Part of the tongue is numb. Tongue goes numb: what does it mean, causes, treatment

Table of contents [Show]

A condition in which a certain part of the tongue or the entire organ loses sensitivity is called paresthesia. There are many reasons why the tip, middle or root of the tongue becomes numb. Among them are both the impact of external factors and serious diseases that require immediate medical intervention.

The main reasons that provoke numbness of the tongue include Negative influence external factors and diseases, one of the symptoms of which is paresthesia. To external factors include: excessive smoking, allergic reactions to foods and medicines, injuries, injuries, burns, intoxication.

The tongue becomes numb with the following diseases:

  • A decrease in the sensitivity of the tongue may mean that a person has malignant tumors in the larynx, in the brain. This condition in neoplasms is not the main symptom, paresthesia accompanies severe headaches (in the case of brain cancer), nausea, low temperature and pressure. Oncological diseases of the larynx, in addition to numbness, are manifested by sore throat (as in ARVI), a violation of the sensitivity of the palate, discomfort and difficulty in swallowing.
  • The tongue may become numb due to an incipient stroke or heart attack. In this condition, paresthesia of the hands, tongue and lips is one of the main symptoms. Additional symptoms include acute headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

  • Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can cause impaired mobility, damage and numbness of the nerve endings of the tongue. With osteochondrosis, the head may hurt and feel dizzy.
  • Violation of the psycho-emotional background. Severe stress, deep depressive states can provoke severe headaches, impaired sensitivity of the face, lips, mucous membranes oral cavity. Psycho-emotional disorders are the cause of migraine with aura - a disease in which the head hurts a lot and the work of the sense organs is disrupted.
  • If the tip of the tongue numbs and hurts, there is a burning sensation, tingling, then the person has started glossalgia or glossitis.

The manifestation of different forms of glossitis of the language

The tongue may lose sensation partially or completely. It is necessary to pay attention to which part of the organ is numb, since localization may indicate a specific disease.

Paresthesia begins with a tingling of the tip of the tongue, then "goosebumps" appear over the entire surface of the organ, and after that there is a feeling of partial or complete numbness of the tongue.

In most cases, numbness of the tip of the tongue is a sign negative impact external factors. This condition manifests itself with excessive smoking, alcohol consumption, intoxication, an imbalance of vitamins and minerals in the body, especially with a lack of vitamin B12. Loss of sensitivity of the tip of the tongue can cause an allergic reaction, in which case the symptom will be accompanied by swelling and paresthesia of the oral mucosa.

Numbness of the tongue and hands, accompanied by an acute headache, requires immediate consultation with a neurologist. Paresthesia in tandem with migraine can signal a sharp drop in insulin and an increase in blood sugar. In this case, consultation with an endocrinologist is necessary.

Neoplasm in the larynx

Paresthesia of the throat and tongue indicates the occurrence of malignant neoplasms in the larynx. Numbness of the tongue and palate may be a manifestation of an allergic reaction. Injury or damage to the glossopharyngeal nerve leads to the fact that the root of the tongue becomes numb.

A condition in which the tongue goes numb and dizzy can be a symptom of VVD (vegetovascular dystonia), osteochondrosis, neurological disorders and disorders, pre-infarction or pre-stroke state.


Loss of sensitivity of the tongue is not an independent disease, but a symptom that accompanies the underlying pathology. Only by identifying the cause due to which the tongue goes numb, the specialist will prescribe a treatment that will be aimed at eliminating the underlying disease or irritating factor.

In cases where paresthesia is caused by osteochondrosis, the following are indicated:

  • physiotherapy;
  • massage manipulations;
  • physiotherapy;
  • taking painkillers and drugs that enhance bone tissue regeneration.

Injuries that caused the feeling that the tip of the tongue was numb are treated with antiseptic rinses, dental gels. Allergic reactions that reduce the sensitivity of the organ are eliminated by antihistamines.

VVD (vegetovascular dystonia) is treated with drugs that increase blood circulation and dilate the vessels of the brain. It is recommended to change the diet, the introduction of a complete diet, compliance with the rules of rest and work: 8-hour sleep, an active lifestyle.

Oncological diseases require surgical intervention, coupled with drug therapy, at the initial stage of the disease, endoscopy can be done. In case of laryngeal cancer, the affected tissues are removed; in case of pharyngeal cancer, it is partially removed, followed by restoration with the help of plasty.

Trigeminal neuralgia can be corrected surgically, often requiring destruction of the nerve. Sometimes radiosurgery is used, a minimally invasive (bloodless) operation.

Numbness caused by diabetes is eliminated after a course of treatment of the underlying disease. Injections or tablets are prescribed that normalize insulin levels, resulting in elimination of dry mouth, thirst and loss of sensitivity.

Depending on the cause of the numbness at the tip, root, or sides of the tongue, treatment may include alternative medicine methods. Rinses and compresses can significantly improve the condition and speed up the recovery of sensitivity.

Common Recipes traditional medicine used in diseases of the oral cavity:

  • A spoonful of soda and 4 drops of iodine are dissolved in a glass of warm water. Rinsing is done daily, morning and evening.
  • If the cause of numbness in the mouth was a disorder nervous system, effective use of chamomile and sage in therapy. In addition to the pronounced anti-inflammatory properties, plants have a calming effect. Two tablespoons of dry grass are brewed with a glass of boiling water, the broth is infused for 15 minutes. The resulting infusion is used for daily mouth rinses and for oral administration: 1 tablespoon is taken.
  • A tablespoon of St. John's wort and the same amount of celandine are poured with a glass of boiling water, infused for about 30 minutes. The resulting infusion should rinse your mouth in the morning and evening.
  • You can fight the lost sensitivity of the tongue with the help of garlic. To do this, take a garlic clove and roll it in your mouth. The procedure should be done as often as possible. After using garlic, a compress with sea buckthorn oil is applied to the tongue, which will prevent possible irritation of the mucous membrane.
  • The dried grass of the thigh is poured with a glass of water, brought to a boil, and then boiled for about 5 minutes. The broth must be filtered and cooled. Gargles are made twice a day, after which 1 tablespoon of infusion is taken orally.

Numbness of the tongue is a sign of a serious pathology, and not a separate disease. It is important to determine the root cause that caused the loss of sensitivity of the organ, and only a doctor can do this. Therefore, it is necessary to contact a therapist as soon as possible, who, having carried out the necessary diagnostic measures, will redirect the patient to the right specialist. Timely identification of the cause of numbness and timely treatment will help prevent the development of the underlying disease and possible complications.

Numbness of the tongue


The tongue is an unpaired muscular organ located in the oral cavity.

Paresthesia is a feeling of tingling due to a violation of the sensitivity of a certain area (in this case we are talking about the tongue).

