Glossodynia, burning mouth syndrome, and COVID-19.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the prevalence of glossodynia increased among patients affected by COVID-19 compared to other hospital populations. METHODS: The i2b2 patient registry platform at the University of Florida Health Center was used to generate a count of patients using the international classification of diseases (ICD)-10 diagnosis codes from October 2015 to June 2021. Logistic regression of the aggregates was used for analysis. RESULTS: Of the patients with both glossodynia and COVID-19, 60% were females, 32% were African American, 64% were white, and 100% were adults. There were 72% females, 19% African Americans, 72% whites, and 93% adults with glossodynia only. For COVID-19 patients, 57% were females, 23% were African American, 56% whites, and 90% were adults. The odds ratio (OR) for glossodynia in the COVID-19 patients was significant (OR = 2.9; 95% CI, 1.94-4.32; P < 0.0001). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Glossodynia is significantly more common in COVID-19 patients and should be considered in the differential diagnoses among the oral complications of this infection.

[Clinical aspects of diagnosis and treatment of glossodynia in elderly and senile people.]

Glossodynia is a disease that is difficult to diagnose and treat. Persons of older age groups are in the most risk of its occurrence. This is due to the fact that its etiological factors are: age-related changes, general somatic diseases, usage of some pharmacological drugs, changes in the psycho-emotional background. Due to the similarity of the clinical picture of glossodynia with other diseases of the oral cavity, the doctor is required to be thoughtful when diagnosing and differentiating glossodynia. Clinical methods of examination are used, paying most attention to the anamnesis of life and disease, assessment of the personal and emotional sphere of the patient. Clinico-functional, clinico-instrumental, and laboratory methods of examination are also used. In the treatment of glossodynia, attention should be paid not only to the elimination of symptoms, but also to its prevention. The main efforts should be aimed at combating the main links of pathogenesis. Treatment should be comprehensive, differentiated and personalized. As a result of many researchers work, certain principles of diagnostics and treatment of glossodynia have been developed, which will be considered in our work.

A 78-year-old female with severe tongue pain: benefit of modern ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common form of systemic vasculitis in persons aged 50 years and older. Medium and large vessels, like the temporal and axillary arteries, are commonly affected. Typical symptoms are headache, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication and ophthalmological symptoms as loss of visual field, diplopia or amaurosis due to optic nerve ischemia. Tongue pain due to vasculitic affection of the deep lingual artery can occur and has so far not been visualized and followed up by modern ultrasound. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 78-year-old woman with typical symptoms of GCA, such as scalp tenderness, jaw claudication and loss of visual field, as well as severe tongue pain. Broad vasculitic affection of the extracranial arteries, vasculitis of the central retinal artery and the deep lingual artery could be visualized by ultrasound. Further did we observe a relevant decrease of intima-media thickness (IMT) values of all arteries assessed by ultrasound during follow-up. Especially the left common superficial temporal artery showed a relevant decrease of IMT from 0.49 mm at time of diagnosis to 0.23 mm on 6-months follow-up. This is the first GCA case described in literature, in which vasculitis of the central retinal artery and the lingual artery could be visualized at diagnosis and during follow-up using high-resolution ultrasound. CONCLUSION: High-resolution ultrasound can be a useful diagnostic imaging modality in diagnosis and follow-up of GCA, even in small arteries like the lingual artery or central retinal artery. Ultrasound of the central retinal artery could be an important imaging tool in identifying suspected vasculitic affection of the central retinal artery.

[GLOSSALGIA SYNDROME AS SUPRAESOPHAGEAL MANIFESTATION OF GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE].

The case of clinical supervision of the patient having polimorbid pathology is presented. One of extraesophageal manifestations of a gastroesophageal reflux disease is the glossalgia. Glossalgia is the polyetiological disease. Treatment needs to be carried out taking into account the factors causing emergence of a glossalgia. In this regard normalization of functions of organs and systems of an organism is provided.

Mineral and trace element analysis of saliva from patients with BMS: a cross-sectional prospective controlled clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate salivary markers related to burning mouth syndrome (BMS). STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional prospective controlled clinical study of 58 patients (28 BMS and 30 control). The presence of mineral and trace metals in unstimulated whole saliva was analyzed in BMS patients and in control subjects by means of ICP-OES. The parameters analyzed were as follows: oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) and the Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD) scale. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure the intensity of burning sensation (pain). RESULTS: The mean pain value for patients with BMS was 7.8 ± 2.4. OHIP-14 oral health-related quality of life among BMS patients was found to be affected: total BMS OHIP-14 (16.98 ± 12.29) vs. control (8.53 ± 10.5) with significant difference (P = 0.015). Concentrations of the different elements were slightly higher among BMS patients but without statistically significant differences for any of the elements analyzed (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, B, P, S, Al, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, As, Be, Bi, Co, Li, Mo, Sb, Se, Sr, Ti, Tl, V). CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to identify abnormal levels of minerals or trace elements in saliva of patients with BMS.

