Who in this world has never experienced tingling? In fact, numbness or tingling in the lips must have been experienced by everyone, and generally can disappear by itself after a while. Unfortunately, in some cases, the numbness does not subside so that it begins to interfere with the sufferer's daily life. To treat numb lips quickly, you can try taking antihistamine or anti-inflammatory drugs. If the numbness is accompanied by swelling of the lips, try applying a cold compress; if not, apply a warm compress and try massaging your lips to increase their blood flow. To overcome the numbness that does not go away, try to see a doctor and get the right diagnosis. If numb lips are accompanied by dizziness, confusion, difficulty speaking, or other serious symptoms, you are most likely having an allergic reaction and should receive prompt medical attention.
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Method 1 of 3: Get Rid of Numb Lips Quickly
Step 1. Try taking an antihistamine
In fact, numbness and tingling in the lips can also be a mild allergic reaction, especially if accompanied by itching, swelling, or abdominal pain. If a similar situation occurs to you, try taking over-the-counter medications to relieve the tingling and manage other accompanying symptoms.
- Try to remember all the foods and drinks you consumed before you went numb. After that, try to identify possible allergens and eliminate them from your diet at a later date. If you were using lip balm or similar products before experiencing the tingling sensation, stop using it.
- In severe cases of food allergies, numbness and tingling can lead to anaphylaxis. Be careful, this condition is actually deadly and requires immediate medical attention! If this happens to you, call emergency medical services immediately or inject an Epi-Pen if you have one.
Step 2. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling of the lips
If your lips are tingling and swollen, try applying a cold compress to the swollen area for 10-15 minutes. Swelling and numbness can result from insect bites, impact or other minor trauma, and allergies.
- The swelling that occurs will put pressure on the facial nerve. As a result, a feeling of numbness or tingling will appear afterwards.
- To help reduce swelling, you can also take anti-inflammatory drugs.
Step 3. Apply a warm compress if there is no swelling of the lips
If the lips do not swell, do not use a cold compress. Most likely, the tingling occurs due to lack of blood flow to the lips and the use of warm compresses can overcome the problem.
Decreased blood flow can occur because the lips are exposed to temperatures that are too cold. In some cases, reduced blood circulation can also indicate a serious health problem such as Raynaud's syndrome. If you experience additional symptoms such as a tingling sensation in the part of your body that is farthest from your heart, contact your doctor immediately
Step 4. Massage or move the numb area
In addition to applying a warm compress, try massaging your lips to warm them up and increase their blood circulation. In addition, you can also move your lips and exhale air to vibrate all parts of your lips.
Wash your hands before and after massaging your lips
Step 5. Take treatment to reduce the impact of wound infections
In fact, numbness, tingling, and tingling can appear shortly before the lips become infected. If you suspect that your tingling is caused by an infection, immediately use over-the-counter medications or ask your doctor to prescribe an appropriate antiviral pill.
If you want, you can also use natural methods of treatment such as applying garlic to the infected area for 10-15 minutes. However, make sure the method is only done with a doctor's approval
Method 2 of 3: Treating the Root of the Problem
Step 1. Understand drugs that can cause numbness
In fact, some types of drugs such as prednisone can make the face feel numb after taking them. Call your doctor immediately if you feel these side effects after taking certain medicines.
Tell your doctor about any medicines you are taking. After that, ask about side effects and the impact of drug interactions that may appear after. If it turns out that the drugs you are taking are at risk of causing numbness, try asking your doctor for alternative options
Step 2. Ask your doctor for a possible B vitamin deficiency
Some of the causes of nerve damage that causes numbness in the hands and feet area are vitamin B deficiency and muscle weakness. Therefore, try to ask your doctor for a recommendation to do a blood test to diagnose a vitamin deficiency and ask whether or not you need to take supplements in the future.
