Swollen Tongue: Common & Serious Causes & Treatment
Table of Contents
- Causes
- Emergency Steps for Swollen Tongue
- Symptoms
- Treatment Methods
- Preventing a Swollen Tongue
Your tongue can swell up for a variety of reasons, including if it gets injured, in response to infection or an environmental irritant, or as an allergic reaction. Swelling of your tongue can make it harder to eat and talk normally. In extreme cases, it can make it more difficult to breathe.
A severe allergic reaction or acute swelling of the tongue can become a medical emergency and require prompt professional treatment. Less significant swelling of the tongue can often be treated at home with cold packs, antihistamines, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Preventing your tongue from swelling often means knowing what caused the reaction and avoiding it in the future.
Emergency steps for swollen tongue
Some cases of swollen tongue aren’t serious, but others are life-threatening. For example, if someone experiences a swollen tongue due to an allergic reaction, minutes matter.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology explains that allergic reactions can cause a swollen tongue along with other symptoms, such as the following:
Difficulty breathing
Hives
Throat tightness or a hoarse voice
Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea
Dizziness or fainting
Low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and cardiac arrest
If you or someone near you experiences these symptoms, call 911 immediately. If someone has had a similar episode in the past, they may have epinephrine. Provide this medication immediately to reduce the symptoms.
Causes for a Swollen Tongue
A swollen tongue can be minor and the result of a small injury, such as a cut on the tongue. Or, it can be more significant, such as if it is the result of an allergic reaction, infection, or underlying disease. It is important to know what the cause of your swollen tongue is to better treat it and keep it from becoming a life-threatening condition.
These are common causes of a swollen tongue:
This may be a bacterial infection, herpes, syphilis, or a yeast infection.
This may be due to an insect bite, food or medication allergy, or anaphylaxis.
These can include smoking or tobacco products, biting the tongue, dental appliances cutting the tongue, or burns.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine says these conditions can cause tongue swelling:
Acromegaly, a condition in which your body produces too much growth hormone
Amyloidosis, a condition in which abnormal proteins build up in tissues and organs
Down syndrome, a congenital condition that alters chromosome levels
Myxedema, a condition also known as hypothyroidism, in which the body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone
Rhabdomyoma, a benign tumor in the heart
Prader Willi syndrome, a genetic disorder causing obesity, disability, and a reduction in height
Cancer, an unusual growth of tissues
A reaction to a medication, such as an ACE inhibitor, is one of the more common causes of a swollen tongue. These medications are used to control blood pressure. They can cause the lips, face, and tongue to swell up quickly in a condition called angioneurotic edema. This can happen the first time you use the medication or years down the line after you have been taking it regularly.
An ongoing swollen tongue over a long period of time can be associated to acromegaly, sarcoma, oral cancer, or Down syndrome.
Symptoms of a swollen tongue
The tongue can swell slowly as the result of an underlying condition, or it can swell up quickly and become an acute issue. When your tongue is swollen, it can be difficult to talk normally, or swallow or chew correctly. You may also have tongue pain.
Mild cases of a swollen tongue may cause the following symptoms:
Pain
Swelling
Difficulty with eating or swallowing
Severe cases of a swollen tongue may cause other symptoms, such as the following:
Ulcers
Headache
Fever
Changes in the texture of your tongue
Flu-like symptoms
Fatigue
Swelling in the face
Tongue color changes
A burning sensation
Chronic or unexplained swelling of the tongue should also be checked by a medical professional, as it can be the sign of an underlying condition that is causing the swollen tongue. Treating the condition will usually help to reduce the swelling in the tongue.
Treatment methods
Identifying the cause of a swollen tongue will dictate the treatment method. However, your doctor has several different methods that could be used to reduce your symptoms and help you to feel better. They can include the following:
If your tongue is swollen because you’re experiencing an allergic reaction, epinephrine may be helpful. Epinephrine works by opening blood vessels and removing swelling. It can work within minutes and reverse an anaphylaxis episode. However, this medication can wear off. Anyone who uses epinephrine should follow up by visiting a doctor for more help.
If an infection is swelling your tongue, your doctor may use antibiotics, antifungals, or corticosteroids to reduce the swelling. Your doctor may need to swab the area to determine which type of medication would work best and provide you with the prescription you need.
If your tongue is swollen due to an injury, your doctor should assess the damage. Serious tongue wounds may need stitches or another form of care. Mild cases could be treated with home remedies, such as ice chips or over-the-counter painkillers.
More serious conditions can require additional treatment methods for the underlying cause or life-saving techniques to clear the airway so you can breathe properly.
Preventing a swollen tongue
To prevent your tongue from swelling up, pay attention to how and what you eat and put in your mouth. You can prevent issues by avoiding any foods you are sensitive to. Call your doctor immediately if you experience a reaction to any prescribed medication. Refrain from using tobacco products, and stick to a balanced diet.
Practicing good oral hygiene, including brushing your tongue carefully, can help to prevent many issues in the mouth. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and brush twice a day with a fluoride and non-abrasive toothpaste.
If you have dental appliances, make sure they do not have any sharp edges or wires that irritate your tongue. If they do, have your orthodontist adjust them to keep them from cutting your tongue. You can use dental wax in the meantime.
Many times, a swollen tongue is due to a disease or condition, which can be congenital, genetic, or the result of other factors out of your control. It can help to stick to a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, lowering stress, minimizing environmental irritants, eating nutritious foods, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep.
Regular visits to your doctor and dentist can help to catch oral and medical issues before they progress as well.