Why Does My Tongue Hurt? Causes and Solutions

Your tongue is a powerful muscle — one you probably don’t think about all that often.

But it’s tough to ignore your tongue if it’s painful, swollen or doesn’t want to move right.

“Your tongue is critical for chewing, swallowing and speaking,” says otolaryngologist Sanford Timen, MD. “When your tongue hurts, it can make these routine activities difficult.”

Dr. Timen explains some common reasons why your tongue may hurt and when to seek treatment.

What causes tongue pain?

Most of the time, a painful tongue is a result of injury, infection or inflammation. It’s often not serious, but there are times tongue pain can be a sign of something that needs medical treatment.

Here’s what may be going on:

• Injury: Consuming foods or drinks that are too hot can cause a burned tongue. Ditto for biting your tongue (ouch!).
• Glossitis (tongue inflammation): Inflammation can cause your tongue to hurt. It may also swell or turn red. “Glossitis can stem from a number of things, including infections, hormone changes, nutritional deficiencies and dry mouth,” Dr. Timen explains.
• Sores and mouth ulcers: Canker sores, cold sores and mouth ulcers can form on or around your tongue. They can be painful and make it hard to eat.
• Dental issues: Poor oral hygiene can cause tongue pain. So can poorly fitted dentures.
• Geographic tongue: This condition causes your tongue to develop red patches outlined in white, resembling the borders on a map. It’s harmless but may burn or sting.
• Burning mouth syndrome (burning tongue): This condition causes a burning sensation in your tongue and the roof of your mouth. (Hence the name). It’s most common in people who are over 60 and have gone through menopause.
• Hemangiomas: These benign (noncancerous) growths are caused by overgrown blood vessels and look like blue, purple or red lumps on your tongue. “Hemangiomas typically don’t hurt. But if they’re particularly large, they may cause pain,” Dr. Timen notes.
• Glossopharyngeal neuralgia: This rare condition affects the nerve that runs through a portion of your tongue. “Most people describe the pain from glossopharyngeal neuralgia as a kind of stabbing in the back of the tongue,” Dr. Timen says.
• Oral cancer: Though usually painless in early stages, oral cancer can cause pain or burning in your tongue and other areas of your mouth. It also typically causes symptoms such as mouth sores, rough spots inside your mouth and difficulty swallowing.

When to seek help for tongue pain

Most tongue problems improve over time. But schedule a visit with a healthcare provider if your pain is severe or doesn’t resolve within a few weeks.

“Symptoms that don’t improve may signal an underlying condition that requires treatment,” Dr. Timen advises.

Treating tongue pain

Depending on what’s causing your pain, a provider may recommend:

• Try at-home care: You may need basic first-aid measures, like saline rinses or over-the-counter medicines to care for a burned tongue.
• Keep up with oral hygiene: Keeping your mouth clean can help ward off more than cavities. Keep your tongue healthy by brushing twice daily and flossing once each day. Scrape your tongue to remove bacteria, and get regular dental cleanings.
• Avoid tobacco: Smoking and using tobacco products can cause painful ulcers and increase your risk of oral cancer.
• Ask about medicine: Your provider may prescribe antifungal medicines or antibiotics if you have an infection.

If there’s no clear cause of your tongue pain, your provider may order tests. That could range from a blood test to check for nutritional deficiencies to a biopsy if there are unexplained lumps or other changes. Most causes of tongue pain are temporary and relatively easy to treat.

“Persistent or intense pain is worth speaking up about,” Dr. Timen advises. “Your tongue is too important to ignore.”