Numbness of the tongue doctors refer to one of the varieties of paresthesia

brain aneurysm;

Syphilis;

Migraine;

Sarcoidosis;

preeclampsia;


  1. Alcohol abuse.
  2. Glossalgia.
  3. Hypoglycemia.
  4. Depression.

Disease of the teeth and gums

Appointment with a neurologist

The tongue goes numb - what diseases can this mean?

How often people ignore the strange symptoms of their body, hoping that it will soon pass by itself. And in some cases they commit unacceptable negligence, as, for example, in a situation where the tongue goes numb.

Indeed, in some cases this may be a sign of non-life-threatening conditions, but sometimes delay can be fatal. So why is this happening and is it worth sounding the alarm when the tongue suddenly becomes numb?

Numbness of the tongue in different people is felt in its own way: someone “goosebumps”, someone feels a slight tingling or burning sensation, someone may have a numb tongue and lips, and someone completely loses the sensitivity of the tongue. In any case, such an oddity of his "behavior" should alert, especially if it does not go away for a long time or is regularly repeated.

A single case of numbness of the tongue is definitely not a cause for concern, but if this is repeated regularly and lasts for a long time, then it is better not to delay a visit to the doctor.

In some cases, to understand why the language goes numb, it is enough to remember what you did the day before. For example:

  • You could treat a tooth. Quite often, after a visit to the dentist and anesthesia, a person may experience numbness of the tongue. After all, the roots of the teeth quite closely border on the nerve endings of the tongue, so the doctor could accidentally press or damage his nerve. Usually the discomfort disappears after a couple of days, in the worst case it can last a couple of months.
  • You may have abused alcohol or nicotine. Because nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, tongue numbness can occur after smoking. It is best, of course, to give up nicotine or try to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke.
  • It can be an elementary burn from a hot drink or food. Or in case of accidental ingestion of alkali or acid into the oral cavity.
  • If you are allergic, the allergen could have triggered the condition. Anything can provoke a condition - a food or drink, alcohol, toothpaste or even a brush, chewing gum.
  • This may be due to medication. Sometimes the body can react this way to antibiotics or other medications. As a rule, the tongue returns to normal after a few days. But if such a side effect has appeared, you should definitely consult with your doctor about replacing the drug with another one.
  • You could be nervous. Quite rarely, but still, there are cases when, due to experienced stress, irritability, restless sleep or a depressive state, a person experiences numbness of the tongue.
  • Maybe someone bit you. When bitten by a poisonous spider or snake, paresthesias can occur - numbness of the face, limbs, tongue; in addition, a person's heart rate increases, dizziness and drowsiness occur.
  • There are not enough minerals in the body or too much.
  • You have been taking steroid hormones. In the process of taking them, taste sensations may disappear, and hair may appear above the upper lip, stretch marks may appear on the abdomen and buttocks, and body weight may increase.
  • It could also be old age. Due to violation hormonal background in women, for example, during menopause, the mucosa becomes thinner, the epithelium is renewed more slowly - this explains why the tip of the tongue sometimes goes numb.
  • Or pregnancy. Sometimes this happens when the pregnancy reaches a term of weeks. Thus, the woman's body reacts to increased blood pressure and swelling.

During pregnancy, this can happen once, because the woman's body is constantly rebuilt, swelling occurs, and blood pressure rises.

However, in addition to harmless reasons, there are others that can be dangerous to health if you do not seek help from a specialist in time. Numbness of the tongue can be one of the symptoms:

  • Migraines with aura. This rather rare disease is most often affected by people prone to depressive and stressful conditions. They have a disturbance in the functioning of the senses - they can see flashes of light or stripes, hear some sounds, feel unpleasant odors; there may be speech problems, fingertips go numb, and a tingling sensation is felt on the tongue.
  • Diabetes. Since this is a disease of the endocrine system responsible for the production of insulin, diabetes disrupts various metabolic processes in the body (from carbohydrate to water-salt). Because of this, dry mouth occurs, a person is tormented by constant thirst, trembling in the hands and partial loss of sensitivity of the tongue.
  • Hypoglycemia. A fairly common occurrence in patients with diabetes mellitus, when the upper lip becomes numb due to violations in insulin intake. This happens due to a decrease in the level of glucose in the blood, when it is below less than 3 mmol / l. With hypoglycemia, a person experiences weakness, a feeling of acute hunger, throws him into a cold sticky sweat, his hands begin to tremble, parts of the body and face go numb. This condition is quite unpleasant, but it can be quickly corrected by measuring the level of glucose in the blood, and then eating 20 g of foods that increase it - this can be honey, sugar, caramel or fruit juice. If the symptoms of hypoglycemia recur frequently, you should consult your doctor about the dosage of the drug, by adjusting which, it will be possible to eliminate the problem.
  • Angioedema. Urticaria is known to all. Sometimes, along with it, damage to the deeper layers of the skin occurs, and the person begins to suffer not only from redness and raised rashes, but also from swelling. various parts body, reduction or loss of their sensitivity, tingling, etc. This is angioedema, or Quincke's edema, in which limbs, ears, lips, genitals swell. If the larynx swells, the condition becomes life-threatening, because a person can simply suffocate. This is an autoimmune disease, and contact with an allergen can serve as an impetus for an attack. In order to determine what causes such a reaction, a special analysis is carried out.

If symptoms persist and recur, see a doctor immediately.

After identifying a provocateur, a person is prescribed antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, hormonal, diuretic drugs. However, even without treatment, the swelling lasts a couple of days, and the offset goes along with unpleasant symptoms. As a rule, the recurrence of the disease lasts 2-3 years, and then the body heals itself.

People suffering from this scourge should always have corticosteroids and antihistamines, which will help stop the attack.