[Burning mouth syndrome (glossalgia)].

Burning mouth syndrome (glossalgia) is manifested by oral pin and tingling sensations, numbness and even burning and severe pains, more frequently in the tongue. Unpleasant sensations may involve the anterior two thirds of the tongue or be extended to the front part of the hard palate and the mucous membrane of the lower lip. This condition is characterized by "mirror" and "food dominant" symptoms, disordered salivation, dysgeusia, or psychological disorders. The disease shows a chronic course. Its etiology may be multifactorial. There are no universally accepted diagnostic criteria; the diagnosis of glossalgia is made to rule out all other causes. A thorough examination should be conducted to establish a differential diagnosis. Glossalgia occurs primarily in middle-aged and elderly people. Women get sick much more frequently than men of the same age. Glossalgia remains difficult to treat. Continuous symptomatic treatment and follow-up help relieve its symptoms.

[Glossodynia or burning mouth syndrome: equivalence or difference].

The term "Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)" is being used much more often than "Glossodynia", complicating diagnostic and treatment tactic choice. The aim of the study was to determine the difference between "Glossodynia" and "BMS" considering absence or presence of intraoral metal prosthetic devices and burning sensation in the mouth. To establish the frequency of glossodynia and BMS 2355 patient records were analyzed admitting consultation for oral diseases for the last 10 years. Clinically we examined 408 patients aged 40 to 70. The research results showed that 17% of patients complained of "burning mouth": 10.2% of them had these symptoms due to oral mucosa diseases; 58.0% had glossodynia, 27.4% had discomfort because of intolerance to metal prosthodontic materials and 4.4% had combined pathology. Glossodynia and intolerance to metal prosthodontic materials had much in common in terms of clinical features, but the last one may be specified by changes in saliva composition. BMS thus proved to be the common definition corresponding to various diseases of oral mucosa and intolerance to intraoral metal appliances, while glossoldynia is a distinct neurogenic disease which is difficult to treat and requires comprehensive approach involving neurologist and physician.

Effectiveness of low-dose milnacipran for a patient suffering from pain disorder with delusional disorder (somatic type) in the orofacial region.

Glossodynia is chronic pain localized around the tongue, with no perceivable organic abnormalities. In the fields of oral and maxillofacial surgery, it is categorized as an oral psychosomatic disease. In contrast, psychiatric nosology classifies glossodynia as a pain disorder among somatoform disorders, per the DSM-IV. The patient was a 71-year-old woman who developed symptoms of glossodynia, specifically a sore tongue. In the decade before she presented to us, she had had bizarre symptoms of oral cenesthopathy such as the sensation that her teeth had become 'limp and floppy' and that she needles in her mouth. Treatment was attempted using several psychotropic drugs, but no satisfactory response was noted. Because the patient was referred to our outpatient clinic, we tried psychotropic therapy again. Additionally, valproic acid, tandospirone and sertraline were administered (in this order), but the patient still showed no response. However, when sertraline was changed to milnacipran, all symptoms disappeared in a short period. We suggest that a small dose of milnacipran can be effective for controlling oral cenesthopathy as well as glossodynia.

PAR2-dependent phosphorylation of TRPV4 at the trigeminal nerve terminals contributes to tongue cancer pain.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clarify the interactions between the tongue and primary afferent fibers in tongue cancer pain. METHODS: A pharmacological analysis was conducted to evaluate mechanical hypersensitivity of the tongues of rats with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Changes in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons projecting to the tongue were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and western blotting. RESULTS: SCC inoculation of the tongue caused persistent mechanical sensitization and tumor formation. Trypsin expression was significantly upregulated in cancer lesions. Continuous trypsin inhibition or protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) antagonism in the tongue significantly inhibited SCC-induced mechanical sensitization. No changes were observed in PAR2 and transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) levels in the TG or the number of PAR2-and TRPV4-expressing TG neurons after SCC inoculation. In contrast, the relative amount of phosphorylated TRPV4 in the TG was significantly increased after SCC inoculation and abrogated by PAR2 antagonism in the tongue. TRPV4 antagonism in the tongue significantly ameliorated the mechanical sensitization caused by SCC inoculation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that tumor-derived trypsin sensitizes primary afferent fibers by PAR2 stimulation and subsequent TRPV4 phosphorylation, resulting in severe tongue pain.

