VeggieBoards banner

someone PLEASE tell me what is wrong with my mouth!

31K views 49 replies 34 participants last post by  chwwag 
#1 ·
first of all, i have this insanely bad canker sore on the inside of my lip. hurts like a biotch. i practically cried every time i tried to eat today. but that i'm not worried about, i get them on occasion....although i would kind of like to know WHY im getting them. i just had one go away (on the inside of my cheek, I bit it and it was cut and turned into a very painful obtrusive canker sore. the second that went away this new one developed.)

but then...there are these THINGS. I dont even know how to describe them, all I can think of to call them are "inflamed tastebuds." they're bumps that appear on my tongue, tiny tiny bumps, and i only get one and its most of the time near the very tip. HURTS. UNCOMFORTABLE. what the hell is it?? what causes it? i have TWO of those right now, one on the tip and a not as bad one on the right back side. but the one on the tip of my tongue sucks. i keep scraping at it with my teeth, practically trying to rip it off--bad idea, i know--and that, by the way, really hurts. has anyone experienced these? half the people I talk to know exactly what I'm talking about, the other half look at me as if I told them Elvis just showed up and watered my plants.

could it be too much acidity in my diet? i eat a lot of mangos and right now a mango sounds like the most painful thing in the world.

and how do i make them leave?!

thanks!
 
See less See more
#27 ·
From a psychological point of view, canker sores appear when one feels that one is unable to express oneself, and that one feels one has to "suffer in silence". One feels incapable sometimes of reacting or affirming one's position.

(In my line of work, we work a lot with causes and not only symptoms. And most physical problems have their roots in non-physical problems.)
 
#28 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diana View Post

From a psychological point of view, canker sores appear when one feels that one is unable to express oneself, and that one feels one has to "suffer in silence". One feels incapable sometimes of reacting or affirming one's position.

(In my line of work, we work a lot with causes and not only symptoms. And most physical problems have their roots in non-physical problems.)
.....and the roots of the non-physical causes that create the physical problems usually are rooted in phsycological problems which stem from chemicals, dietary mistakes, stress, electronic radio-waves and other frequency emitting devices and towers, br*inw*shing, drugs and vitamin-mineral deficiencies. The only way to fight these environmental combatants is to have a very healthy interior structure and immune system and to know that these are the things that cause the ailments.
 
#29 ·
They can indeed stem from those sources you speak of. However, if someone constantly has physical problems because the root cause is that they were raped as a child (just to give an example), one would also have to deal with that as well. Just dealing with the physical side of the problem will not go deep enough, although it is necessary as well. One needs to treat the body holistically. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
 
#32 ·
Porvida, how old are you? I ask because the symptoms you're describing sound frighteningly like the things that happened to me when I was 15 (for the record, I've also suffered with eating issues for as long as I can remember). For months, I was just vaguely sick.. all kinds of symptoms (all of the ones your described of yourself and many symptoms of Mono and other things) but no medicines helped and blood tests didn't show anything abnormal. Finally, I went to have a biopsy because the swollen glands that were popping up all over my body were concerning everyone and my doctor thought Lymphoma was a possibility.

It turns out I just have a really sucky, disorganized lymphatic system. My lymphnodes basically freak out and burn themselves out whenever I get near a germ, overreacting and trying to take on much more than they can handle. So they crap out on me, for weeks I continue to get sicker and more run down without ever being violently ill, stay that way for up to a few months, then everything goes back to normal just like that. It really sucks, but I guess that's just how I work. Maybe it's not exactly what you have, but at least you know I've been through weird stuff, too. I know how frustrating it can be while you're trying to find out just what the heck is wrong with you. Good luck!
 
#34 ·
One quick point to make, if you feel what you think are you lymph nodes swollen, you could be wrong, I thought mine were swollen only to find out it was my sub-mandibular salivary glands that had swollen and hardened. With further blood tests, Ct's, pet scan so far they have found that my thymus gland has enlarged and has a tumor in it.