  • VSD. In fact, as such, this disease does not exist, it’s just that in our medicine it is customary to call a set of symptoms characteristic of a person’s psychological disorders - an anxious or depressive state. As a rule, they are accompanied by severe sweating, tremors, excitability, palpitations, tingling and numbness of the extremities, face, discomfort in any organ (pathology is not confirmed), hypochondriacal moods. This diagnosis can only be made after consulting a doctor and excluding other pathologies. Treatment usually involves seeing a psychologist and taking antidepressants.
  • Cervical osteochondrosis. As a result of this pathology, the sensitivity of the nerves of the tongue decreases, because of this, its mobility is limited. In some cases, people with this disease even change their voice, becoming rougher.
  • Stroke. As a rule, this condition is accompanied by nausea, dizziness, acute headache, paresthesia of the lips, tongue and extremities. In this case, delay can cost a life - a person needs to be provided with emergency medical care, an ambulance should be called.
  • anemia. With a lack of vitamin B12 and iron in the body, a person may experience paresthesia of the fingers and toes, and balance may be lost when walking.
  • Poisoning of heavy metals (mercury, zinc, lead, cobalt, tin).
  • Multiple sclerosis. With this disease, many other parts of the body can become numb.
  • Bell's palsy. The disease is characterized by dysfunction of the facial nerves, accompanied by loss of sensation in the cheeks, face, lips and tongue.
  • Glossalgia. A disease of the tongue, in which there is a burning sensation, tingling, numbness without apparent reason. Glossalgia is a secondary manifestation of any underlying disease, or occurs due to trauma to the mouth with prostheses or after dental procedures.
  • Facial, jaw, neck trauma, as well as hemorrhage due to brain damage.
  • Oral candidiasis. With this disease, a person's tongue is covered with a whitish coating, and if you try to remove it, you can cause bleeding of the tongue. The disease is difficult to tolerate, because it is very difficult for a person to chew and eat.
  • Tumors of the brain. Numbness of the tongue is not the main symptom, but still occurs with this disease. Most often, the course of the disease is accompanied by severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure and body temperature. Such symptoms should cause oncological alertness. When diagnosing, the doctor must exclude, first of all, the presence of volumetric formations of the neck and head.
  • Hypothyroidism. With a lack of thyroid hormones, the development of paresthesia of the tongue is quite likely.
  • Lyme disease. The disease caused by the bite of an infected tick is characterized by impaired nerve conduction.

A lot of diseases, including those that are really life-threatening, have a similar symptom in their description, so you definitely shouldn’t “joke” with such symptoms.

As you can see, there can be a lot of reasons that cause this symptom, and without a proper examination, one can only guess about them. Often people ignore this phenomenon, unaware that numbness of the tongue may be a symptom. dangerous disease. Therefore, if this is not related to dental treatment or allergies, and the phenomenon is regular, do not postpone a visit to the doctor and do not self-medicate. Go to a therapist. If necessary, he will give a referral to a neurologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, dentist. And, of course, he will collect an anamnesis and prescribe a number of necessary tests.

Source: language, loss of sensitivity, complete or partial, indicates violations in the human body. They can concern only one organ or signal a disease in which the conduction of nerve impulses is impaired.

Loss of sensitivity is characterized by such reasons:

  • chemical burn;
  • thermal burn;
  • mechanical damage to the organ;
  • tooth extraction (most often a wisdom tooth);
  • allergic reaction of local manifestation;
  • use of unsuitable toothpastes, rinses;
  • age-related changes in women;
  • pregnancy.

Very often, the cause of numbness of the tongue is smoking, which negatively affects the nerve endings in the mouth. Source: flickr (Stepan Nesmiyan).

By itself, the loss of sensitivity of any organ is called paresthesia. These reasons are related to mechanical damage, refer to ordinary paresthesia, in which the transmission of a nerve impulse, the so-called leakage, is temporarily disturbed. But, if the nervous system is affected, then paresthesia occurs without any visible disturbances and damage and is called chronic.

Violation of nerve conduction occurs with the following diseases and conditions:

  • nerve infection;
  • tumor lesion;
  • stroke;
  • neurodegenerative lesion;
  • autoimmune process;
  • a consequence of diabetes;
  • consequence of alcoholism;
  • metabolic disease;
  • lack of important vitamins;
  • cervical osteochondrosis;
  • after suffering from chickenpox.

In these conditions, desensitization of the oral organ may not be the only symptom. If the nervous system is affected, a tingling sensation and loss of sensation often occurs along the peripheral nerves of various organs.

Important. Numbness of the tongue is not an independent disease, there is always a causative factor that leads to impaired nerve conduction.

The process of numbness of the muscular organ can occur immediately or increase gradually. Also, sensitivity is lost either only at the tip of the tongue, or numbness occurs under this organ, from the sides.

If the tip of the tongue becomes numb after eating, this may indicate an allergic reaction, if a larger area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe organ is affected, then this may be glossalgia, which is a functional disorder. Often it 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 the therapy correctly, and secondly, to block a possible serious disease for early stage.

If the glossopharyngeal nerve is damaged, numbness of the root of the tongue is characteristic or loss of sensitivity occurs on one side of the organ. In addition, salivation will be disturbed, pain in the ear, organs of the oral cavity, and tonsils will appear. In turn, injuries, infections, and tumors lead to nerve damage.

Loss of sensitivity on the sides of the organ or only on one side can speak of osteochondrosis, which means that a nerve has been compressed in the cervical spine. Other possible reasons include:

  • throat cancer;
  • touching the nerve when pulling out a tooth or other operations in the oral cavity;
  • throat carcinoma.

Psychogenic disorders also provoke paresthesia on both sides of the tongue. This anxiety condition can be accompanied by several symptoms:

  • sweating;
  • dizziness;
  • discomfort in the solar plexus area.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to determine the diagnosis.

For diagnosis and timely assistance, you should visit a neurologist or psychotherapist.

To eliminate the symptom and treat the pathology at a deeper level, you can turn to homeopathy.

Homeopathic treatment must 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,
  • appearance of the patient
  • reactions of his body
  • What are the symptoms of the disease.

When appointing, its constitutional type is taken into account. Homeopathy does not treat a disease, but a person - this is one of its basic principles.

Moreover, even with the same diagnosis, each patient is assigned an individual drug. Such an individual approach ensures the effectiveness of treatment. Homeopathy can be used in complex treatment as a helper method.

For the treatment of anxiety disorders, VVD, increased nervous excitability, the following agents are intended:

  • Nervoheel - composite homeopathic remedy, acts as a sedative, is usually used as part of complex therapy, as additional remedy with medicinal alopathic therapy. The drug helps with convulsions and depression.
  • Barite carbonica (Barium carbonicum) is a drug that is equally suitable for the elderly and adolescence. Can help people who are suffering nervous disorders and circulatory disorders.
  • Stontiana Carbonica (Strontiana carbonica) - used for cervical osteochondrosis, which can cause numbness of the tongue.
  • Traumeel C is a composite homeopathic remedy for diseases of bones and joints, osteochondrosis and neuralgia.

As a symptomatic drug:

  • Natrium muraticum (Natrium muraticum) - is prescribed for tingling in the tongue, lips and nose.
  • Kokkulus indicus (Cokkulus indicus) - with numbness of the face and tongue as well.
  • Rheum palmatum - numbness of the tongue.
  • Gwako (Micania guaco) - language paresis.
  • Laurocerasus (Laurocerasus officinalis) - "wooden" language. Burning sensation in the tongue, when the tongue feels cold.
  • Natrium muraticum (Natrium muriaticum) - numbness and even tingling, burning sensation, feeling that hair has appeared on the tongue.

Source: - this is an unpaired muscular organ located in the oral cavity.

Its position depends on the function that it will perform. With the help of the tongue, the process of chewing, swallowing is carried out. Due to the large number of receptors on the mucous membrane of the organ, a person can distinguish tastes. And separate plot tongue is responsible for a specific taste stimulus. Well, an important role of this body is participation in communication.

