BURNING MOUTH -- DIFFICULT TO TREAT, MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE

BURNING MOUTH -- DIFFICULT TO TREAT, MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE
08/15/06
BY PAUL G. DONOHUE, M.D.
Sun Herald
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: For two years, I have had a burning tongue. An ENT doctor diagnosed it as burning mouth syndrome. He put me on prednisone and a mouthwash. Five hundred dollars later, he said they didn't work and that there was nothing else he could do. I find that chewing gum (which annoys my wife) gives temporary relief. Any other ideas? -- G.D.
ANSWER: Burning mouth syndrome is painful to have and to treat. It happens to men and women, but most sufferers are postmenopausal women. As the name suggests, it's a painful mouth or tongue, or both. The pain often reaches a peak in the evenings, and frequently keeps a person from sleeping.
When a cause can be found, then treatment has a good chance of cure. The problem is that causes are not routinely found, and treatment is blind. One possible cause is an infection by the yeast Candida. It almost always yields to treatment. Another cause is dry mouth. Artificial saliva can restore moisture to the mouth. So can the medicine Evoxac, which prods the salivary glands into making more saliva. Some medicines are notorious for drying the mouth. Antihistamines and antidepressants can do it. A change of medicine can keep the mouth from drying out. A deficiency of iron, folic acid (a B vitamin), vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 could have a role in burning tongue syndrome. Correcting the deficiency corrects the burning pain.
All this is wonderful, but for the majority of people, a cause is never found. A number of home remedies might quench the flames. One is swishing cold apple juice in the mouth. Or you can do the same with a mixture of Kaopectate and Benadryl liquid before eating. Combine equal amounts of both and use a teaspoonful to rinse the mouth for 30 seconds. Don't swallow it.
Prescription medicines include Elavil and Klonopin. Neurontin is another prescription drug that has brought relief to some with this mysterious syndrome.
Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.
(c) 2006 North America Syndicate Inc.
All Rights Reserved
BY PAUL G. DONOHUE, M.D.

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