Also just had to say, even though I really hope you were joking porvida, knowingly giving someone a disease is illegal, not to mention immoral.

Just my 2 cents.
 
#36 ·
anyone who gets frequent cankers should go have a blood test done to check B12 levels. seriously.

and something that may help get rid of existing sores (but won't prevent future sores) is someone once told me that when he had a bad breakout of cankers his doc told him he had to take B12 supplements. he was in so much pain from them that he got impatient for the vits to work and broke one open (gelcap) and spread the stuff inside over his sores. went to bed, woke up in the morning and they were pretty well healed over, within 3 days they were gone completely. course you'd still need to take the supplements to keep them from coming back, and if it is a sign of low B12 it's important to take it anyways cause it can be pretty serious if left alone for too long

(fyi you can get them in veggiecaps-look for solgar brand)

also i do tend to get cankers, on my bottom lip especially, if i'm nervous or anxious. any time i'm taking a trip i get one. bf has a big race, i get one. job interview i get one. etc etc. most important thing.. when you feel one coming on don't poke at it lol. i always end up touching it too much, chewing, picking etc and it gets so much worse. germs from your hands and whatnot.. just bad.
 
#37 ·
I know it's been a long time since porvida posted with this problem, but I want to point out that there apparently has been something going around recently (September '05) with similar symptoms. I had the terrible mouth sore on my tongue (so bad I could barely talk or chew), peeling lips and dry mouth for 3-4 days a few weeks ago.

I was searching for explanations and found potentially both B12 deficiency and iron deficiency. While I was freaking out about these possibilities, I learned that my mother (not a vegetarian) had the exact same symptoms, only hers lasted for about 2 weeks and she felt really ill all over before it cleared up. So I'm convinced that there is an infectious bug that causes this.

As for the B12 thing, I know it has been really hard for me to find truly objective, trustworthy information about B12. It's all either "you'll die without animal products" or "don't worry about it, it's just a scare tactic." But one of the things I've read is that the human body stores all the B12 it needs for years, even decades, so it's incredibly unlikely that anyone who's been vegan for a short period of time (i.e., less than 10 years or so) would have a problem due to a dietary deficiency. OTOH, people can develop B12 deficiency due to a problem absorbing it in the small intestine, but this is reportedly no more common among veg*ns than among omnvores.
 
#38 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tesseract View Post

As for the B12 thing, I know it has been really hard for me to find truly objective, trustworthy information about B12. It's all either "you'll die without animal products" or "don't worry about it, it's just a scare tactic." But one of the things I've read is that the human body stores all the B12 it needs for years, even decades, so it's incredibly unlikely that anyone who's been vegan for a short period of time (i.e., less than 10 years or so) would have a problem due to a dietary deficiency. OTOH, people can develop B12 deficiency due to a problem absorbing it in the small intestine, but this is reportedly no more common among veg*ns than among omnvores.
I would suggest reading "Becoming Vegan", since they have an excellent part covering B12. It also cites the studies behind its recommendations.
 
#39 ·
Hi. If I had terrible toung mouth sores, and suspected a vitamine defficiency--or thought it was a strange virus--I would head to my GP's office and get it checked on. I don't frankly like the sound of "sores" skin peeling etc--do you think someone with a medical degree could help you out? Just a thought...
 
#41 ·
they call them that here too, but i think that mostly refers to cold sores rather than canker sores, though i think it's sometimes used for cankers also. i dunno

anyway as for a virus, i doubt it. it IS possible for an omni to be low on b12 or iron. my mom and a friend of mine are both omni and neither eat enough on a daily basis. both have symptoms of low b12 AND low iron. i keep trying to get them to get blood tests done and take their supplements but i think they assume they're fine if they eat meat. not always the case.

if you're not eating enough calories in a day it's quite likely that you're low in vitamins and minerals, no matter what your diet. also the person i mentioned before who broke open a B12 capsule on his cankers, he's omni and a bodybuilder who takes a lot of supplements but i think just doesn't eat enough solid food in general, and when he does he eats junk. so he ended up deficient.