As a rule, numbness of the tip of the tongue or the entire tongue is not an independent disease. This is only a symptom of some underlying diagnosis, which may increase gradually and be accompanied by a number of other symptoms. Therefore, in order to start treatment and save yourself from unpleasant discomfort, you should find the main cause and eliminate it.

Numbness of the tongue doctors refer to one of the varieties of paresthesia

Nervous, depressive state as a cause of numbness of the tongue

A symptom in which the tongue and lips go numb may be the result of diseases such as:

Diabetes mellitus (dry mucous membranes, development of neuropathy - the cause of numbness);

Stroke (the brain is affected; speech impairment, prolonged headache with accompanying numbness of half of the body, drooping of the corner of the mouth; impaired coordination; consciousness is depressed; in the analysis, a violation of the coagulation system; it is recommended to conduct CT, MRI);

stroke as a cause of numbness of the tongue and lips

Hypothyroidism (lack of thyroid hormones, endocrinologist consultation);

Lyme disease (as a result of a tick bite);

Multiple sclerosis(all parts of the body go numb, the tongue is no exception);

brain aneurysm;

Bell's palsy (whole face becomes numb);

Bell's palsy as a cause of numbness of the tongue and lips

Crayfish spinal cord(local place of pain, decrease in all blood counts);

Brain tumor (compression of various parts of the brain - the cause of numbness).

The numbness of the tip of the tongue is mainly complained of by:

  1. Heavy smokers often complain of numbness at the tip of the tongue.
  2. People receiving chemotherapy.
  3. If there is a lack of vitamin B12 in the body.
  4. Glossopharyngeal nerve injury.
  5. Side effects of drugs.
  6. Heavy metal poisoning.
  7. Alcohol abuse.
  8. Glossalgia.
  9. Hypoglycemia.
  10. Depression.
  11. Excess or deficiency of minerals in the body.

Depression as a cause of numbness of the tongue

Quite often, the tongue and lips become numb at the same time. Numbness of the lips occurs as a result of a violation of sensitivity. But this is not the main problem, but becomes only a consequence of the underlying disease. On your own, you can only guess which specialist you need to go to, and in no case can you make an accurate diagnosis yourself and prescribe treatment for yourself.

Lips become numb for the following reasons:

  1. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. As a result of compression of the spinal cord, blood circulation is disturbed and thus the nutrition of the organs is disrupted. There is numbness of the lips.
  2. Neuritis of the facial nerve. Inflammation of the facial nerve leads to a disruption in the transmission of impulses to the facial muscles, which can be complicated by paralysis of the facial nerve. Urgently need to see a doctor to prevent such a dangerous picture.
  3. Deficiency in vitamin B group. Lack of this vitamin leads to disorders of the nervous system. A large amount of this vitamin is found in: bread, nuts, bran, liver, meat, potatoes.
  4. High or very low blood pressure. Then not only the lips become numb, but also the upper and lower limbs. Life threatening. call urgently ambulance need.
  5. Diabetes. One of its symptoms is numbness of the lips, sticky sweat, weakness, trembling in the hands. By adjusting the level of glucose in the blood, the numbness will go away. You can eat honey, sugar, candy. If attacks often recur, then the dosage of insulin should be discussed with your doctor.
  6. Allergy to a new drug. Quincke's edema causes swelling of parts of the body, including the lips. The reason often remains unexplained. Edema is terrible swelling of the larynx, shortness of breath can lead to asphyxia. If an attack has taken place in your life, then you must always carry antihistamines, glucocorticosteroids for the relief of this condition.
  7. Migraine. As a result of nervous breakdowns, constant experiences, leads to a violation of the nervous system. Headache occurs half an hour after numbness, then limbs go numb. Numbness is a kind of aura before a headache. There are no significant changes in the analysis. An increased content of potassium, magnesium, reduced stress and good dream. Eliminate foods that provoke migraines: wine, cheese, sweets.
  8. Disease of the teeth and gums. If before the numbness of the lips there was pain in the teeth or gums, then, most likely, this is due precisely to problems in the teeth. You need to see a dentist.

Disease of the teeth and gums

9. Multiple sclerosis. It is with numbness that this disease begins. Cells in the body are damaged nervous tissue. Only a neurologist can help in this case.

10. Shingles. Its typical onset is itching, redness, and numbness. If there is a burning sensation in the cheek area, then this is one hundred percent herpes zoster.

11. Bell's palsy. It affects the whole face, but first the lips and eyebrows are affected. The disease is preceded by some viral diseases (SARS, simple herpes virus). Tingling and numbness are characteristic of this disease. Can pass on its own. If treated, a course of antibiotics is prescribed and antiviral drugs. Rarely, inflammatory markers may appear in the blood. Facial exercises are required. The recovery process takes up to a year. In severe cases, CT, MRI examination is recommended.

12. Infection of various etiologies, in which the nerves are affected. Very often, complications after meningitis or herpes are precisely the damage to the nerves with the leading syndrome - numbness.

Deficiency in vitamin B group as a cause of numbness of the lips

As we found out, there are quite a few reasons for numbness of the tongue and lips. After this article, you can already decide which specialist you need to contact. If you cannot associate your numbness, which torments you periodically, with any of these diseases, then you need to contact a neurologist. And don't mess with it.

Appointment with a neurologist

You should not worry if the numbness arose as a result of a long stay in very strong cold, after anesthesia, they lay on the lip for a long time. And at the same time, there are no more complaints, and there were not.

Copying information is allowed only with a link to the source.

Source: numbness of the tongue

Numbness as a phenomenon in the scientific literature is called paresthesia, which means "loss of sensation." Surprisingly, people experience their language in different ways:

  • someone has "goosebumps";

What to do?

As already clear from the above, numbness of the tongue is a problem that can have a lot of reasons, so diagnosing patients is very difficult. Often people do not seek help in the early days, because they do not attach much importance to the numbness of the tongue and do not even realize that paresthesia is a side symptom of many serious diseases. This problem cannot be left unresolved.

You should be scheduled for a full body check-up, which includes a cardiovascular exam, a blood test to detect diabetes, and in rare cases, a CT scan of the brain, neck, and spine. Exclusively after passing necessary specialists treatment is prescribed, so in no case should you take any drugs yourself, and also ignore paresthesia.

Source: The language of scientific language is called paresthesia. This organ rarely suffers from such a deviation, but it can indicate serious diseases that occur in the body.

There are many reasons that cause numbness of the tongue, so it is worth highlighting all possible situations.

Numbness of the tongue manifests itself in different ways depending on individual features and causes of paresthesia. The following symptoms are distinguished:

  • feeling of "running goosebumps";
  • showing near the tip of the tongue;
  • complete loss of sensation on one side or throughout the tongue.

