Tongue is cracked, red, burns and is painful

[becnbri]

After surgery about a year ago on my knee, I noticed that my tongue developed cracks in it.  I was told it was possibly due to the anestesia.  Since, then it has not gone away.  This has now gone to the roof of my mouth as well.  No doctor, even the specialist knows what it is.  He has me taking Predensone(?) dissolving on my tongue 3 times a day.  This does not seem to be helping either.  Does anyone know what this is.  Per my doctors, this in not geographic tongue.  It seems especially sore when eating acidy fruit or spicy seasonings.  What's wrong with me????

[silverfox67]

  Sodium Perborate (aka Vince's Mouthwash) comes to mind.  It is great as a rinse for all kinds of tongue and oral problems.  It also cures thrush.

Wishing you the best

[jframpt]

It all sounds to me like geographic tongue. Stress can flare it up. Eating pineapples especially or peanuts will make your tongue sore. Chewing spearmint gum helps or to put a piece of mint in your mouth will numb the pain. If you can stand the pain of mouthwash for a few minutes that may help. You can try to take vitamin b100 complex it helps somewhat.

[CJAny]

Dd you ever get a diagnosis for this issue or effective treatments?

[CJAny]

Did you get a diagnosis and/or any effective treatments?

[CJAny]

A related discussion, Continuing Discusion - undiagnosed painful cracks in tongue was started.

[MarB2]

I'm just now dealing with this, and I can't eat at this point!  The "imaginative" option I chose for the time being is to liquify everything before I eat it ...ever had a turkey burger with pesto & asiago and a serving of spinach in the form of thick soup?  I can't recommend it.  And I'm being both circumspect and polite.  =8-P.  I'm fascinated by the colic acid idea, but I think my next stop is a TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) doctor.  They know from tongues.  Also, remember that M.D.s are trained for acute care medicine, and if it isn't an acute situation they either wait until it is or pretend that it is.  It's not their fault that they're oblivious of their ignorance -there's been a lot of time and money devoted to marketing this care as primary and optimum.  It isn't, but there's always hope as long as you can find a health care expert that HAS been trained to work with the body instead of trying to whip it into shape.  The body is set up to heal itself; and we all just have to learn to give it what it needs to maintain that health, once achieved.  First stop is a Naturopath and a "knee-chest" Upper Cervicsl Specific Chiropractor.  It's worth every penny.  I'm feeling better already just having a logical direction to go ...and, in the meantime, I'm going to surrender to Orgain organic meal replacement shakes so I fon't have to best the burning on my tongue. (Don't drink Ensure - read the ingredients and you'll see why:  It's vile!)

[tippy5400]

A related discussion, FSC cigarettes playing havoc with my tongue was started.

[serenadia]

A related discussion, possible causes of severe cracks in tongue undiagnosed was started.

[Momo450]

I have had the same condition, it started a year ago after having my third child.  I first developed thrush with burning on tongue.  The thrush got better after anti fungal medicine but my tongue was still white, burning and looks unhealthy, dry.  

I went to my doc again, the blood tests he ordered came back normal and told me it should go away, it didn't so  I went to an ENT.  He told me it could be my stomach and to take anti reflux meds.  It did nothing.  My dentist said it was burning mouth syndrome or hormones and it should go away.

A year later and learning to live with it, after tea tree oils, all kinds of remedies.  I still have a very white, burning, dry, cracked sometimes yellow scummy tongue.

My next stop will be a gastic doc.  Why can't these docs find out what this is?  I keep my mouth very clean. I anyone has or had this problem, I would really appreciate any input so I can get my tongue back to normal or fix an underlying condition.

[ccmoore55]

I have also had these exact same symptoms for many years off and on. The symptoms have been constant the past year.  An orthodondist friend of mine recommended Lactinex.  This is an over the counter medicine that is kept in the refrigerator in the pharmacy.  I have found that the granuales work the very best.  All of my symptoms are 98pct gone!!!!  I really could not believe the cure was so simple, since in the past I had tried MANY other things.  
Hope this may help!

