If you have red or yellow bumps on your tongue, you may have a disease known as transient lingual papillitis, which is also sometimes referred to as a "lie lump." Transient lingual papillitis can cause mild to severe pain. Apart from the sufferers who are mostly young women and children, in some cases studied in depth by doctors, there is some evidence linking this condition to food allergies. This condition is not contagious and you can get rid of it with home remedies or by visiting a doctor or dentist.
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Method 1 of 3: Treatment Without Drugs
Step 1. Gargle with a warm salt water solution
Plain salt water solution has antibacterial properties and can soothe bumps on the tongue. This solution can also help relieve the inflammation that accompanies it.
- To make a brine solution, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of 240 ml of warm water.
- Gargle with salt water for 30 seconds, and then exhale slowly.
- Gargle with salt water after every meal to clean dirt from your teeth or tongue.
- Repeat this step 3-4 times a day, until the lump on the tongue heals.
- Do not use contact lens cleaning saline to rinse your mouth.
Step 2. Drink cold drinks
There is some evidence that cold drinks can help soothe bumps on the tongue and reduce the inflammation that accompanies it. You can drink cold drinks as part of your daily fluid intake, or as needed to relieve any discomfort you are feeling.
To meet your fluid needs, drink at least 9 cups of water every day if you're a woman, and 13 cups of water if you're a man. Very active people and pregnant women even need up to 16 cups of water daily
Step 3. Use ice
Sucking on ice cubes, ice cubes, or ice cream sticks can soothe lumps on the tongue. Cold temperatures will reduce pain and swelling.
- Melting ice can help keep you hydrated while reducing the risk of your tongue drying out, which can exacerbate the discomfort of lumps.
- You can place a piece of ice or ice cubes directly on the surface of the swollen tongue lump to cool it down easily.
- Repeat this ice treatment as often as needed.
Step 4. Eat comfort foods
Some doctors may recommend that you eat comfort foods such as yogurt. These foods can help relieve any pain or discomfort you may be feeling.
- Make an effort and eat foods that have been refrigerated to amplify the calming effect.
- Dairy products such as yogurt, ice cream, and milk can relieve your discomfort. Other foods such as pudding or ice cream sticks can also help.
Step 5. Avoid foods and products that can make you more uncomfortable
Certain foods and products can make the pain or swelling of a lump on the tongue worse. Avoid eating any foods that can make the pain worse, such as spicy or sour foods, or cigarettes.
- Acidic foods and drinks, such as tomatoes, orange juice, soda, and coffee, can make you more uncomfortable. Also, avoid pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and mint.
- Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco, as they can make your discomfort worse.
- If you suspect a lump on the tongue is caused by a food allergy, remove that food from your diet to see if it can relieve the lump.
Step 6. Maintain overall oral health
Brush and floss every day, including after every meal. Also have your teeth checked regularly to help keep your teeth, tongue and gums healthy. A clean mouth can also prevent lumps on the tongue.
- Be sure to brush and floss after every meal if you can. Food debris stuck in the teeth can create an environment that supports infection. If you don't have a toothbrush with you, chewing gum can be quite helpful.
- Visit the dentist at least twice a year for regular dental cleanings and check-ups.
Step 7. Let the lumps
In the majority of cases, you will not need any treatment to treat a lump on the tongue. This condition usually resolves on its own within a few hours or a few days.
If you experience pain or discomfort from a lump on your tongue, you can take a pain reliever, although studies have found that this medication will not reduce the severity of your symptoms
Method 2 of 3: Using Over-the-counter Drugs
Step 1. Use lozenges or sprays
Throat lozenges or sprays containing a local anesthetic can help relieve pain from lumps on the tongue. You can buy lozenges and throat sprays at most pharmacies and major department stores.
- You can use lozenges or throat sprays every two to three hours. If your doctor or the instructions on the medicine package state other recommendations, follow those recommendations.
