Resolved question:
I have had a burning tongue since last Sunday evening. This makes it a week now. It started when I had a sexual encounter with a woman. We did not engage in high-risk behavior - no oral sex, but I did suck on her breasts. After that my tongue tasted something bitter and felt like it coated with something. She left the next morning to another state to stay with her family. I called her and asked her if there was something on her skin - body lotion, soap, etc. - she said maybe soap but she wasn't sure.
The tongue didn't really feel bad at first, just has a pasty texture. However, by Tuesday it burned like crazy. The sensation is exactly like drinking boiling water and scalding your tongue. Except I didn't drink any hot liquid and my tongue felt scalded for at least an entire day. I finally resorted to putting a little on my tongue to soothe the pain, sucking on ice cubes, and squeezing Vitamin E capsules on the tongue. All these helped greatly to lessen the scalding sensation. However, this is 7 days later and my tongue still feels scalded, although not to the point that I use sugar, ice cubes, or Vitamin E. Scraping my tongue against the roof of my mouth, it still hurts.
I'm thinking this feels like a chemical burn on the tongue. I have also developed chills in my body since last Sunday, as well as inflammation of blood vessels/tissue on the left side of my skull. I have taking Advil or Ibuprofen to ease the inflammation and it does work.
I am still worried about the chills and the tongue's sensation of being scalded still. What could have gotten on it? The woman I was with could have done something to spite me, by putting something caustic on her breasts knowing I would lick it (we had a tumultuous relationship). I pressed her but she would not admit to anything. I say this to say it couldn't be anything else because I haven't eaten anything or drank anything out of the ordinary.
Any ideas on what this substance could be? I called the national poison hotline and they didn't know. Could it be hand sanitizer (odorless)? Body lotion? Soap? Could it even be an infection of some kind - bacterial, viral, or fungal? My tongue looks normal enough, white coat, with red area where the burn is, but the red area doesn't look that bad. I did visit a primary care doctor last week and he said the tongue doesn't look unusual.
Another symptom I would like to mention is that since the tongue burning I feel a pain in the optic nerve of my left eye. Not too bad but enough to be noticeable.
This evening out of desperation, I just bought some Bentonite clay to see if I could absorb whatever it was that got on my tongue. I put some Bentonite clay powder on the tongue to soak up whatever residue is left, and drank a teaspoon mixed with water for internal cleansing. Do you this is effective?
Thank you.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Family Physician-GP
Hello,
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
I understand your concern.
It is not common to develop such symptoms following just foreplay and sucking of breasts, but it can happen if the woman had some bacterial or fungal infection with an active discharge. But again, in that case, you would have noticed it.
But it does seem like you reacted to some chemical ( some soap, or body rub ), and hence you have been having this burning feeling.
I will advise you to send me a picture of your tongue to see if there is anything noticeable.
Try to avoid any other products apart from mild Chlorhexidine mouth wash 2-3 times daily.
Once I see your tongue, I can guide you better.
Regards,
Dr. Jaydeep
Thank you for the prompt response. Here is a photo of my tongue. What I'm worried about is septic shock or toxic shock syndrome, as that would explain the inflammation and chills, However, my temp remains normal at 98.5 and my blood pressure as of today is 115/75.
If it was a bacterial or viral infection, my tongue wouldn't be burning so quickly after, would it?
The front center part of tongue is where it burns. The burning sensation is not throughout tongue. The front center part is redder than the rest (lack of white)
Hello,
No, you definitely do not have Toxic Shock Syndrome.
It is a serious condition caused by disseminated staphylococcal aureus infection. It can't occur from the exposure you had.
Your tongue seems coated, and there seems slight fungal infection, although this needs to be confirmed.
Can you continue the Chlorhexidine bacterial wash?
I will also advise a single dose of Tab. Fluconazole 150 mg prophylactically which is enough to treat the fungal infection if it is there.
Feel free to discuss further,
Regards.
Thank you, Doctor. I value your advice. I have the regular Listerine, can I use that in lieu of the Chlorhexidine mouthwash? If not, can you recommend a brand? So you are saying this is bacterial not chemical? Another thing, we had intercourse (with a condom), and she did use lube of some kind, I don't know what exactly. Afterward, I felt an itching and tingling in the scrotal area where it made contact with her skin. After a thorough cleansing of my genital area the itching went away. So, maybe the lube was an irritant to me, and maybe the lube got on her breasts somehow.
Hello,
Yes, Listerine can be used.
The lube could have been the irritant and it is very difficult to predict.
But the good thing it does not look anything to be worried about or contagious.
You will get better soon.
Regards.
I went to a doctor today and I got a prescription for Fluconazole, even though after examining me he didn't think I had oral thrush. My tongue still hurts today - a dull ache. Also I have a general unwell feeling inside my body, accompanied by a sore throat. And today my joints started hurting - namely my left ankle and right hand. I don't know if this is all related or not.
Anyway, I picked up the prescription - fifteen 100mg tablets of Fluconazole. I was instructed to take two tablets on the first day, then one per day after that. I remember you said to take 150 mg preventatively. So, I'm just going to take one tablet tomorrow and call it quits - or shall I take two?
So, I had a doctor today tell me I don't have oral thrush. Yet you, the national poison control person, my health insurance hotline nurse, think thrush is a likely candidate, due to the drawn-out period lenth of the tongue burn. What do you really think it is?
Hello,
Even though it is difficult without clinical examination, it looks like a mild variety of oral thrush.
I will recommend 2 tablets ( 100 mg ) first day followed by one more tablet after 3 days.
That should be enough.
The pain at various sites mostly indicate a viral and it will resolve.
But I reassure you, there is nothing to worry about.
Regards,
Dr. Jaydeep.