Some risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing vitamin B deficiency include being over 50 years of age, being vegetarian, having had weight loss surgery, having a condition that interferes with the absorption of food, or taking medications such as Nexium, Prevacid, or Zantac
Step 3. Consult the possibility of having Raynaud's syndrome or disease
If numbness accompanied by discoloration or a decrease in body temperature persists in your feet, hands, or face, consider consulting your doctor for possible Raynaud's syndrome. In fact, Raynaud's syndrome or disease occurs when the small arteries that supply blood to the skin narrow. As a result, this situation will drastically reduce blood circulation in the body.
- If Raynaud's syndrome is suspected, your doctor will likely order a physical exam and blood tests to make an accurate diagnosis.
- To treat Raynaud's syndrome, make sure you avoid stress and extreme cold. Also, don't smoke and/or wear hats and gloves.
Step 4. Schedule a follow-up examination after the dental treatment
Generally, the effect of local anesthetic after dental treatment will only last for 2-3 hours. If the numbness doesn't go away after three hours, there's a good chance that there's a complication in your mouth. If you experience persistent numbness after implants, fillings, wisdom tooth extraction, or other dental procedures, schedule a follow-up appointment with the dentist.
Numbness after oral procedures may indicate an abscess or nerve damage
Step 5. Ask your oral and dental hygienist to prescribe phentolamine
If you are going to have dental work, try asking the doctor for medicine to overcome the numbness after receiving a local anesthetic. OraVerse or phentolamine mesylate are several types of drugs that can be injected into the patient's body to increase blood flow to soft tissues and speed up the loss of numbness in the area that was sedated.
Tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems. Remember, these drugs should not be consumed by patients who have a history of cardiovascular disease
Step 6. Monitor your blood pressure
Sometimes, a tingling or tingling feeling in the lips is a symptom of too high or low blood pressure. Therefore, check your blood pressure regularly or try to buy a blood pressure checker machine that can be used at home. If it turns out that your blood pressure is indeed abnormal, immediately contact your doctor and take the prescribed drugs. Also contact the doctor if the numbness does not go away after taking these drugs.
Step 7. Check the coloring content in your cosmetics
Many people claim to have an allergic reaction to the red dye used in lip cosmetics such as lipstick. In addition to tingling, lips can also feel numb or even cause pimples and small bumps around the mouth. If you also experience these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately to find out the right treatment method.
While the recovery process is in progress, do not apply lipstick or other cosmetics on the affected area
Method 3 of 3: Doing Medical Treatment
Step 1. Call your doctor immediately if numbness or tingling is accompanied by serious symptoms
If the numbness is accompanied by dizziness, difficulty speaking, confusion, severe headaches, loss of energy, or even paralysis, call your doctor immediately. Also call emergency medical services if numbness occurs after you have suffered a head injury.
In some cases, doctors feel the need to do a CT scan or MRI to make sure there is no serious head injury such as a stroke, hematoma (collection of blood outside the blood vessels), tumor, or other health problems that pose a risk to your life
Step 2. Call emergency medical services in case of anaphylaxis
In a serious allergic reaction, numbness or tingling can trigger anaphylaxis which can be fatal to the body. If this situation occurs to you, contact emergency medical services immediately! If possible, use the Epi-Pen when the following symptoms occur:
- Swollen mouth and/or esophagus
- Itchy or red skin
- Nausea and vomiting
- Obstructed airway
- Hyperventilation or difficulty breathing
- Fainting or loss of consciousness
Step 3. Call your doctor immediately if the numbness doesn't go away
Generally, numbness or tingling that can appear in various parts of the body will go away on its own. However, the effect will be different if the sensation is related to more serious health problems. Therefore, do not ignore the tingling that feels worse or does not go away and immediately consult a doctor.
Warning
- Do not stop taking vitamins or supplements before consulting your doctor.
- If you feel tingling in your face, or if the numbness doesn't go away after 24 hours, call your doctor right away. Be careful, this condition may be a symptom of a more serious health disorder.