Glossodynia and coeliac disease.

Coeliac disease is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disorder of the small bowel caused by irritant gluten and, possibly, other environmental cofactors, in genetically prone people. Coeliac disease is characterized by no (or elusive or varied) symptoms. Oral clinical settings include aphthous stomatitis and dental enamel defects. Association with other signs in the oral mucosa (such as, for example, soreness, a burning sensation, erythema or atrophy) is much less common and, often, not considered by clinicians. We report on a 72-year-old woman with a four months history of oral burning sensation as a single clinical manifestation of coeliac disease. Clinical presentation and symptomatology are discussed in relation to the differential diagnosis of oral glossodynia. This case history highlights the importance of considering coeliac disease in managing cases of idiopathic glossodynia.

Hemifacial spasm, glossodynia, and dolichoectasia of the basilar artery.

The case of a 77-year-old hypertensive man presenting with hemifacial spasm and glossodynia is reported. Imaging studies revealed gross dolichoectasia of the vertebrobasilar arterial system with pontine compression. It is suggested that the neurologic symptoms most likely resulted from pontine compression, rather than from any compression of the cranial nerves.

Unilateral glossodynia as a harbinger of an occult cerebellopontine angle tumour.

A woman in her late 80s with severe bronchomalacia was referred to a tertiary orofacial pain clinic for unexplained right unilateral glossodynia of progressive and continuous evolution for the past 8 months, spreading to the ipsilateral labiomental region, associated with ipsilateral hypoacusia. Local and general clinical examinations were unremarkable and routine blood work could not reveal any underlying systemic disease explaining the glossodynia and burning/pricking labiomental pain. Suspecting a painful trigeminal neuropathy secondary to a space-occupying lesion, a cerebral MRI was prescribed, revealing an ipsilateral cerebellopontine angle lesion, compatible with either a schwannoma or meningioma. This lesion invaded the root entry zones of cranial nerves V and VIII explaining the patient's oral pain and hypoacusia. Following a neurosurgical consultation where surgical treatment was rejected, her pain was successfully managed by topical pregabalin mouthwashes, to prevent any risk of respiratory depression related to her underlying severe bronchomalacia.

[My tongue is burning!-Glossodynia/orofacial pain disorder]. / Meine Zunge brennt! ­ Glossodynie/orofaziales Schmerzsyndrom.

Glossodynia or orofacial pain disorder is known as burning mouth syndrome. It is a therapeutic challenge. Its etiology is not well defined. Recent studies show not only a correlation with neuropathic changes, but there are also indications of comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and carcinophobia. These can also manifest as a reaction to the disease and are not necessarily considered causative. Burning mouth syndrome poses a diagnostic challenge since its differential diagnosis is broad. With regard to dermatological aspects, lichen planus mucosae, oral leucoplakia, pemphigus vulgaris, and aphthous mouth ulcers should be considered. Diabetes, anemia, vitamin deficiency, and endocrinological influences should be considered regarding the predominance of elderly and female patients. Meta-analyses of treatment studies usually show a low level of evidence of the randomized, controlled trials. According to the literature mainly psychotherapy and antidepressants are proposed for therapy. Alpha lipoic acid as a dietary supplement shows short-term improvement and low-level laser therapy might have some benefit.

[Glossalgia as a psychodermatological syndrome]. / Glossalgiya kak sindrom psikhodermatologicheskoi patologii.

OBJECTIVE: To study clinical characteristics of burning mouth syndrome or glossalgia is a functional disorder with painful sensations in the oral cavity with verification of the psychopathological structure, typology and nosology of the syndrome within the continuum of neurotic/psychotic disorders and dermatological pathology, i.e. lichen planus (LP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study sample (n=30, 27 female, mean age 59.3±15.6 years) was examined by dermatologist, neurologist and psychiatrist both clinically and psychometrically. The patients met the diagnostic criteria for glossalgia according to the IASP classification and ICD-10 for glossodynia (code K14.6). In 7 subjects, there was comorbidity with LP of the oral mucosa. RESULTS: The psychopathological picture of glossalgia syndrome has a binary structure. Basic coenesthesiopathies, ranging in severity from homonomous sensations (isteralgias) to heteronomic sensopathies (senestopathies, senesthesia), are associated with secondary hypochondriacal phenomena: from health anxiety and monopatophobia to mastery of ideas and somatopsychic confusion, respectively. According to the psychopathological register (neurotic/psychotic) and the fact of objective verification of a dermatological disease (hypochondria sine materia/cum materia), there are three types of glossalgic syndrome: 1) organo-neurotic; 2) somatopsychotic; 3) dermatological (stress-induced somatic reactions). CONCLUSION: BMS is a local syndrome limited to the oral cavity, however, in fact, it covers the entire clinical spectrum of psychosomatic pathology from mental diseases to psychodermatological ones.