[katetikka]

it sounds like a nutritional defiency.
people often lose theyre bodys vitamins afte taking certain medications .
and when under stress.
i would say to everyone take a multivitamin with good doses of ALL b-vitaamins (prefrably 50mg+ ) and to take a good seperate dose of vitamin b-12 ,folic acid and iron .
and if need be ask your doctor for b12 defiency tests and maybe injections.

[heartthud]

I have a cracked tongue, and ridges on the side.  It's been this way for several years.  My doctor and an herbalist says it is a B12 deficiency.  I just started using 17 drops each morning under my tongue.  Does anyone know how long it takes to heal?  Thanks

[hmck]

I am a 33 year old female. I've had a geographic tongue since childhood and at some point in the past 10 years or so it changed over to a tongue with lots of deep cracks in it. It is very sensitive to some foods and the sensitivity varies by the day. I have never smoked, drank alcohol or done anything other drugs. I wasn't on medications except for prednisone for 5 days due to random hive outbreaks back in college and a low dose antibiotic when I was a teenager for acne. A dentist once prescribed me something to get rid of thrush, but it didn't work, because it isn't thrush. I had one episode where my entire mouth tasted metalic for about a week and it all became inflamed. The doc did a full blood panel test and everything showed normal.  He prescribed prilosec....what a joke.  It wasn't due to reflux.  He said probably a virus.  After that it went back to my normal cracked tongue. I have had the daily B6 shots....when I was pregnant...didn't help the tongue. Anybody have any other ideas???

[Beaglema]

I periodically get this tongue condition and have for the past 30 years.  First couple of times the crack was so deep it bled.  I do get it from a round of antibiotics & my doctor gives me diflucan which kills the thrush & the tongue does heal.  When not caused by thrush I take a mouthful of Mylanta II & soak my tongue it in to soothe & coat.  Then I swallow some to coat my stomach.  My doctor & I think that it's from GERD.  Although I'm not experiencing any reflux while awake we think it's happening while I sleep.  Acids from the stomach make sense.  I have it now & will consult the doctor if the Mylanta II does not do the trick.  Note: Prilosec & Nexium, for me, made my stomach & tongue worse.

[jacq221]

Correction to my previous comment.  Typo the 50 mgs of Folic should read
5 mg Folic

[jacq221]

Some comments from someone who has had a sore red tongue off and on over the last few years.
I take a high dose (100mg) multi vitamin each day.  When my tongue gets sore I add extra 100mgs of B2 and B6.  This used to do the trick.
Lately it hasn't and I have added Folic Acid which improved my tongue immediately (50mg) per day for some weeks.  NOw the sore red  tongue is back and after reading the above comments decided to try coconut oil to see if it is indeed some type of fungus.  Immediate result.  Tongue this morning is normal colour with no soreness.  Will keep posted on results.

[esmeraldaa]

I am 60 years old and developed this problem in May, 2008.  The symptoms are similar to many posts in this page:

- sores started at tip of tongue
- was prescribed an anti-biotic by a doctor, but worsened the problem
- sores advanced covering 1/3 of tongue
- cracks developed in the middle of tongue
-  strong burning sensation
- developed a metal taste in mouth

After mentioning this to an Indian friend of mine, she recommended using pure salt (i.e. the salt granules, not diluted in water).  In just two weeks I have improved dramatically; the sores and cracks have disappeared!  The burning sensation still remains, but is much more tolerable; it is about 70% gone.

What I do is cover the entire surface of my tongue with salt and keep it there 3 - 4 minutes then rinse with water.  Do this 2 times per day.  You will feel a strong burning sensation for about 30 minutes after each treatment, but DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED!  After two weeks, the burning sensation is much less and the sores and cracks have gone.