b12 deficiency is more common in veg*ns but it's not exclusive to them
 
#42 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyFaile View Post

they call them that here too, but i think that mostly refers to cold sores
I've heard the term in the US just once, and it was for what appeared to be a "cold sore". (shhhh don't admit that it's HSV1 and at least 85% of the population has it)

Quote:
it IS possible for an omni to be low on b12 or iron.
I knew one who had a weird B12 problem. One day his legs just stopped working, and some doc eventually traced it to B12. He injects himself with some form of B12 every day now.
 
#43 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by anthony11 View Post

I knew one who had a weird B12 problem. One day his legs just stopped working, and some doc eventually traced it to B12. He injects himself with some form of B12 every day now.
Yes, it can have to do with a lack of intrinsic factor as far as I remember from my little nutrition class I took a long time ago.
 
#44 ·
The rotten taste bud - I have the exact same problem. I can't help you with the canker sore but I can tell you that they aren't directly related to each other because I've never had the canker. I have friends who are doctors and they've been no help. It's like one individual tastebud - usually near the tip or the corner swells up and is sharply painful. I haven't figured out how to prevent them but I have found a way to make them go away much more quickly. When you first feel one developing, start rinsing your mouth with salt water several times per day. Once you've figured out where the bad taste bud is developing, coat that specific area with salt and leave the salt on for a couple of minutes - yes, it's weird to walk around with a patch of salt coating your stuck-out tongue. A couple of times a day decreases the pain and cuts short the infection before the whole area becomes red and tender.
 
#45 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diana View Post

From a psychological point of view, canker sores appear when one feels that one is unable to express oneself, and that one feels one has to "suffer in silence". One feels incapable sometimes of reacting or affirming one's position.
That sounds kinda hookey, to be honest
I realize stress makes people's body react differently, but narrowing it done like you have really smacks of quackery to me.

I get canker sores when I eat too much tomato paste, tomato sauce, and/or orange juice. I get them when I have a cold. I get them when I lick my lips all night in my sleep b/c someone left the heat on 25C instead of 15C and I woke up with baby rings and fever blisters all over my face.

I, however, have never heard of someone getting canker sores because they were repressing their emotions.
 
#47 ·
This is a very interesting thread, so I thought I'd throw in my quarter, too. Understand what I am saying is mostly from my own experience or what I remember hearing and reading.

One woman, April, posted early on, "I *think* I recall that site specifying that the tiny tongue sores are caused by the same virus that causes cold sores on the lips or around the mouth, and the sores like the one you have on the inside of your lip or cheek are something else."

In the mid-90s I was having quite a time with this tiny little bumps on my tongue, little patches of them that were really really painful. Someone told me the same thing, too, that they came from the same virus as cold sores (which is Herpes). I want to stress, it was heard as hearsay and I can't remember if a doctor told me this or if a lay person did. I assumed it was correct because I knew I carried Herpes. I had also "heard" that canker sores on the cheeks and gums are from something else.

I want to bring up Herpes, and you'll see why as I read on. In the late 1990s, I read in "The Helper," a newsletter for and about Herpes, the following, and I'm paraphrasing. This may or may not be related to the original poster's complaints, but because of the severity of it and the little bumps on the tongue, I thought I would mention it.

It said that a person can "carry" Herpes I or II in either the nerves near the neck (mouth) or pelvis (genital area). Depending on where one contracts either virus depends on where, how often and to what severity the Herpes type will manifest.

