Bumps on the tip of your tongue may develop due to many reasons, right from trauma to mouth cancer. Join us as we discuss the various causes of this discomforting symptom, and how to deal with it.
The tongue is not just one of the strongest muscles in the body, but also one of the most widely used muscles of the lot. This is a muscle that is used at nearly all times when a person is awake; to talk, taste and even to swallow one’s spit. When we eat or even talk for that matter, there is always a risk that is present to the tongue. There are chances that while talking we might just end up biting our tongue. Whenever we taste something, it may be very hot or spicy and so, the tongue may suffer from a slight amount of chemical or physical burn.
Any damage to the tongue can manifest in the form of a change in the perception of taste or may alter its appearance, and presence of bumps on the tongue is one such change which is nothing but a physical symptom of some underlying problem. Discussed below are the various factors which cause such small bumps to appear on the tip of the tongue.
Trauma
One of the most common causes of the development of these bumps on the tip of the tongue is trauma. This trauma may be in the form of physical trauma or chemical trauma. When we taste anything, we tend to use the tip of our tongue to do so. In such circumstances, if you accidentally sip on very hot coffee or taste something very spicy, then as a reaction to this trauma, the tongue may develop small bumps or sores. This is usually a self receding condition and in most cases, does not need any kind of active medical intervention. However, if these bumps are very painful rather than just a little sore, then some amount of topical mucosal anesthetic can be applied to soothe the pain associated with them.
Canker Sores
Another cause of the occurrence of bumps in the anterior region of the tongue is development of canker sores. Also known as oral ulcers, these are usually triggered as some kind of reaction in the body. Though the exact cause of these ulcers is not known, it is said that canker sores may develop due to nutritional (especially vitamin) deficiency. These mainly look like small red bumps on the tongue which have a white center that is flat. They may be painful and quite sore, and – at times, may even lead to a burning sensation on the tongue, making it difficult for the person to eat.
In fact, it is believed that these sores may even have a cyclical tendency to develop on a regular basis, or when the person is under a lot of stress or has a lowered immunity. Even though they usually disappear after a while on their own, these painful bumps on tongue are known to cause severe discomfort to the individual, to an extent wherein medical intervention may become necessary. In case of severe pain and sharp stinging sensation associated with these ulcers, the person may be prescribed a topical anesthetic cream and, if he is malnourished, the doctor may also consider the option of prescribing him some multivitamin tablets.
Other Causes
In some rare cases, a person may develop such bumps as a symptom of oral or tongue cancer. Although oral cancer usually presents in the form of an ulcer on the tongue, it may initially form as a small bump. This bump will eventually ulcerate and lead to a painful open wound. This may be triggered by constant trauma to this region of the tongue. If the small bumps join together and ulcerate, then one should immediately contact his health care professional to investigate it further.
Another condition that may lead to the appearance of bumps on the tongue is a geographic tongue. This is a natural condition where the tongue seems to be divided into portions that are demarcated from one another by red or white lines. There may be depressions or even bumps present in these regions. However, these are routinely present on the tongue and do not cause any pain and so, should not be bothersome to the individual.
Bumps on tongue is not necessarily a major symptom, and needn’t be a cause for worry. However, if any systemic symptoms are also seen accompanying this condition or the condition is a longstanding and painful one, then it is best to visit a doctor for further diagnosis.