Also, my doctor has prescribed me an antacid, 20 mg Omeprazole, for the metal taste and cramps.  This medication is used to prevent acid buildup in the stomach.   This was prescribed to control the metal taste.  I have been using this medication for 3 days and it has definitely helped.

I hope this helps some of you, please report back!

[deedoee]

This is a common symptom of pernicious anemia, which is fatal if not diagnosed correctly.  Treatment if vitamin B-12 supplementation, starting first with frequent vitamin b shots.  A person can have this conditon for many years (10 or more yrs.) before finally showing up on a blood test=low rbc (red blood cell), low hematocrit, low hemaglobin, high MCH or MCV.  Takes years before showing any abnormalities in these tests, however, can show early in the test for methymalonic acid (MMA) and homocysteine (effects on the heart).  This is an early indicator of b-12 deficiency (this type of deficiency is called pernicious anemia) and the test is for the tissues, an early marker before finally showing up in the blood.  Anyone taking Prilosec (and some other acid-reducers) are at a high risk for PA due to the stomach's intrinsec factor (cells in the stomach's lining & acid production) being damaged/inhibited.  Studies have shown b-12 deficiencies in those taking Prilosec, etc., as early as 2 mos. of continuation of this type of drug/acid-reducer/s.  Hope this helps.  One other thing, if you are presently taking b-12 supplements it will mess up the results of these tests (any & all of these tests).  Should go off b-12 for at least one month prior to testing & inform your doctor of such.

[cheryl956]

I had my tonsils removed (at age 52) a couple weeks ago.  Immediately after surgery, my complaint was how much my tongue hurt. My ENT Doc said that it probably was between the plate that they put in your mouth and my teeth (I bit it). It has not gotten better, and I noticed deep cracks in it - going right down the center.  Initially it felt like it was asleep and tingled, then it got really painful, now, although it isn't as painful, it does hurt most of the time. but especially when I eat spicy or acidic.

[Amandamarie25]

I had something diagnosed 9 years ago.  It is called oral lichen planus.  There is a white film which is on my tongue, gums and cheeks.  My tongue will get swollen, painful and cracks in it at times.  

For years we thought it was thrush because I was treated with prednisone. Saw many doctors and then finally one ENT diagnosed and had a biopsy to confirm.

[becky611]

I'm trying to help my pregnant sister in law with the same condition by doing some research - I guessed it was a vitamin deficiency when she first asked me. My mum and I sometimes suffer with sore and cracked tongue during times of intense stress or worry but it normally corrects itself. I've just found this if it helps anyone?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_tongue

[alfiesmum129]

I have had this problem since stopping smoking 7 months ago, mouth ulcers, burning painful tongue, esspecially the tip. cracked and sore most of the time. i get some relief by dabbing the affected areas with propolis available from health food shops.  it can be dilluted and gargled, or used neat. I lost my dad at the same time and bacame very run down, so it could be stress related, BUT IT WONT GO AWAY! IT IS SO ANNOYING.


Kim

[basketpam]

On BBC America there is this show called You Are What You Eat. The host of that show has had several people she is helping developed a cracked-type tongue.  She usually works with very obese people.  She has said to her people it is due to diet and a lack of essential vitamins and minerals.  What they are I can't remember but I just started with this problem and am researching the issue which is how I found this site.  I have been extremely ill with several illnesses and must admit my nutrition has been poor so this may be the answer.  If I can find out what is lacking in my diet and this works I will post the answer.  

[AmieM]

Hello. I have a tingling/numb tongue, mainly the tip which is red, for over two months.
I finally saw a doctor who knew right away that it was a fungus cured with anti-fungus medicine called Triflucan by Pfizer (active ingredient Fluconazole).
Dentists can detect it as well. She told me it is due to a change in my digestive system and is not contagious but that my overall balance has changed in my saliva and this sometimes causes a fungus. It can also happen if you are on anti-biotics. So, for any of you who have had this sensation of a burned tongue that is not going away, it is worth seeing a doctor or dentist.