Hi, I am a 44 year old female. For the last three months I have had a sore, burning tongue with a metallic taste. I am a heavy wine drinker and I have noticed that this does seem to irritate my tongue and the burning is worse the next day. My tongue looks quite pale except for the edges and tip with are quite red. The tip also has enlarged taste buds and has a dry feeling. I recently had some blood tests that showed I had low iron, ferritin and haemoglobin, I am due to go back this week and have a follow up test. My question is, do you think the wine drinking has damaged my tongue? If so, what do I need to do and what can I take to help with the discomfort?
Hi. Thanks for the query. It seems that you are suffering from a condition known as BURNING MOUTH SYN Chat Doctor. . You should also get Serum Vitamin B12 levels checked. Wine is also an irritant and can cause irritation of the tongue and can add to the symptoms you are experiencing. Get proper Iron supplements taken and eat more of spinach and other green vegetables. As of now to get relieved you can start gargling with a numbing mouthwash containing Lidocaine. Take anti-inflammatory painkiller like Ibuprofen. Avoid spicy foods and take a soft bland diet. Suck ice pops. Hope this helps. Regards.