• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Burning / Raw tongue

August59

Daughters High School Graduation
Messages
1,617
Location
Upstate SC, USA
For the last week I have had this "unusual" feeling on my tongue. In the last 3 days it has turned into more of a raw (maybe burning) tongue. I can eat a couple of potato chips and it will really feel like it is on fire, but i don't normally eat them.

I haven't changed any meds or vitamins either. So, I'm puzzled and appreciate any feedback? Thanks!
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
This happened to me years ago. Before I got ill. It lasted for a long time. I went to Doctors, Specialist and at the end My GP found on a blood test that I was very low in B12. He gave me shots for a few months and it went away.

I don't know if you have the same problem but checking your B12 level should be easy enough, just to be sure.
 

Marg

Senior Member
Messages
343
Location
Wetumpka Alabama
I woke up one morning before I had ever heard of CFS with a burning tongue. I thought I had burned it somehow but it did not go away. I saw several doctors no one had any idea. A dermatologist wanted to take a biopsy of it, I got out of there fast and it became a part of me. I have read lists of CFS symptoms and you guessed it burning tongue is one of them. I take tons of b viamins and my b12 was fine on testing. Well, it goes further, now I have a burning roof of the mouth and lips at times. When I am feelng badly or in a detox it is worse. It stops burning when I eat, drink or chew gum. I know digestion begins in the mouth, I wonder if it could be a part of IBS. One doctor thought it may be related to toxins leaving. It is a mystery and it drives me crazy.
 

xchocoholic

Senior Member
Messages
2,947
Location
Florida
Good catch nano. I was just talking about this with another masto sufferer.

Swelling of the skin inside the mouth can be relate too. Mine's been gone for at least 6 weeks.
I used to bite the inside of my mouth all the time.

tc .. X
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
This happened to me years ago. Before I got ill. It lasted for a long time. I went to Doctors, Specialist and at the end My GP found on a blood test that I was very low in B12. He gave me shots for a few months and it went away.

I don't know if you have the same problem but checking your B12 level should be easy enough, just to be sure.

Along with b12, it could also be due to another deficiency. From a book called "Prevention in Clinical Oral Health Care" online, it says:

"Burning tongue: Inadequate dietary sources of B vitamins, including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), cobalamin (B12), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), and/or iron."
 

camas

Senior Member
Messages
702
Location
Oregon
A tip I've read, but haven't tried yet, is to hold some liquid benadryl in your mouth for a short time and then spit it out. Supposedly that will calm things down.
 

shannah

Senior Member
Messages
1,429
Could it be an oxalate issue? Potatoes are very high in oxalates. Googling 'oxalate and burning mouth' gives a number of hits.
 

Boule de feu

Senior Member
Messages
1,118
Location
Ottawa, Canada
A tip I've read, but haven't tried yet, is to hold some liquid benadryl in your mouth for a short time and then spit it out. Supposedly that will calm things down.

My GP gave me some magic mouthwash which has benadryl, nystatin and hydrocortisone. It does not solve the problem. Unfortunately, sometimes it even makes my problem worse.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
B12 blood tests are unreliable and one can still have a deficiency and have it show up fine (as sometimes the body just cant use the B12 for some reason and its just sitting there unutilized eg this can happen in those who have MTHFR polymorphism which 10-19% of the general population have depending on what country you are in).

Various B deficiences can have tongue symptoms as an early sign.
eg B3 Niacin deficiency has an early deficiency signs of: red tongue, vague burning sensations, tender gums
B2 deficiency often causes a painful smooth tongue, peeling lips, mouth cracks
B 6 (pyridoxine) deficiency .. swollen tongue, dry/cracked lips
B12 deficiency.. swollen, inflammed tongue.

Vitamin A deficiency can cause itching and burning on skin or mucus membranes and dryness
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Could it be an oxalate issue? Potatoes are very high in oxalates. Googling 'oxalate and burning mouth' gives a number of hits.
I'd be more concerned about the solanine in potatoes (and also in other nightshade vegetables) which interferes with calcium metabolism. Many have removed potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers from their diets, and viola -- their fibro/CFS and other joint problems improve dramatically.

It's my understanding that oxalates are only a problem if one has a 'leaky gut' and/or not enough oxalate degrading bacteria in the gut. But oxalates are found in high amounts in many, many vegetables, like carrots, celery, sweet potatoes (which I'd been eating almost daily!), etc.
 

A zombie

Senior Member
Messages
197
i have burning mouth too...I worked on reducing oxlates for along time and i don't believe i found any relief. I can try it again. It's a terrible terrible sx.
Mine is fine when i was in the morning, and gets worse as day goes on , usually by 11-12pm it's burning...i've tried candida like diet, eating low low carb ... low OX (will try that one again as i am probably eating a lot of OX)i've been searching for answers for over a year.
oh and i do believe I have LG.