Vitamin deficiency as a cause of numbness in the mouth
Vitamins B12 and B9 help maintain a healthy nervous system. Because of this, people who are deficient in any of these vitamins may experience neurological symptoms such as tingling in the mouth or numbness.
These symptoms can appear in various parts of the body, including the mouth.
Other possible symptoms of vitamin B12 or B9 deficiency include:
- mouth ulcers
- sore, red tongue
- depression
- memory problems
- problems with understanding and judgment
Treatment
To treat vitamin B12 or B9 deficiency, your doctor may prescribe the required vitamin in the form of tablets or injections.
What is dystonia?
Dystonia of the tongue muscles causes involuntary movements of the tongue and uncontrolled mobility of structures adjacent to the tongue, which can lead to problems with chewing food and articulating sounds. As experts note, this may result in weight loss and loss of the ability to speak. In particularly severe cases, for example, when a patient may suddenly choke on food, tongue dystonia can provoke the development of more serious health problems.
According to observations, musicians who play wind instruments are more susceptible to spasms of the mouth muscles.
Calcium deficiency as a cause of numbness in the mouth
Hypocalcemia is the medical term for low calcium levels. This condition can cause numbness around the mouth. Other symptoms may include seizures, muscle spasms.
Hypocalcemia can result from the following reasons:
- low vitamin D levels
- thyroid diseases
- some congenital disorders
Treatment
To treat hypocalcemia, your doctor will first need to determine the cause. They may then offer one of the following options:
- calcium supplement
- vitamin D supplement
Oral allergy syndrome
Oral allergy syndrome, or pollen food syndrome, is a condition that primarily affects people with hay fever.
In oral allergy syndrome, consumption of certain raw foods causes a localized allergic reaction affecting the mouth or throat. This is because the proteins in these foods are similar to the proteins in pollen, which people are allergic to.
Some possible symptoms of oral allergy syndrome include:
- numbness or irritation in the mouth
- hives in the mouth
- scratchy sore throat
Treatment
The best way to manage oral allergy syndrome is to cook raw foods that cause an allergic reaction. Cooking destroys allergens.
If preparing a particular food is impractical or undesirable, a person should avoid eating it altogether.
Why does my tongue go numb?
The following reasons are typical for loss of sensitivity:
- chemical burn;
- thermal burn;
- mechanical damage to the organ;
- tooth extraction (most often a wisdom tooth);
- local allergic reaction;
- use of unsuitable toothpastes and rinses;
- age-related changes in women;
- pregnancy.
Very often, the cause of tongue numbness is tobacco smoking, which negatively affects the nerve endings in the mouth. Source: flickr (Stepan Nesmiyan).
Burning mouth syndrome
Burning mouth syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, tingling, or burning in the mouth. It can also change your taste perception. Symptoms may occur daily for several months or longer.
There are two types of burning mouth syndrome: primary and secondary.
Primary burning mouth syndrome occurs in the absence of an underlying medical condition, while secondary burning mouth syndrome occurs as a result of an underlying medical condition, such as:
- nutritional deficiency
- mouth infection
- dry mouth
- hormonal change
- metabolic disease
- food allergy
Treatment
A person suffering from burning mouth syndrome may need medications to treat symptoms such as pain and dry mouth.
If a person has secondary burning mouth syndrome, treating the underlying cause should help relieve symptoms.
Homeopathic treatment
If any symptoms arise that have not appeared before or are not characteristic of a healthy person, you should consult a neurologist, dentist, or endocrinologist.
Source: flickr (Alan Dep). Homeopathic treatment should be started after a correct diagnosis has been made. It is important to remember that numbness of the tongue is just a symptom that indicates a disease. Homeopathic treatment is prescribed based on many factors:
- psycho-emotional state,
- the patient's appearance,
- reactions of his body,
- what symptoms accompany the disease.
When appointing, his constitutional type is taken into account. Homeopathy treats not the disease, but the person - this is one of its basic principles.
Moreover, even with the same diagnosis, each patient is prescribed an individual drug. This individual approach ensures the effectiveness of treatment. Homeopathy can be used in complex treatment as an auxiliary method.
The following medications are intended for the treatment of anxiety disorders, VSD, and increased nervous excitability:
- Nervoheel is a composite homeopathic drug that acts as a sedative, usually used as part of complex therapy, as an additional remedy for alopathic drug therapy. The drug helps with seizures and depression.
- Barita carbonicum (Barium carbonicum) is a drug that is equally suitable for the elderly and adolescents. Can help people suffering from nervous disorders and circulatory disorders.
For osteochondrosis:
- Strontiana carbonica - used for cervical osteochondrosis, which can cause numbness of the tongue.
- Traumeel S is a composite homeopathic medicine for diseases of bones and joints, osteochondrosis and neuralgia.
As a symptomatic drug:
- Natrium muraticum - prescribed for tingling in the tongue, lips and nose.
- Cocculus indicus - for numbness of the face and tongue as well.
- Rheum palmatum - numbness of the tongue.
- Gwako (Micania guaco) - tongue paresis.
- Laurocerasus (Laurocerasus officinalis) - “wooden” tongue. A burning sensation in the tongue when the tongue feels cold.
Tongue nerve damage
The lingual nerve provides sensation to:
- gums
- floor of mouth
- anterior two thirds of the tongue
People can sometimes suffer damage to the lingual nerve during a dental procedure. This damage can lead to numbness in the mouth.
Treatment
Most people with lingual nerve damage find that the condition goes away without treatment within about 3 months.
However, a 2021 study found that early treatment of lingual nerve injury with the steroid dexamethasone helped reduce nerve inflammation and help the lingual nerve heal.
