disorders, gastrointestinal problems, colds ... Pancreas and spleen, vitamin deficiency and vegetation, thyroid gland and anemia - all this and much more can trigger the appearance of glossitis in the baby. In addition, there are other things, as a result of which crumbs can undergo this ailment. In girls, a geographical language often appears before the first menstruation or directly during it.
Children often suffer from worms, giardia, and other “worms,” which can also cause glossitis. And in the smallest newborn peanuts, a geographic language appears - not necessarily, of course - when the teeth are cut. In this case, the surface of the tongue is irritated, spots appear on it, but do not panic - as soon as the teeth come out, glossitis passes. The only thing that parents need to carefully monitor in this situation is that no infection gets into the baby’s mouth, otherwise glossitis will progress, and then it will become much more difficult to get rid of it.
Diagnostics
Diagnosing the presence of a geographical language is not at all difficult. First of all, an examination of the oral cavity is necessary, in addition, complaints of the patient and his anamnesis will help to complete the picture. Most likely, you will need to consult a dentist and a gastroenterologist to confirm or exclude the presence of diseases of their profile. For a final diagnosis, you will need to take tests of urine, feces and blood. This applies to both adults and children. In the latter, diagnosis is carried out in all cases, with the exception of puberty in girls and teething in babies.
Pathology treatment
So, a geographical language has appeared - what to do? First of all, remember that it is not fatal and does not affect life and health. The second is to think about treatment. If you know the reason why glossitis appeared in your mouth, you should deal with its elimination - it is more than likely that after its disappearance the geographical language will also disappear.
Glossitis itself does not have a special treatment technique. But the following measures will be effective, in addition to eliminating the underlying disease: absolute cessation of smoking, regular oral hygiene (preferably recommended by a doctor), dietary review (it is best to completely remove everything too salty, spicy, sour, and also not take very hot or very cold food). It is also necessary to take vitamins, it will be useful to rinse your mouth, it is possible to use painkillers.
However, no treatment of the geographical language is required if, as mentioned above, glossitis in the baby occurs during teething or if the girl is puberty.
As for drugs, there is often no need to take them - only if you need to drink them to get rid of the underlying disease. In addition, in order to avoid allergies, the doctor may prescribe special medications, and also if an infection gets into the wounds on the tongue, you will need to take antibiotics. If glossitis causes pain, let's take painkillers or you can make special baths for the tongue in vegetable oil. For this, the oil is boiled for twenty minutes, then it cools and is applied to the surface of the tongue with the help of a cotton pad. After about fifteen minutes, the oil can be washed off.
The use of folk remedies
Traditional methods for many to this day remain the most popular and credible in any disease. To alleviate the symptoms of glossitis, you can resort to a decoction of calendula - you need to pour the plant with boiling water, boil it for fifteen minutes in a water bath, strain it, and then rinse your mouth at least five times a day. It is also acceptable to use oak broth or a mixture of oak bark, chamomile and sage. Do not forget about honey - it is recommended to dissolve it in the mouth.
You can rinse the cavity with potato-carrot juice or a solution of soda with three drops of iodine. Tea tree oil, which can lubricate sore spots, also has a good effect. It is only necessary to purchase not one hundred percent, but ten percent oil - otherwise there is a great chance to burn your entire mucous membrane.
Preventative measures
To avoid the emergence of a geographical language, you need to follow simple rules. First, eat right - in the diet should be meat, and vegetables, and fruits, and milk. Secondly, to give up alcohol and cigarettes, and thirdly - to take vitamins. Fourth, be sure to brush your teeth, and fifthly, immediately consult a doctor at the slightest suspicion of any disease. Let them consider you better paranoid than later you have to spend time, money, and most importantly - nerves, to restore health. And yet - and this applies primarily to babies - you should definitely rinse your mouth with herbal preparations. This will eliminate dry mouth and prevent the development of possible infections.
A healthy lifestyle and following the simple above recommendations will help to avoid the appearance of many diseases. Including glossitis. Be healthy!