As a rule, these symptoms are not capable of causing any harm to the human body if they are not accompanied by edema. Otherwise, urgent measures must be taken, as there is a risk of suffocation.

There are many situations that can provoke numbness of the tongue. Most often, paresthesia is caused by:

  1. A dental procedure that involved anesthesia and surgery. The nerve of the tongue is located close to the roots of the teeth, so it is easy to hurt during treatment. If this happens, the numbness of the tongue persists even after the anesthesia wears off. But this phenomenon is not dangerous, since the nerve tends to recover on its own, you just need to wait a couple of weeks.
  2. Anemia, due to which there is a low content of hemoglobin in the blood. As a rule, this indicates the development of serious diseases of the circulatory system, so it is worth visiting a specialist.
  3. Diabetes mellitus. The disease affects the endocrine system, insulin production decreases, this affects the body's metabolism and acid-base balance.
  4. Reaction to application medicines. Some strong drugs have side effects of paresthesia of the tongue. If this happens, it is better to contact the doctor who prescribed the treatment and ask, if possible, to change the drug;
  5. Osteochondrosis. The disease is serious, so it is better to start treatment at an early stage, which is indicated by numbness of the tongue. First, damage to the tissues of the intervertebral disc is observed, and only later to the spine.
  6. Cardiovascular diseases, in particular, numbness of the tongue can signal a stroke.

There are unilateral and bilateral numbness of the tongue, each of which will help determine the cause of paresthesia.

Unilateral is associated with nerve damage, often this happens when teeth are removed, especially sevens and eights.

Wisdom teeth have large roots, so during their removal, you can easily touch the nerve. If the lingual nerve is affected, the front part or the tip of the tongue becomes numb, and if the glossopharyngeal nerve, then the back part becomes numb.

The violation manifests itself only in the area of ​​​​the tongue and on the side where the nerve was affected. In addition to numbness, patients complain of a temporary loss of taste sensations localized in the damaged area.

Bilateral numbness is caused by more serious problems:

  1. Stroke. Which often occurs on a nervous basis as a result of severe stress shocks. Sometimes there are no changes in well-being, the mood remains elevated, but the taste sensations and sensitivity of the tongue decrease.
  2. Throat cancer can also cause numbness of the tongue. Along with this symptom, there are sore throats and difficulty swallowing. The disease is still little studied, but more often it manifests itself in smokers, people who abuse alcohol and live in areas with poor ecology.
  3. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be caused by Addison-Birmer disease, which manifests as pernicious anemia. With such a pathology, the tongue not only becomes numb, the phenomenon of its varnishing is observed, as if it had been scalded with boiling water. To avoid this disease, you need to eat a balanced diet.

More about vitamin B12 deficiency:

Brain hemorrhages and head injuries can make themselves felt with the help of numbness of the tongue. In this case, numbness is observed with localization in the region of the tip of the tongue. The patient may not attach any importance to this at first, but then the result will be deplorable.

As mentioned earlier, numbness of the tongue can be caused by a number of reasons that are completely different from each other. Since among them there are very serious diseases that threaten a person’s life, it is urgent to consult a doctor and tell in detail about the symptoms.

It is important to tell your healthcare professional about:

  • nutritional characteristics;
  • medications taken;
  • recent visits to the dentist;
  • hereditary diseases from the risk group;
  • bad habits;
  • injuries.

During the diagnosis, visits to doctors of various kinds may be required, but this is a necessity that will help to identify the real cause. As a rule, tests are immediately prescribed if there is even a slight risk of serious pathologies.

Hello. I suffered stress, then later fell head and back on the floor. Now everything hurts nervousness and the tip of the tongue is numb.

popular about dentistry.

Copying of materials is allowed only with the indication of the source.

Join us and follow the news on social networks

Source: people are faced with such an unpleasant phenomenon as numbness of the tongue. It may vary in localization, for example, sensitivity may be impaired only in the region of the tip of the tongue or capture larger areas, and in intensity - from a slight decrease in sensitivity to its complete loss. In any case, you should consult a doctor, not self-medicating and not hoping that it will pass by itself.

There are many reasons for such an unpleasant phenomenon as numbness of the tongue, which doctors call "paresthesia". For example, it can occur after treatment at the dentist, if during the extraction of a tooth or treatment of a deep cavity, the doctor accidentally damages the nerve. In this case, the sensitivity of the tongue will recover on its own after some time. This situation is not dangerous, you just need to be patient and wait for a full recovery.

The tongue may also become numb due to poorly placed dentures or malocclusion. For example, if there are different metals in dentures, galvanic currents can occur that reduce the sensitivity of the tongue. In these cases, after eliminating the causes, the numbness of the tongue passes quite quickly.

However, the cause of tongue numbness may be more serious. For example, it can indicate diseases:

  • cervical spine
  • thyroid gland
  • organs of the nervous and digestive systems

As well as diabetes, some cardiovascular diseases.

Numbness of the tongue can be one of the symptoms of an impending heart attack or stroke. Therefore, in this case, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.

Often a decrease in the sensitivity of the tongue is caused side effect some medicines. For example, a number of painkillers or drugs that ease coughing, sputum discharge.

The tongue can lose sensitivity as a result of various allergic reactions to external stimuli:

  • food ingredients, drinks
  • medicines
  • animal hair, household items, etc.

Even chewing gum or toothpaste can cause numbness, for example, if you are allergic to one of the ingredients.

A lack of certain vitamins, such as B12, can also lead to numbness of the tongue. Finally, the sensitivity of the tongue can change markedly due to experiences, increased nervousness, stressful situations, depression.

The sensations of patients with a violation of the sensitivity of the tongue are very diverse: from slight numbness at the very tip of the tongue, causing only slight discomfort, to complete loss of sensitivity, often accompanied by severe tingling or burning. This burning sensation can also spread to the mucosal area.

There are so many reasons for numbness of the tongue that only a qualified doctor can figure out this problem, it is dangerous for health to make a diagnosis on your own, because you can decide that the problem is not as terrible as it really is, thereby aggravating your condition.

If you feel that the tongue is numb, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination, including testing for possible allergens. Most likely, you will have to visit such specialists as a dentist, endocrinologist and neurologist. It is necessary to answer in detail all questions related to past illnesses for Last year, medications you have taken, your daily routine, diet, oral care procedures, etc.

In any case, treatment should begin with the elimination of all factors that irritate the tongue. If necessary, it is necessary to replace incorrectly placed dentures, correct malocclusion, remove tartar, grind the sharp edges of crowns and fillings, making them smoother and not traumatic. It is necessary to adjust the diet, eliminating from it foods that can irritate the tongue (for example, too spicy, salty, with an abundance of spicy seasonings).

