Annnd now I’m getting another sore on my top left gum. Red irritated gum and small sore... while I still have one inside my bottom lip that hasn’t healed.. I really don’t know my next step.. been to the docs so many times don’t even know if it’s worth going back. It’s humiliating...
The face rash is called a "butter fly rash" because it looks like a giant butterfly. The wings are your cheeks, and usually, the nose is also involved but not always. Looks like a butterfly.
Has anyone suggested Lupus to you? I went through your profile - you've complained of testicular pain and numbness. That symptom, as well as very frequent mouth ulcers, are common symptoms of Lupus.
And for some odd reason I’m starting to believe it’s EBV I’ve never been diagnosed but if the ENT doc thinks it’s in the “herpes” family and I’ve tested negative for hsv1 and 2 (a few times within 1 year and a half) Did some research and found some similarities of symptoms (mouth ulcers, headaches, at times difficulty swallowing, minor fevers, etc) is there even a EBV test? Even though they said there’s nothing else they can test me for?
Hate stressing about this but for how long this has been happening, how much more painful they get every month, and how frequent they are coming out kinda freaking me out :(
Just wanted to keep everyone updated ENT prescribes cyclovir antiviral suspects this to be in the “herpes” family. Though I tested negative plenty of times didn’t really work. As soon as my last one healed I got one right after(currently on my bottom inner lip circular) which is a new spot than usual.. has anyone else dealt with this?? The doctors and specialist seem to not know what’s going on and it looks like they’re blindly treating me. Did a auto immune blood test everything was normal as well. Amman’s these visits are really hurting my pocket for the docs just to aim blindly. He said there’s no more tests they can do..
First off, check to see if your closest university hospital offers a Yul Bryner day-he was an actor (The King and I) who died from ENT cancer. Each year my local university hospital holds a free Otolaryngology (Ear Nose and Throat) clinic for the public-no treatment but they will examine you and discuss with you in a way they don't when you are a real patient, lol. Free to be me? :-)
So I went because I kept getting teeny tiny white 'seeds' in my mouth and I could pinch them and the resultant paste smelled putrid. Additionally I then developed a white 'tract' going down from the gum line on the back tooth which had already had a root canal/crown. I saw the Oto Fellow who said the white seeds were called tonsilloths, and her Staff surgeon came in and said the gum tract was a 'fairia' --I think variae is how it is spelled?
I immediately went to Walmart lol to study the toothpastes and mouthwashes. I purchased Colgate TOTAL Advanced Whitening toothpaste (look for the little picture of WHITE paste.) Secondly, I purchased Cool Mint (blue) Listerine. Between the two and increased flossing both of my problems disappeared. I brush once in the morning and once before bedtime (and only drink diet soda.) Years later my dentist (also at the university) said that is the toothpaste she uses.
Interesting side note-if you have been exposed to someone else's cough/sneeze/hands, wet a paper towel with Listerine and wipe out your nostrils, and also pop a Cold-EZE zinc lozenge in your mouth. I keep a few lozenges in the car during cold and flu season because of all the sick people in Walmart. It has decreased the frequency with which I catch other people's viruses.
Hello~I am so sorry you are hurting like this and not getting any helpful responses from your PCP's. Maybe you should ask your dentist, sometimes they can diagnose things that other doctors can't.
I use to get canker sores when I was in my teens, they were always correlated with stress, and man, did they hurt. Here are some tips that I have heard that have helped others:
Use toothpaste and mouthwash that does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate. Another home remedy is to mix milk of magnesia with Benadryl liquid and use as a mouth rinse. You can also dab milk of magnesia directly onto the canker sore with a cotton swab. Rinse your mouth with a salt water or baking soda rinse.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is touted as a cure for almost everything, including canker sores. It's thought that the acid in ACV helps kill bacteria that irritate the sore. ... Combine 1 teaspoon of ACV and 1 cup of water. Swish this mixture around your mouth for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be sure to use the pure form, the one with the "mother" in it. I drink two tablespoons in 8 ounces of water twice day, this keeps my blood sugar normal and also helps with weight and general health.
