Question:

I have lie bumps on my tongue.. i know you get them from eating sweets and its when your taste buds swell up, but i cant eat any kind of candy without getting them and they hurt. How can i prevent them from happening or treat them?..even without having to use medication..is there anything i can use at home? PLEASE HELP! THEY HURT SO BAD I JUST WANNA CUT MY TONGUE OFF SOMETIMES..haha

Answer:

Lie bumps, also known by the more scientific term of transient lingual papillitis, is a relatively common problem affecting the tongue.  While children and young adults seem most affected, they can occur in just about anyone.  Studies have shown that this condition can run in families or among close friends, indicating a possible infectious (maybe a virus) cause, but nothing is known with certainty.

Unfortunately, besides not knowing much about them, there is little that can be done to treat them.  Some people have used ice chips to numb and soothe the swollen taste buds, others have used numbing medicines you can buy at the pharmacy without a prescription.  Otherwise, it usually takes from 3-10 days for these to resolve on their own.

Sorry.  This is probably not the news your sweet tooth was looking for.

For more information:

Go to the Mouth Diseases health topic.