Medical question (may be TMI, but nothing oozing or anything)

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

About 3 months ago, I was eating popcorn and I started having issues with my tongue. It seems like I bit my tongue, the wound kinda lines up with a tooth, but it seems to me that the damage done is more in line with car accident or seizure rather than just regular eating. I can’t imagine having bitten my tongue that hard.

It looks like I have a flap of tongue about the size of my pinky fingernail protruding from the side of my tongue. It hurts and it’s in the way. I have had to adjust my talking, I can’t hock a loogie, I cover my mouth and stick my tongue out when I sneeze. I can’t spend more than an hour awake without it get caught somewhere and hurting. My teeth are not in the best shape, but I can’t imagine this being a dentist problem.

I’m looking at this protrusion and I can’t imagine it healing and going back to it’s correct shape on it’s own. My other options seem to be suffer and get used to it for the rest of my life or get a portion of my tongue lopped off. Uugh.

The first two weeks it hurt like hell, I wasn’t able to sing along in the car or anything. Now, I think I’ve adapted rather than it healing. For a couple weeks I tried rinsing constantly with water & baking soda. I’m going to my General Practitioner on Saturday and honestly I’m scared.

Anybody deal with anything similar? Maybe just send me good thoughts. I appreciate it.

#2

I’m glad you’re going to the doctor instead of just trying to live with it. Apparently small traumas can sometimes trigger the body to “heal” excessively. My son had to have some of his ulvua (the hangy down thing at the back of your throat) snipped off because of a minor incident. Imagine constantly needing to swallow something that won’t go down. Get the protruberance cut back and let your mouth/jaw relax back into normal. Wishing you resumed singing and happy hocking.

#3

I’ve had some serious biting accidents on my tongue before (sometimes, even in my sleep), one just a few days ago. I’m talking a loud crunch and lots of blood and tear-inducing pain, but I can’t say it was ever to the level of creating a “flap” of loose tissue - just very deep cuts. I’ve always thoroughly rinsed with mouthwash immediately, and frequently thereafter, and have never had significant pain that lasted more than a couple days. But I’m a very quick healer and have an overactive immune system. (with occasional bouts of psoriasis being the price I pay for that)

But yeah, if had pain and a flap after three months, I would have gone to the doc about two months ago, and I rarely go to the doctor if I can help it.

#4

Moved from MPSIMS to IMHO, home of medical threads.

#5

If it just appeared over night so to speak it’s probably the result of physical trauma. Doesn’t sound like oral cancer or anything too serious. I have to wear a mouth guard at night, if I don’t I can mess up my mouth at night due to bruxism. You could of done it in your sleep and not know it. Did you wake up one morning and it was there ? Or maybe it’s a piece of corn embedded in there and your tongue is reacting to it. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, but your right for going see a doctor since it is affecting you.

#6

Dentist here. probably better off seeing an oral surgeon than a g.p. physcian. If is just from trauma your best bet is to have it removed. (get a biopsy of course just in case). In my experience most g. P.s won’t do the removal and you’ll end up a sergeon’s office anyway.

I’ve had a fair number of patients in my 26 years that this has happened to although usually now so severe.

#7

Dont have dental insurance. Would this kind of oral surgery be covered under medical or dental?

#8

A lot of times it can be medical. Find an oral surgeon who is a DDS/MD their offices are often good at cross codeing. Call them and ask they’ll be happy to get a pre D, if not go somewhere else. All in all will probably be cheaper at an oral sergeons office then an ENT’s office.