Diagnostics | Pain on the tongue

Diagnostics

In case of uncertainty or symptoms that do not subside, a visit to the doctor is advisable in any case. Procrastinating can make the situation worse and a serious illness remains undetected. A possible infection could spread, swallowing could become increasingly difficult, the pain could become chronic or respiratory distress could occur.

Often the first port of call is a dentist, as many suspect a problem with the teeth or with a dental prosthesis. However, the causes listed above show that the cause can be quite different. The treating dentist or family doctor examines the oral cavity and analyses possible previous illnesses and the general course of the disease.

A wide range of anamnesis (medical history) is necessary, since many factors, from psychological factors to skin diseases, must be taken into consideration. A swab of the tongue can show a fungal infection, or an allergy test can show possible intolerances. A referral to a specialist is normal in this case.

Therapy

In case of a slight inflammation of the tongue, the therapy is not very difficult if there is no major disease behind it. The pain can be relieved by drinking sage tea or rinsing with a saline solution. If a fungal infection has been diagnosed, an antimycotic is administered, or the appropriate antibiotic to fight bacteria.

Yoghurt is said to be suitable as a household remedy, which should have a soothing effect on a painful tongue. With a psychological problem the visiting of a therapist is surely advisable, which discusses however the treating physician in detail. Once the cause of the tongue pain has been found, it should disappear quickly after starting the appropriate treatment.

The structure of the tongue

The tongue (lat. lingua) is made up of different muscles and is divided into three sections. These are the root of the tongue (Radix linguae), the body of the tongue (Corpus linguae) and the tip of the tongue (Apex linguae).

The smooth lower surface of the tongue body is fused with the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth via a frenulum linguae. The tongue is divided into a right and left half by a groove (sulcus medianus).This runs backwards until another furrow (sulcus terminalis) divides the body from the root. The muscle body consists of inner (for self-deformation) and outer tongue muscles (for freedom of movement).

Tongue papillae and glands are located on the mucous membrane of the back of the tongue. Some of the different papillae are responsible for the sense of taste, while others are more responsible for the sensation of warmth or for an enlargement effect when we scan structures with the tongue, such as when eating. The tongue is supplied by branches of the lingual artery and branches of cranial nerves. In addition to the various sensations, the tongue’s task is to participate in the formation of sounds or to support the immune system.