Therapeutic treatment includes taking medications that have a sedative effect, improve blood circulation, metabolism, and, if necessary, vitamin complexes. Since a violation of the sensitivity of the tongue is often associated with disorders of the nervous system, the following can help well:

  • massage
  • aromatic baths
  • orderly daily routine
  • exclusion of stressful, unnerving situations

In some cases, sanatorium treatment is indicated. The patient needs to tune in in advance to the fact that the treatment can be quite lengthy, and you will have to strictly follow all the prescriptions of the attending physician.

Use any folk remedies without consulting a doctor is not worth it, especially if the cause of numbness is not clear.

Be the first and everyone will know about your opinion!

  • about the project
  • Terms of use
  • Terms of competitions
  • mediakit

Mass media registration certificate EL No. FS,

issued by the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications,

information technologies and mass communications (Roskomnadzor)

Founder: society with limited liability"Hirst Shkulev Publishing"

Editor-in-Chief: Viktoriya Zhorzhevna Dudina

Copyright (c) LLC "Hurst Shkulev Publishing", 2017.

Any reproduction of site materials without the permission of the editors is prohibited.

Contact details for government agencies

(including for Roskomnadzor):

at Women's network

Please try again

Unfortunately, this code is not suitable for activation.

Many have experienced the problem of numbness of the tongue or paresthesia. Only here the reasons were different for everyone: starting from side effects drugs and ending with serious illnesses.

Violation of the sensitivity of the receptor organ causes considerable discomfort.

Symptoms of numbness

Loss of sensation does not allow a person to in full use taste perception. For him, the difference between sour, sweet, salty, spicy, bitter disappears.

Paresthesia can manifest itself in different ways:

  • Burning sensation (may disappear very quickly or after a few days, as they say "");
  • tingling;
  • Slight itching (as if spicy food had been eaten before);
  • The appearance of "goosebumps";
  • Tingling (reminiscent of sensations after citric acid);
  • Loss of sensation.

Most Common Causes

Unequivocally answer the question "Why does the tongue go numb?" impossible.

It is necessary to be examined, since numbness of the tongue can be caused by many reasons:


Do you want white and healthy teeth?

Even with careful care of the teeth, spots appear on them over time, they darken, turn yellow.

In addition, the enamel becomes thinner and the teeth become sensitive to cold, hot, sweet foods or drinks.

In such cases, our readers recommend using the latest remedy- Denta Seal toothpaste with filling effect.

It has the following properties:

  • Evens out damage and fills microcracks on the enamel surface
  • Effectively removes plaque and prevents the formation of caries
  • Restores natural whiteness, smoothness and shine to teeth

Other reasons

  • The tongue may become numb after a tooth is removed if the doctor accidentally touches the nerve endings. In this situation, there is nothing to worry about, sensitivity to you will return.
  • Metal poisoning.
  • Low or excess mineral content.
  • Abuse of tobacco and alcohol.
  • Radiation therapy.
  • Irradiation.

Stories from our readers!
"The teeth became very sensitive to cold and hot, pain immediately began. A friend advised a paste with a filling effect. In a week unpleasant symptoms stopped worrying, teeth became whiter.

A month later, I noticed that small cracks evened out! Now I always have fresh breath, even and white teeth! I will use it for prevention and maintenance. I advise."

Which doctor should I contact with numbness of the tongue?

First of all, visit a dentist, a neurologist and an endocrinologist. The doctor must be aware of all changes in the body.

Tell him all the possible factors of numbness, this applies even to changing toothpaste:

  • Are there additional symptoms?
  • Did you have any dental treatment shortly before the numbness?
  • When did you start feeling numb?
  • What diseases were transferred during the year?
  • Is there a violation of the receptor organ constantly or periodically?
  • Have you taken any medications in the last 6 months? If so, which ones?
  • Are there head or jaw injuries?
  • Tell me about the toothpaste you use.
  • List potential allergen foods you have consumed.

So the specialist can quickly diagnose the problem and write out effective treatment. First, the doctor will examine the density, shape and structure of the tongue, the presence and nature of plaque.

For an accurate result, you need to undergo an examination of the cardiovascular system, take a blood test for sugar. In more severe cases, magnetic resonance imaging of the head may be performed.

Many patients complain of excessive sensitivity, discoloration of the enamel and caries. Toothpaste with a filling effect does not thin the enamel, but, on the contrary, strengthens it as much as possible.

Thanks to hydroxyapatite, it firmly seals microcracks on the enamel surface. The paste prevents earlier tooth decay. Effectively eliminates plaque and prevents the formation of caries. I recommend.

Can the tip of the tongue go numb from pills?

Loss of sensitivity of the receptor organ can be triggered by taking medications. If so, then we can assume that you got off lightly. In this case, the language will return to normal after a few days.

A side effect such as numbness of the tongue requires the immediate discontinuation of the drug or its replacement.

Numbness of the tip of the tongue and lips

Damage to the nerve endings in the tongue and lips entails the loss of not only tactile, but also taste sensitivity. It may come on quickly or with increasing effect. In this case, patients often observe additional symptoms of the disease.

Violation of the innervation of the tongue and lips leads to a loss of sensitivity of these organs. Most common causes discomfort are infections, problems with blood vessels, mechanical damage.

The task of a specialist is to identify the root of the problem and prescribe the correct treatment.

Consider the possible causes of numbness

  • Tumors.
    The tumor can compress tissues and nerve endings, which will serve as a reason for the loss of sensitivity of the tongue and lips. Brain tumors affect the nerve centers.
  • Diseases of the nervous system.
  • Head injury.
  • Violations of the circulatory system.
  • Idiopathic neuritis.

With Bell's palsy, in rare cases, even a medical examination does not help determine the causes of loss of sensation. Part or all of the face is paralyzed, numbness (complete or partial) is observed on the paralyzed part.

Many patients have had the flu, SARS or a cold before. An impressive number of patients recovered themselves. It is recommended to perform gymnastics of the facial muscles for a speedy recovery.

  • Diseases of the central departments.
  • Brain changes.
  • Peripheral nerve disorder.
  • Inflammatory neuralgia.
  • Cardiovascular diseases.
    Do not neglect such a symptom as loss of sensitivity of the tongue. After all, numbness of a part of the face, arms, or legs may indicate a stroke. Also for this disease is often accompanied by impaired speech and coordination, depression of consciousness.
  • infections.
  • Migraine.
    It can be caused by nervous breakdowns, stress. The functioning of the nervous system is disrupted. First, the tongue becomes numb, after which a severe headache appears, then other limbs may become numb. paresthesia is the aura before severe headaches. Reduce stress, monitor sleep and rest, take magnesium and potassium.
  • Osteochondrosis.
    The spinal cord is compressed and there is a violation of blood circulation.
  • allergies.
    Allergic reactions may be accompanied by numbness, swelling, tingling of various parts of the body. Depending on the cause of the allergy, the doctor may prescribe treatment with hormonal, diuretic, antihistamine, or anti-inflammatory drugs.
    In many cases it is enough eliminate the allergen from your life. With Quincke's edema, it is difficult to identify the cause. The danger is that there is swelling of the larynx, breathing becomes difficult. This can all end in asphyxia. Have antihistamines on hand to avoid this situation.
  • Dental treatment.
    Often such symptoms are observed after the removal of wisdom teeth or the introduction of anesthesia.
  • Mental disorders.
    Numbness is accompanied by a rapid heartbeat, increased anxiety, lack of air. Antidepressants are usually prescribed for treatment.