Bilateral and unilateral numbness
When the glossopharyngeal nerve is damaged, the root of the tongue becomes numb or sensation loss occurs on one side of the organ. In addition, salivation will be impaired, pain will appear in the ear, oral organs, and tonsils. Nerve damage, in turn, is caused by injuries, infections, and tumors.
Loss of sensitivity on the sides of the organ or only on one side may indicate osteochondrosis, which means that a nerve has been compressed in the cervical spine. Other possible reasons include:
- laryngeal cancer;
- touching a nerve during tooth extraction or other operations in the oral cavity;
- laryngeal carcinoma.
Psychogenic disorders also provoke paresthesia on both sides of the tongue. This alarming condition can be accompanied by several symptoms:
- sweating;
- dizziness;
- discomfort in the solar plexus area.
Diabetes as a cause of numbness in the mouth
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition that requires a person to carefully monitor their blood glucose (sugar) levels.
People with diabetes may experience a condition called hypoglycemia, in which blood glucose levels drop too low. This may cause numbness or tingling of the lips or tongue. Other possible symptoms of hypoglycemia include:
- anxiety
- trembling
- headache
- poor concentration
- strange behavior
- disturbance of consciousness
Treatment
Treatment for diabetes depends in part on the type of diabetes a person has. People with type 1 diabetes will need insulin injections to help control their blood glucose levels.
People with type 2 diabetes may also need insulin or other medications to control their blood glucose levels. However, some can manage their blood glucose levels through diet and exercise.
Which doctor should I contact?
If your tongue becomes numb, you should consult a dentist, family doctor or therapist. Once diagnosed, treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause of paresthesia. You may need help with this:
- cardiologist
- gastroenterologist
- surgeon
- endocrinologist
- neurologist
Further therapy depends on the diagnosis and doctor's prescription. It may include taking vitamins, medications, physiotherapy, massage, or surgery.
Multiple sclerosis as a cause of numbness in the mouth
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system. In multiple sclerosis, the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects nerve cells degrades. This can cause problems with sensation.
A feeling of numbness or pins and needles is a common symptom of MS.
Treatment
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, there are currently no treatments available to relieve the numbness or tingling associated with MS, however, they add that these sensations usually come and go, and your doctor may prescribe a short course of corticosteroids to speed recovery.
The tip of the tongue goes numb
If the tip of the tongue goes numb after eating, this may indicate an allergic reaction; if a larger area of the organ is affected, then this may be glossalgia, which is a functional disorder. It often manifests itself due to disorders in the autonomic nervous system.
Infectious, vascular diseases of a systemic nature can lead to loss of sensitivity. It is very important to determine what caused it in order, firstly, to carry out therapy correctly, and secondly, to block a possible serious disease at an early stage.
Oral cancer as a cause of numbness in the mouth
According to the Cancer Society, numbness in the mouth or tongue can sometimes be a symptom of oral cancer.
Some other possible symptoms of oral cancer include:
- mouth sore that won't heal
- a white or red spot in the mouth or on the gums, tongue, or tonsils
- lump or mass on the neck or cheek
- difficulty chewing or swallowing
- weight loss
Treatment
Treatment for oral cancer depends on the type of cancer a person has, as well as its stage.
In general, the first treatment for oral cancer is surgery to remove the tumor. This is usually followed by a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy to help destroy any remaining cancer cells.
What sensations may accompany
Depending on the factor that caused this combination of symptoms, impaired sensitivity of the organ is manifested by either mild tingling or absolute numbness. Partial or complete loss of taste is often observed. Sensitivity loss can affect the root, tip, half of the tongue, or the whole tongue. Sometimes unpleasant sensations spread to the lips, gums, cheeks, neck, and arms. The head may not only feel dizzy, but also hurt, and in some cases the condition is aggravated by nausea and vomiting.
Side effects of medications as a cause of numbness in the mouth
Some medications and medical procedures can also cause numbness in the mouth or jaw. Examples include:
- osteoporosis medicine Alendronate
- some chemotherapy drugs
- Radiation therapy to the head or neck
- surgical procedures of the mouth, head or neck
Treatment
People who experience numbness in the mouth while taking a certain medication should notify their doctor. If possible, your doctor may recommend changing the dosage of the drug or switching to a different drug entirely.
Bottom line
Paresthesia of the tongue and dizziness do not always signal the presence of pathology. Anxiety symptoms can be caused by stress, medications, or anesthesia. Poor circulation and curvature of the spine are accompanied by similar symptoms. However, it is not recommended to independently find out the cause of discomfort and try to eliminate it. Such symptoms are possible in a number of serious illnesses, the presence of which a person may not even suspect. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and start treatment of the disease on time, if any.
Diagnosis of numbness in the mouth
Because there are many potential causes of numbness in the mouth, diagnosing the cause may take time and a number of different approaches. The doctor will start by asking about the person's symptoms and reviewing their medical history. Then he will conduct a thorough examination of the oral cavity.
To help make a diagnosis, your doctor may also order one or more of the following tests:
- tests
- allergy tests
- tissue biopsy
- neurological examination
- medical imaging tests
What causes the tongue to go numb and tingling, and what is the danger of the symptom?
Many people often prefer to ignore certain symptoms, hoping that they will soon go away on their own. Unfortunately, it is precisely this kind of negligence that often leads to serious health problems, but they could have been avoided simply by consulting a doctor in time. One of these seemingly minor deviations is numbness of the tongue. The reason for this may be a banal microtrauma of the organ, but there is always a risk that this is a signal of serious disturbances in the functioning of the internal organs. Today we will find out why the tongue becomes numb, what reasons may contribute to this, and what to do in such a situation.
Why can the tongue become numb?