Try lidocaine on it you just dab it on the sore. dulls the pain and helps heal it too.
Hydrogen Peroxide
1.Dilute one part hydrogen peroxide with two parts water (it can also be half and half).
2.Rinse your mouth with the mixture three times a day. This remedy can be uncomfortable, but it works.
Some people choose to use a swab to apply the mixture directly on the sore. It may burn a little, but it’s really effective.
Saltwater
This remedy can cause some irritation, but it works.
Ingredients
•1 cup water
•1 handful coarse salt
Directions
1.Boil the water with the salt until dissolved.
2.Allow to cool and use it to rinse your mouth at least 3 times a day.
Aloe Vera
Both safe and effective, the many properties of aloe vera make it a useful plant to keep at home. This remedy soothes and reduces pain instantly. It also helps control infection.
1.In this case, to treat canker sores, you’ll need a stalk of aloe vera cut in half along the long edge.
2.Apply directly to the ulcer and let it work for a few minutes.
Brewer’s Yeast
THIS IS MY FAVORITE
This is an excellent remedy to treat canker sores as it reduces the amount of bacteria in the mouth.
Ingredients
•1 tablespoon brewer’s yeast
•A little water
Directions
1.Mix both ingredients to form a paste.
2.Dry the affected area and apply.
3.Let work for as long as possible, then rinse with warm water.
Grapefruit seeds
Grapefruit is a fruit with great antiseptic properties that are effective against sores. You can find the extract in health food stores or you can use the seeds directly.
Ingredients
•A handful of grapefruit seeds
•1 cup water
Directions
1.Make an infusion with both ingredients and let cool, then strain and drink.
2.Repeat several times daily.
If you chose the extract, the dosage is 6 drops per ½ cup warm water.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has been used as a remedy for thousands of years due to its many beneficial properties, above all its ability to fight viruses and bacteria.
Ingredients
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1 cup warm water
Directions
1.Dissolve the baking soda in the water and use as a mouth rinse, keeping the solution in your mouth for as long as possible.
2.Repeat several times a day.
Hi, what stands out to me is the possibly cyclic nature.
"it lasts 2 weeks usually then goes away but then the following month it comes back"
I would keep a log of start and stop times - and also try to reconstruct past events, if you think you can recall that very accurately. If it is truly cyclic and not just sporadic, that is a good clue that can narrow down possibilities.
Take a look here at 'cyclic neutropenia'. Some symptoms (mouth sores, gum inflammation...) match, though it's not a perfect match. It does illustrate the concept of a cyclic immune condition:
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/cyclic-neutropenia#definition
You might have something similar. If it was something usual, your docs would have solved this by now. So I'd think that you have to look at rare conditions.
That particular periodic syndrome has a genetic cause.
Have you had CBCs during outbreaks? Can you post them?
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If it's not cyclic, then you'd want to look at possible sporadic environmental exposures.
I am so sorry to hear that you have this awful condition. An elderly friend of mine has the same thing, and has suffered from a large ulcer on her tongue for four months now. She has been to every specialist but only just found something that is reducing the size. An ENT doc. gave her an anti-viral med. and it seems to be working. it seems that these ulcers are very often the result of stress. Good luck.
Oh and check to see if it may be a tonsil stone. That's a different thing altogether.
What did your doctor say about them?
Canker sores are also called apthous ulcers, and can recur. There are some things that can cause them to recur. This is a fairly technical article - https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/867080-overview - but gives some good info on it.
Some things that can contribute to it -
Stress
Trauma (biting your mouth)
Hormones
Quitting smoking
Food allergies
They are seen sometimes in -
People who are deficient in iron, vitamin B, or folic acid
People who have malabsorption disorders - these are digestive disorders, like celiac disease, chron's disease, etc
People with immune deficiencies
Some medications, like NSAIDs (anti-inflammatories, like aspirin, iburprofen, advil)
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): This is a detergent in some oral healthcare products that may aggravate or produce oral ulceration. - since you are using more mouthwash and brushing your teeth more, check your products. You may be aggravating it more on accident.
Continue to follow up with your doctor. Hope you feel better soon!