As you can see, there are many reasons for the appearance of numbness. Only a doctor can determine exactly what caused the discomfort. For this, MRI, CT, blood tests, dopplerography can be prescribed.

Why is the tongue numb? What is the cause of this unpleasant sensation? This alarming symptom can accompany a number of endocrine and somatic diseases, such as anemia, diabetes mellitus, stroke, and a disease such as laryngeal carcinoma.

If you were given local anesthesia during the treatment of a tooth, you will definitely lose the sensitivity of the tongue for 1.5-2 hours. The defeat of osteochondrosis of the upper spine, as well as antihistamines prescribed by a doctor, can cause numbness in your tongue. If you do not suffer from the diseases listed above and have not visited a dentist, then with a high degree of probability you can be diagnosed with a manifestation of glossalgia.

Glossalgia(or in other words, paresthesia) is a set of symptoms associated with unpleasant and painful sensations in the field of language. Glossalgia affects people of the middle and older age groups, and women suffer from it 5 times more often than men. Nowadays, the disease is “younger”, it is diagnosed even among women a little over 30 years old. The causes and pathogenesis of the disease are not fully understood, however, there is a relationship with mental and emotional stress as well as with somatic diseases.

Etiology of glossalgia

Factors contributing to the occurrence of paresthesia include:

  • diseases of the digestive tract (peptic ulcer, gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, hepatitis A, etc.),
  • avitaminosis (lack of vitamin B12),
  • hormonal disorders (menopause in women),
  • disorders of the central nervous system,
  • psychogenic factors
  • unsatisfactory condition of the oral cavity and dentition (the presence of metal prostheses and crowns, malocclusion, etc.),
  • diseases of the cardiovascular system (atherosclerosis),
  • inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis, sinusitis),
  • various infections,
  • allergic reactions (to metals, medicinal substances),
  • injuries of the facial part of the skull and surgical interventions.

In 3% of patients, the causes of glossalgia remain unidentified.

Development of glossalgia

Thanks to modern methods research confirms the psychosomatic nature of the disease. Prolonged stressful situations often become trigger mechanism in the occurrence of paresthesia. Doctors believe that the development of this disease is triggered by a chain of successive pathological processes in the human body.

The pathogenesis of paresthesia of the tongue doctors explain the anatomical and physiological ability of the maxillofacial part and the oral cavity to reflect emotional states mentality not only by external manifestations (facial expressions, reddening of the skin), but also by metabolic transformation at the tissue level (changes in vascular tone and blood circulation).

Clinical manifestations of glossalgia

Features and causes of occurrence, the duration of the course of glossalgia, as well as the symptoms are strictly individual for the patient. Patients often associate the onset of the disease with recent dental prosthetics, with an exacerbation of chronic diseases, with surgical interventions in the oral cavity, with biting the tongue with pointed edges of the teeth, or with strong emotional experiences.

In some cases, it is difficult for the patient to determine the exact onset of the disease and it is not clear why the tongue becomes numb, the symptoms develop gradually, and the sick do not seek medical help until the intensity of numbness increases dramatically.

Symptoms of numbness of the tongue are characterized by disorders of the nervous system. The susceptibility of the oral mucosa to irritants, taste perception and tongue mobility change. Unpleasant sensations are most often formed on the tip and side of the tongue. Moreover, paresthesias usually develop without the influence of traumatic factors. What sensations can arise in patients? This is a strong burning sensation of the tongue, as from pepper, a feeling of burning with boiling water, goosebumps, soreness, tingling, a feeling of cold.

Sometimes the intensity of paresthesia is characterized by severe pain that disappears during meals and after sleep, but becomes stronger in the evening, with a long conversation and with strong excitement. In some cases, numbness may extend to the upper and lower palate, as well as the esophagus. There may be cases of damage to the lips, cheeks and skin of the face.

We list the main symptoms of glossalgia:

  • discomfort associated with numbness,
  • language overlay,
  • decreased salivation, dry mouth (especially in the morning) that does not make it difficult to eat,
  • hypogeusia - reduction or perversion of taste perceptions,
  • violation of microcirculation of tissues of the oral cavity,
  • an increase in size and swelling of the tongue (imprints of teeth appear on it),
  • language fatigue when speaking
  • heaviness in the tongue at the end of the day,
  • involuntary twitching, trembling and tremor of the tongue,
  • pallor of the skin of the face, expressionless facial expressions, face "like a mask."

If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner and do not eliminate the causes, paresthesia of the tongue can last for years. Symptoms may temporarily disappear during a vacation, when you change your place of residence, after a spa treatment. Self-healing is extremely rare.

Treatment

The course of treatment of glossalgia includes psychotherapeutic assistance, treatment of major diseases, general strengthening measures (vitamins, diets, physiotherapy), sanatorium treatment. There is no need for surgical treatment. Patients are able to work. Observation by a neurologist and other narrow specialists is necessary. The further prognosis is favorable.

In order to prevent the occurrence of paresthesia of the tongue, it is necessary to timely eliminate foci of infection in the oral cavity, competent dental prosthetics, hygiene, and therapy. chronic diseases organism.

In this article, we tried to disclose in detail the information about why the tip of the tongue goes numb, examined the important symptoms of this disease and told what to look for if such sensations appear in the tongue area.

Who will take care of our health, if not ourselves? The body of each of us is a multifunctional complex mechanism that is able to inform us of its malfunctions. Distress signals - the symptoms sent during the development of any of the diseases are vital and necessary, because it is thanks to their appearance that it is possible to suspect and cure the disease in a timely manner.

There are symptoms, such as headache or fever, that a person is not particularly worried about. The head can hurt from fatigue, and a high temperature can talk about a common cold. But why the language becomes numb is a question that requires due attention.

Paresthesia is one of the variants of sensory disturbance, in which there is a feeling of numbness, crawling and slight tingling.

Why does the tongue go numb after going to the dentist?

It often happens that after anesthesia, when a tooth of the lower jaw is removed, for some reason, the tongue becomes numb. At the same time, discomfort can persist even a few days after dental procedures. As a rule, this is due to partial damage to the nerve endings of the tongue, located near the root of the extracted tooth.

What to do?