[Pain syndromes and insomnia: the role of association with comorbid mental disorders (on the model of glossalgia)]. / Bolevye sindromy i insomniya: rol' assotsiatsii s komorbidnymi psikhicheskimi rasstroistvami (na modeli glossalgii).

OBJECTIVE: To test the association between pain severity and anxiety, depression, and somatoform symptoms in burning sleep syndrome (BMS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 36 patients (33 women, 3 men), mean age 58.0±14.8 years. Psychopathological, clinical-dermatological, parametric, statistical methods were used. Psychometric examination included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for assessment of pain (severity of glossalgia), PHQ-4 for self-assessment of severity of anxiety (GAD-2) and depression (PHQ-2), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Screening for Somatoform Symptoms-2 (SOMS-2), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the EQ-5D-5L quality of life assessment scale. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Insomnia in chronic pain is very common. On the one hand, studies show that sleep deprivation can enhance pain perception. On the other hand, chronic pain can trigger a variety of sleep disorders. One of the localizations of chronic pain syndrome is the oral mucosa. Somatoform pain disorder related to oral mucosa called «glossalgia¼ or «burning mouth syndrome¼ (BMS). The prevalence of insomnia in the study sample was 61.1%. The statistically significant positive correlation was found between the severity of insomnia (PSQI) and the severity of anxiety on both GAD-2 and HADS, while insomnia showed no correlation with depression and pain severity. At the same time, the severity of anxiety showed statistically significant positive correlation with the severity of pain assessed by VAS.

Glossodynia from Candida-associated lesions, burning mouth syndrome, or mixed causes.

OBJECTIVE: Candida-associated lesions (CALs) and burning mouth syndrome (BMS) may induce glossodynia without objective manifestations. We investigated patients with glossodynia to examine the relationship between CAL and BMS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A visual analog scale was used to divide 95 patients with glossodynia into three groups according to intensity of pain at rest and when eating. Group A was the functional pain group; group B was the nonfunctional pain group; and group C was a mixed pain group. Antifungal treatment was scheduled for patients with suspected Candida infection by clinical, mycological, or cytological criteria. RESULTS: Culture tests and direct examination results indicated that group A had high Candida positivity (73.0% by culture and 59.5% by direct examination), and showed a good response to antifungal treatment (75.7%). Antifungal treatment was not useful in group B. This was supported by a low Candida infection rate, as determined by direct examination (3.1%). For group C, Candida positivity and antifungal treatment effectiveness were between groups A and B. Furthermore, six patients in group C showed complete remission of functional pain by antifungal treatment only. Favorable outcomes were obtained for 23 patients (10 in group B and 13 in group C), who received antidepressant treatment. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that glossodynia was Candida-associated in group A, and BMS-induced in group B, while group C contained patients with both CAL and BMS.

Lithium intoxication-induced dysgeusia accompanied by glossalgia in a patient receiving lithium carbonate: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Lithium carbonate is widely used as a first-line therapeutic agent for the depressive and manic phases of bipolar disorder. Although limb tremors and hypothyroidism are well-known side effects of lithium carbonate, other rare adverse reactions can also occur. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year-old Japanese woman diagnosed with lithium intoxication developed dysgeusia and glossalgia during treatment with lithium carbonate. She also showed symptoms of a swaying gait, finger tremors, and dysarthria. All of these symptoms subsided when her blood lithium concentration was reduced to a level below that which induces intoxication. CONCLUSIONS: We present a rare case of lithium carbonate-induced dysgeusia accompanied by glossalgia. Early detection of these symptoms is important in clinical settings because they can be overlooked until patients lose their appetite, which severely impairs their quality of life.

Neuropathic Pain and Burning Mouth Syndrome: An Overview and Current Update.

Burning mouth syndrome/glossodynia and trigeminal neuropathic conditions can have serious negative impact on a patient's overall quality of life. These conditions are often hard to diagnose and even harder to fully treat and manage, but it is important for dentists/oral and maxillofacial surgeons to be aware of these conditions and modalities of their treatment. Often the only method for arriving at the proper diagnosis is for patients to undergo traditional approaches for treatment of presenting signs and symptoms, and it is the unexpected failure of interventional therapies that leads ultimately to a proper diagnosis.