What Causes a Swollen Tongue? Pictures, Symptoms and Treatment

Understanding What Causes a Swollen Tongue

A swollen tongue can be alarming when you first notice it in the mirror. Thankfully, the majority of cases are not terribly serious and result from something fairly easy to identify. Knowing potential causes, how to find relief, and when to seek emergency care related to a swollen tongue makes a real difference.

Common Reasons for Tongue Swelling

Several factors frequently cause a slightly or moderately swollen tongue. These include:

• Allergic reactions from foods, medications, insect bites/stings
• Viral infections such as the common cold
• Oral injuries from accidentally biting or burning the tongue
• Dehydration from inadequate fluid intake
• Salty or spicy foods
• Hypothyroidism or hormone changes
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Smoking irritants

Often it may be hard to pinpoint the exact trigger, but in mild-to-moderate scenarios swelling should start improving gradually on its own as the underlying cause resolves.

When to Take Swollen Tongue More Seriously

While most swollen tongue causes should ease up within several days, be on alert with these more serious accompanying symptoms:

• Extreme, painful enlargement of the tongue
• Welts, hives or sores
• Trouble breathing or swallowing
• Sudden hoarse voice
• Wheezing or fainting
• Feeling generally unwell

These signal potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis or other medical issues needing prompt treatment, even hospitalization in some cases.

How to Alleviate Swelling and Discomfort

While waiting for a puffy tongue to heal or getting capable medical care as warranted, you can try self-care comfort measures including:

• Taking an antihistamine medication like Claritin
• Sipping cold water or sucking on ice chips
• Rinsing carefully with saltwater
• Enjoying soothing cool foods like popsicles, smoothies, yogurt, applesauce
• Gently massaging the tongue to stimulate blood flow
• Avoiding hot, spicy, crunchy, salty, acidic, sugary or irritating foods and beverages in favor of neutral offerings like soups, shakes and puddings

Common Triggers Behind a Swollen Tongue

Now that we have reviewed general insight on responding to tongue enlargement, let’s take a closer look at several specific causes and contributing factors.

Allergic Reactions

Allergies represent a very common source of tongue puffiness, whether occurring alone or alongside a more systemic reaction. Common causes include:

• Foods - shellfish, dairy, eggs, nuts, soy
• Medications - Penicillins, NSAIDs, anesthesia
• Insect stings - bees, wasps, hornets
• Pet dander
• Pollen exposure
• Latex or other contact irritant

With allergies, the tongue may rapidly enlarge, become red, swell unevenly, or develop a bumpy texture reflecting the location of the irritation. Hives or welts can also crop up on the tongue surface.

Oral Injuries

It’s remarkably easy to hurt your tongue without even realizing it initially. Common examples include:

• Accidental bites - Often occurs while chewing vigorously or talking with food in your mouth. Typically impacts the tongue tip and sides.
• Thermal burns - Hot soups, coffees and teas as well as scalding oven dishes often burn lips, cheeks and tongues before you even register pain.
• Cuts and scrapes - Sharp chips and crackers, toothbrush bristles, dental work and more can nick or scrape the tongue lining, leaving it tender and inflamed.
• Irritation from oral jewelry or devices - Piercings, retainers and braces that rub constantly on your tongue provoke swelling over time.

The location and visual characteristics of tongue swelling provides clues to the type of injury incurred.

Infections

Viruses and bacteria also frequently cause tongue enlargement, often in combination with swelling throughout the mouth and throat regions overall. Some prime examples include:

• Canker sores - Small painful ulcers make eating and talking uncomfortable.
• Oral thrush - A fungal infection leaving cottage cheese-like lesions.
• Abscesses - Pockets of pus around the tongue or in the floor of the mouth.
• Strep throat - Extreme reddened swelling throughout the back of the throat.

These tend to correspond with obvious significant pain and difficulty chewing or swallowing until properly treated.

When to Seek Emergency Swollen Tongue Care

We’ve covered a spectrum of common causes for a swollen tongue that typically resolve fairly readily with self care. However, in situations where extreme tongue enlargement occurs rapidly, breathing grows difficult, speaking garbled, or you feel on the verge of passing out, emergency care should be secured right away.

Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis represents the body going into life-threatening shock in response to an allergen, infection or unknown trigger. Signs demanding IMMEDIATE medical attention include:

• Tongue and throat rapidly doubling or tripling in size
• Wheezing, choking noises or high-pitched breathing
• Hives or rash spreading across the body
• Swelling of the face, lips, eyes or extremities
• Feeling faint, confused or losing consciousness

Anaphylaxis tongue swelling blocks the airway which can lead to death very swiftly without epinephrine and other acute treatment.

Lingual Thrombosis

While rare, blood clots in the veins under the tongue can result in sudden, painful and extreme swelling termed lingual thrombosis. ThisBlocks oxygen and requires prompt surgical intervention. Call emergency services if you experience:

• Massive tongue enlargement preventing jaw closure
• Severe throbbing pain and bleeding
• Inability to swallow saliva
• Feeling faint and short of breath

Lingual thrombosis linked to genetic clotting disorders can recur without proper treatment and monitoring.

Angioedema

Skin swelling conditions like angioedema cause fluid leakage from blood vessels into surrounding tissue. The tongue may enlarge substantially, inhibiting air flow. Seek immediate care if you have:

• Sudden extreme tongue puffiness and drooping
• Tight, swollen throat
• Wheezing or coughing up blood
• Hives on the hands, feet or genitals too
• Rapid swelling onset over just minutes or hours

Angioedema often links with severe allergic response and certain medications and requires fast intervention.

In Conclusion

Noticing a swollen tongue can certainly be disturbing and uncomfortable. But try to stay calm, gently nurse yourself and determine if the cause is likely an minor one that will resolve on its own or requires seeing a doctor promptly. Call emergency services without delay though for any tongue/mouth swelling making it hard to breathe or speak. With proper care, even significant tongue enlargement cases can be treated successfully.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.