Itchy tongue leads to irritation if not treated properly. Itchy tongue can be caused by various reasons, some of which may be not be so severe while others can be deadly.
Causes of Itchy Tongue
Allergy: Experiencing an itchy mouth, lips, tongue & throat? That means you may be allergic to specific food or pollens. Many of us have Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), a kind of food allergy, also known as pollen-food syndrome. OAS is thought to happen when proteins in specific nutrients are similar to the allergenic proteins found in particular kinds of pollens like grasses, birch, mug wort, or ragweed. OAS may also occur when you eat certain food which you have eaten previously but nothing happened at that time.
Itching or tingling in the mouth is the most common symptoms of food allergies. Other symptoms include-
- tingling & itching in and around your mouth, tongue & throat
- swelling of the lips, tongue or throat
- odd taste in your mouth
Nourishments that can cause OAS responses include-
- nut
- cow’s milk
- eggs
- apples
- wheat
- celery
Anaphylaxis: Anaphylaxis is a deadly allergic reaction & is much more dangerous than OAS. Immediate medical care is needed if a person is going through this kind of allergy, since it can affects the whole body resulting in low blood pressure & acute swelling. Cardiac arrest & death can also result for a person who is affected by this kind of allergy if not treated on time. Anaphylactic reaction starts when your immune system becomes hypersensitive to acute allergens like bee stings, pollen & certain foods.
Sometimes the swelling in the throat & mouth becomes so severe, that it makes a person difficult or even impossible to breathe.
Few symptoms of Anaphylaxis:
- swelling of the lips, tongue or throat
- dizziness 0r fainting
- difficulty or having trouble while breathing
- abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhoea
- rapid heartbeat
- low blood pressure
- skin rashes, hives or swelling
- hoarse voice
Viral Infection: Viral infection can also be the reason behind itchy tongue. Common cold & flu that affects the upper respiratory tract can cause an itchy mouth along with burning sensation.
Few symptoms of viral infections-
- running nose
- sore throat
- mild headache
- sneezing
- slight body ache
- low fever
Diabetes: Diabetes can also be the reason behind itchy tongue. Individuals with diabetes are at an expanded danger of oral thrush. It also affects nerve health leading to paraesthesia of various organs including tongue. Deferral in the treatment of oral thrush may advance to cause a contamination that too affects the throat.
Oral Thrush: Also known as oral candidiasis, is a kind of fungal infection of the genus Candida that develops on the mucous membranes of the mouth. It is a very common infection in infants causing irritation in & around the baby’s mouth. Oral thrush can also appear on the roof of your mouth, tonsils, and gums & in your throat. Those look like cream coloured patches which can be very hurting & may bleed also while you brush your teeth.
Few symptoms of oral thrush are-
- redness inside the mouth or throat
- loss of taste
- swelling in the affected areas
- painful or burning sensation while eating
Oral Cancer: This may be one of the reasons behind itchy tongue. Individuals with propensity for ceaseless drinking habit, chain smoking & chewing tobacco are at expanded danger of growing oral cancer.
Prevention: If you are allergic prone then try to avoid exposure to allergens. Try to find out the reason behind the allergy by doing proper allergy test. If it is because of a specific food, then avoid it. If you are going through allergy because of fungal or viral infection, then please do contact a Doctor & go through proper treatment to prevent a recurrence.