- Swallow the tablet in your mouth until it is completely dissolved. Do not chew or swallow whole, as this can numb your throat and make it difficult for you to swallow.
Step 2. Apply a local steroid to your tongue
There is some evidence that local steroids can help relieve pain and discomfort from lumps on the tongue. You can buy this medicine without a prescription or ask your doctor to prescribe a stronger option, if over-the-counter medicines don't work for you.
- Most pharmacies offer topical steroids for the mouth. Ask your pharmacist about oral medications containing benzocaine, flucinonide, and hydrogen peroxide.
- The three most commonly prescribed steroids for the tongue are: hydrocortisone hemisuccinate, triamcinolone in Orabase 0-1%, and betamethasone valerate 0.1 mg.
Step 3. Apply capsaicin cream to your tongue
Capsaicin cream is a topical analgesic that can relieve pain and discomfort. Apply a small amount of capsaicin cream to your tongue three or four times a day.
- This cream will likely relieve discomfort, but the effect wears off quickly.
- Long-term use of capsaicin can damage the tongue tissue and the sense of taste permanently.
Step 4. Gargle with an antiseptic or anesthetic mouthwash
Gargle with an antiseptic or anesthetic mouthwash that contains benzidamine or chlorhexidine. Both of these ingredients can overcome the infection as well as relieve pain and swelling.
- Benzidamine can help relieve pain.
- Chlorhexidine can kill bacteria.
- Gargle with 15 ml of mouthwash for 15 to 20 seconds, then spit it out.
Step 5. Take an antihistamine
Since bumps on the tongue are often caused by food allergies, take an antihistamine to relieve them. This drug will inhibit the chemical compounds that cause allergic reactions. Antihistamines can also help relieve inflammation and discomfort.
- Adhere to the recommended dosage according to your age and weight. If you are in doubt about the dosage, consult your doctor or read the instructions on the package.
- Try an antihistamine containing diphenhydramine and cetirizine. You can buy both at most pharmacies and even at department stores and large department stores.
- Antihistamines often have sedative side effects, so be careful if you are driving or operating heavy equipment.
Method 3 of 3: Visiting the Doctor and Using Prescription Medication
Step 1. Consult a doctor
If you have a lump on your tongue, but home remedies don't relieve it, make an appointment with your doctor. The doctor can examine the condition causing the lump and help develop a treatment plan to treat it.
- Bumps on the tongue may be caused by a fungal, viral, or bacterial infection, or allergies.
- If the lump on the tongue doesn't heal after a few days, and this condition has recurred several times, see a doctor who can treat or diagnose the cause, such as a food allergy.
- See a doctor if the lump on the tongue enlarges or spreads.
- If the lump on the tongue is very painful or inflamed, or even often interferes with your daily activities, including eating, you should see a doctor.
- A lump on the tongue may also be a symptom of a disease that is more severe than a food allergy, such as: stomatitis, oral cancer, syphilis, scarlatina, or glossitis due to smoking or infection.
Step 2. Perform an examination and ask for a doctor's diagnosis
Your doctor may ask you to undergo tests to determine the cause of the lump on the tongue. These tests often can't pinpoint the cause, but your doctor can determine an effective treatment for you.
The doctor may need to use a variety of diagnostic tools to determine the cause of the lump on the tongue. Your doctor may offer you an oral culture or allergy test
Step 3. Use medication to treat the lump
Your doctor may prescribe medication or suggest using over-the-counter medications to help relieve pain from the lump. Since bumps on the tongue usually go away on their own, you'll likely only get antibiotics or antiseptics if another condition is causing them.
- If your tongue feels uncomfortable, your doctor may prescribe one of three medications commonly used to treat inflammation of the tongue. These drugs are amitriptyline, amilsulpride, and olanzapine.
- Your doctor may also recommend using over-the-counter pain relievers, although there is little evidence to support their benefit for lumps on the tongue. Over-the-counter pain relievers that are widely used include paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin.