If you are sure that the reason why the tongue goes numb is directly related to going to the dentist, you do not need to do anything. Within a few weeks, the sensitivity of the tongue will fully recover.

Why is the tip of the tongue and the left hand numb?

In people with cardiovascular disease, numbness of the tongue may be accompanied by paresthesia in another part of the body, such as the upper limb. In this case, the appearance of such sensations may be associated with an increase in blood pressure and indicate the development of cerebral circulation. The most life-threatening conditions in which the tongue can go numb are cerebral stroke and myocardial infarction.

What to do?

The presence of cardiovascular pathology significantly increases the risk of stroke. In case of tingling or numbness of the tongue, you should immediately inform your doctor to avoid serious complications.

Why is my tongue numb after brushing my teeth?

A feeling of crawling or numbness in the tongue often occurs after brushing your teeth. Toothpaste contains ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction.

What to do?

Use your usual toothpaste. Do not be influenced by advertising by experimenting with various pastes for cleaning the mouth. Try to buy toothpaste, having previously studied its composition.

Other reasons why the tongue goes numb.

A symptom such as numbness of the tongue can indicate the development of many unrelated diseases. The most common reasons why the tongue began to go numb include:

Osteochondrosis in the cervical spine: paresthesia of the tongue develops against the background of an exacerbation of the disease, when the restrained vertebrae compress the main vessels, provoking a violation of the blood supply;

Long-term use of antibiotics;

Violation of metabolic processes (diabetes mellitus);

Tumor formation in the brain;

Pregnancy: lack of vitamin B12, iron deficiency anemia can also provoke the development of paresthesia in the tongue;

Smoking: Cigarettes contain nicotine, which has a vasoconstrictive effect. For heavy smokers, tongue numbness is a common symptom;

Poisoning with poisons, exposure to radioactive radiation, alcohol poisoning;

Hormonal disorders (pathology of the thyroid gland);

Stress, hard work, emotional overstrain: in this case, numbness of the tongue is one of the many neurological symptoms, which may include fear of eating solid food, impaired speech, dizziness, etc.;

The presence of vegetovascular dystonia (VVD).

Why is the tongue numb? Action plan to eliminate paresthesia.

The first step in the event of numbness of the tip of the tongue or the entire organ should be a visit to the doctor. First, consulting a specialist will help rule out some of the conditions in which paresthesia occurs. Secondly, the doctor will draw up an examination plan. The district therapist can easily cope with this task, so you should not disturb the endocrinologist or neuropathologist unnecessarily.

What examinations are necessary for numbness of the tongue?

If you suspect the presence of diabetes, it is enough to pass general analysis blood to measure glucose levels. For people suffering from hypertension, electrocardiography (ECG) and cardiac ultrasound (ultrasound) will not be superfluous. As for cases where, in addition to numbness of the tongue, there is dizziness, impaired coordination, incoherence of speech, etc., a more thorough and expensive examination is needed, which includes magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography of the brain (MRI, CT).

Sometimes people are faced with such an unpleasant phenomenon as numbness of the tongue. It may vary in localization, for example, sensitivity may be impaired only in the region of the tip of the tongue or capture larger areas, and in intensity - from a slight decrease in sensitivity to its complete loss. In any case, you should consult a doctor, not self-medicating and not hoping that it will pass by itself.

For what reason can the tongue go numb

There are many reasons for such an unpleasant phenomenon as numbness of the tongue, which doctors call "paresthesia". For example, it can occur after treatment at the dentist, if during the extraction of a tooth or treatment of a deep cavity, the doctor accidentally damages the nerve. In this case, the sensitivity of the tongue will recover on its own after some time. This situation is not dangerous, you just need to be patient and wait for a full recovery.

The speed of recovery of sensitivity directly depends on how severe the nerve damage was.

The tongue may also become numb due to poorly placed dentures or malocclusion. For example, if there are different metals in dentures, galvanic currents can occur that reduce the sensitivity of the tongue. In these cases, after eliminating the causes, the numbness of the tongue passes quite quickly.

However, the cause of tongue numbness may be more serious. For example, it can indicate diseases:

  • cervical spine
  • thyroid gland
  • organs of the nervous and digestive systems

As well as diabetes, some cardiovascular diseases.

Numbness of the tongue can be one of the symptoms of an impending heart attack or stroke. Therefore, in this case, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.

Often a decrease in the sensitivity of the tongue is caused by a side effect of certain medications. For example, a number of painkillers or drugs that ease coughing, sputum discharge.

The tongue can lose sensitivity as a result of various allergic reactions to external stimuli:

  • food ingredients, drinks
  • medicines
  • animal hair, household items, etc.

Even chewing gum or toothpaste can cause numbness, for example, if you are allergic to one of the ingredients.

A lack of certain vitamins, such as B12, can also lead to numbness of the tongue. Finally, the sensitivity of the language can change markedly due to experiences, increased nervousness, stressful situations, and depression.

The sensations of patients with a violation of the sensitivity of the tongue are very diverse: from slight numbness at the very tip of the tongue, causing only slight discomfort, to complete loss of sensitivity, often accompanied by severe tingling or burning. This burning sensation can also spread to the mucosal area.

In such cases, many patients become hyperexcitable, nervous, experience an obsessive fear of getting cancer (carcinophobia)

There are so many reasons for numbness of the tongue that only a qualified doctor can figure out this problem, it is dangerous for health to make a diagnosis on your own, because you can decide that the problem is not as terrible as it really is, thereby aggravating your condition.

What to do with numbness of the tongue

If you feel that the tongue is numb, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination, including testing for possible allergens. Most likely, you will have to visit such specialists as a dentist, endocrinologist and neurologist. All questions regarding past illnesses in the past year, medications you have taken, your daily routine, diet, oral care procedures, etc. must be answered in detail.

If possible, it is necessary to conduct magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and cervical spine

In any case, treatment should begin with the elimination of all factors that irritate the tongue. If necessary, it is necessary to replace incorrectly placed dentures, correct malocclusion, remove tartar, grind the sharp edges of crowns and fillings, making them smoother and not traumatic. It is necessary to adjust the diet, eliminating from it foods that can irritate the tongue (for example, too spicy, salty, with an abundance of spicy seasonings).

Therapeutic treatment includes taking medications that have a sedative effect, improve blood circulation, metabolism, and, if necessary, vitamin complexes. Since a violation of the sensitivity of the tongue is often associated with disorders of the nervous system, the following can help well:

  • massage
  • aromatic baths
  • orderly daily routine
  • exclusion of stressful, unnerving situations

In some cases, sanatorium treatment is indicated. The patient needs to tune in in advance to the fact that the treatment can be quite lengthy, and you will have to strictly follow all the prescriptions of the attending physician.

It is not worth using any folk remedies without consulting a doctor, especially if the cause of numbness is not clear.