I noticed I have a whitish/yellowish patch of stuff on the back of my tongue. At first I thought it might be Thrush, but my understanding is that Thrush spreads to the entire mouth, causes bleeding gums, sore throat, difficulty eating etc. None of this has happened. It continues to occupy the same area of space on my tongue. I can scrap it off with the toothbrush but it comes back later.
I have been to a Doctor, an Ear, Nose, Throat specialist and he didn’t mention it at all. I couldn’t specifically point it out because I live in a non-english speaking country. When he looked in my mouth with all his gadgets he said I had tonsilitis and a throat infection and prescribed some antibiotics. I did have some throat congestion. He didn’t mention my tongue at all. Now the throat infection is cleared up by my tongue still has the strange patch on it.
I’m not suffering any ill effects, no bad breath or pain etc. I just know its not normal and its bothering me. I can go to a foreign clinic with fluent english doctors but its a major hassle for something that doesn’t seem to important. I should also mention I’m a smoker, don’t know if that has anything to do with it.
So does anyone have any ideas? I’ve had it for about 5 months.
I am not a doctor, but I would submit from experience that thrush does not always carry those additional symptoms. A friend of mine gets it from time to time and the discoloration of the tongue is the only symptom she really gets. If I’m not mistaken, they gave her Diflucan last time to get rid of it, which worked.
Well, I looked up tongue disorders (IANAD), and here’s what I found that seemed to match:
Leukoplakia: white or greyish patch inside of cheek or on tongue. Forms over course of several weeks. may be rough or sensitive to spicy foods. My be natural protection against the heat of tobacco snoke, the condition is then known as smoker’s keratosis. Treatment: most of the time, removing the irritant. Probably not this, but thought I’d throw it in.
Hairy Tongue: hair-like papillea on tongue grow profusely. Tongue not sore, but alarming to behold. Often result of antibiotic therapy, excessive use of certain (?) mouthwashes., or lack of adequate oral hygiene. Usually clears at end of antiboitics, discontinuing offending mouthwash, or when fever breaks. The hair-like papillea may be removed by brushing with a toothbrush.
-Both summarized from Mayo Clinic Family Health Book
I’m sure that’s not the full spectrum of tongue disorders, but you did go to a ENT doctor who certainly would have notice “Deadly Tongue Cancer ™.”
Yahoo!Health site Has a fuller description with pictures!
Not even a doctor can diagnose over the internet, and what we have here are responses from a bunch of well-meaning amateurs.
If going to the English-speaking clinic is too much of a hassel, perhaps you could call them? If phones don’t work well where you are, then ask a friend to go with you to the doctor you saw before, to act as interpreter. If the doctor (and your friend) don’t know the English words for whatever they’re saying, ask them to write it down and then you can get it translated (I presume.)
Please, don’t accept the online comments of non-professionals – however well-intended – as replacement for seeing a doctor.