Herpes I (HSVI)'s home is in the nerves near the base of the neck while Herpes II (HSVII)'s home is in the nerves hear the base of the spine (or pelvis). That's why most people think when you get cold sores in the mouth you have HSVI and when you get an outbreak in the genital area, you have HSVII. But, that is not always the case. If someone contracts HSVI (common cold sores in the mouth) through oral sex on the genital area, that person may have a breakout in the genital area once or twice in their lifetimes, very mild. If someone contracts HSVII through oral sex in the mouth, that person may have continuous severe outbreaks of cold sores and other sores, very severely, in the mouth region. I think there are reasons for these differences, such as different behavior when each virus is located away from it's "home," but I believe another reason for the difference in severity is that HSVI is a milder strain of HSVII. (Normally, HSVI in the mouth area would produce mild occassional sores while HSVII in the genital area would produce severe outbreaks in the genital area. With it switched around, the severity of each strain is maintained, maybe lessened somewhat because of being away from it's "home," but just located in different nerve regions).

A good, close friend of mine had one outbreak in the genital area in 1992 and was devastated. Her doctor told her that she had HSVII. But she has said she has never had an outbreak since. She had a period of time in the mid-90s when she was having these little bumps and clusters of tiny sores on her tongue. She never got cold sores on her lip. Anyway, they were aggravated by drinking orange juice and eating oranges, limes or lemons. She started taking a multi-vitamin and L-Lysine, as some people have already mentioned. She hasn't had any symptoms since the mid-90s.

She got a blood test in 2000, which showed that she was negative for HSVII and positive for HSVI. The mild contractions in the mouth and genital region suggest that this person does have the milder strain, HSVI, and it could be possibly located in both the nerve areas of the neck and pelvis, even though she experiences no symptoms now.

So all I'm saying is to ask for your blood to be tested for herpes, both strains of it. If you have HSV type II away from its "home" at the nerve base of your neck, you may be experiencing these sore outbreaks due to that virus (because it is a stronger strain). The other possibility is that your immune system may be so broken down that HSVI (a milder strain) maybe be manifesting more powerfully due to your immune system breakdown. That's why a blood test will clear it up.

Oh, and even if you keep track of your sexual history, even if your partner says he/she is clean, even if you do everything "right," one can still contract Herpes, either type. People even give it away without knowing that they have it, some don't have symptoms, their immune systems are so strong that there is nothing, not even cold sores. That's why it's important to know whether or not you carry it. I also had a friend who said that it's possible for mothers to pass either strain of the virus onto their children when they are being born, sometimes unknowingly. That's why sometimes kids can get sick with it when they are young.

And all this, of course, based on whether or not the little tiny bumps on the tongue are part of the Herpes virus (of which I am not 100% confident). I suspect that there is a bigger problem going on, something with the immune system, so that's why I 100% support all the comments about boosting your immune system now, irregardless.
 
#48 ·
>>From a psychological point of view, canker sores appear when one feels that one is unable to express oneself, and that one feels one has to "suffer in silence". One feels incapable sometimes of reacting or affirming one's position.>>

Hmmm...having been schooled moderately well in psychology...I'm a bit skeptical.

ebola
 
#49 ·
Oh for glob's sake just dab a little local anesthetic on the sores. As I said before. It makes them totally painless withing about a minute. Lasts about an hour. It really works wonders.

Yes they are very painful, but they are just teensy little sores and we shouldn't need to spend too much time worrying about them. Just knock out the pain and stop worrying about them. Like with a paper cut. That can hurt like hell. So you just put a drop of local anesthetic on them.
 
#50 ·
Inflamed Tastebuds

The condition you describe sounds like transient lingual papillitis. This is a localized inflammatory condition. You get a tiny white bump or red that is painful and it feel like there is something on or stuck to your tongue. They occur near the tip and side of tongue and affect fungiform papillae on the tongue. I strongly suspect this is caused by wheat/gluten intolerance. I get these if I eat wheat products as well as canker sores. I have also had acute onset of papillitis from certain sugar products. Stop eating all inflammatory foods and these will resolve on their own. If you have gerd, "heart burn" , itching, brachioradial pruritus, bloating, gas, you may be wheat intolerant or outright have a gluten allergy. I would also make sure your diet is free of high fructose Corn syrup in any form. Try it and I see if you improve.

CW RN
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top