Though often hailed as “the strongest muscle in the body,” the tongue is made up of a group of muscles that allow us to taste food, swallow, and talk. A healthy tongue is pink and covered with small nodules called papillae.
Because you use your tongue continuously, it can be discouraging and uneasy when you experience tongue issues, consisting of discoloration and pain. There are a variety of causes for a number of typical tongue symptoms. Thankfully, the majority of tongue issues are not major and most can be resolved quickly.
In some circumstances, though, a tarnished or painful tongue can suggest more serious conditions, including vitamin shortages, AIDS, or oral cancer. For this reason, it is very important to seek medical suggestions if you have any continuous problems with your tongue.
What Causes Small Painful Lump on Tongue?
Aphthous mouth ulcers
Aphthous mouth ulcers are painful round or oval sores that can occur throughout the mouth and are common on the underside of the tongue.
Mouth ulcers are often caused by damage to the mouth, such as unintentionally biting your tongue or eating something hard and sharp.
Small painful lump that keep repeating may be caused by stress, stress and anxiety, consuming particular foods, stopping cigarette smoking, or hormonal modifications — some women establish mouth ulcers during their regular monthly period.
Many mouth ulcers recover within a week or more without treatment. In the meantime, you may be able to handle the pain by taking over the counter painkillers and avoiding anything that makes it even worse, such as eating hot foods.
See your GP or dentist if you have a mouth ulcer that does not enhance within a few weeks or you develop ulcers routinely.
Less common causes
Less frequently, tongue pain may be brought on by:
- lichen planus — a long-lasting skin condition that causes an itchy rash and can likewise impact the mouth, triggering a white lacy pattern and painful spots on the tongue
- a viral infection — such as an infection that causes hand, foot and mouth disease or cold sores
- cancer of the tongue — although this is rare
- glossopharyngeal neuralgia — duplicated episodes of severe tongue pain thought to be brought on by nerve irritation
- vitamin shortages and anemia — a sore tongue can sometimes be a symptom of iron shortage anaemia and vitamin B12 or folate shortage
- anemia
- Behçet’s disease — a rare condition that causes inflammation of the capillary and can also cause painful mouth ulcers
- Moeller’s glossitis — a kind of inflammation of the tongue
- glossodynia or “burning mouth syndrome“ — a burning pain on the pointer of the tongue that often impacts people with depression
- pemphigus vulgaris — an unusual and serious condition that causes painful blisters to establish on the skin, along with inside the mouth, nose, throat, rectum and genitals
- medications — painful mouth ulcers can be a side effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and beta-blockers; certain mouthwashes can also cause tongue pain in some people.
