{"id":3559,"date":"2019-02-03T15:12:40","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T15:12:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3559"},"modified":"2021-05-03T16:13:06","modified_gmt":"2021-05-03T16:13:06","slug":"15-most-common-tongue-cancer-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-most-common-tongue-cancer-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Most Common Tongue Cancer Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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There are many types of oral cancer that a person may develop. Tongue cancer is one particular type of oral cancer. This type of cancer will appear on the front \u2154 of a person\u2019s tongue. Most of the time the cancer will form on the squamous cells located on the surface of the tongue<\/a>. Many people tend to think that the symptoms of tongue cancer should be obvious as the tongue plays such an important role in how we eat, drink, and even speak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many of the early signs of tongue cancer can be caused by other conditions that are not as serious and much more common. For this reason, some of the symptoms may not be a cause for immediate concern. It is important to pay attention to any changes in your tongue and if symptoms begin to develop, make sure that you seek medical attention to determine the cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Chronic Mouth Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to tongue cancer and really any type of oral cancer, one of the most common symptoms that a person report is mouth pain that is quite persistent. The problem with this symptom is that pain in the mouth can be caused by any number of dental issues such as an impacted tooth, infection<\/a>, or a cracked tooth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any type of oral pain can be quite painful. If you are experiencing any type of mouth pain that is persistent and does not go away, it is important that you visit your dentist right away to be evaluated. Even if the issue is not tongue cancer or any type of oral cancer, it is important to have any type of oral health issue treated as soon as you can in order to prevent additional damage to not only your mouth but your overall health, as well as your oral health, can affect your entire body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Mouth Sores<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Getting a sore in your mouth is quite common. In fact, many people have had canker sores<\/a> and other areas in their mouth that is just sore. Most of the time a mouth sore is not a real cause for alarm. However, one of the main things that can distinguish a common canker sore or another mouth sore from one that is cancerous is a pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canker sores are typically very painful. A mouth sore that is associated with tongue cancer is often not painful at all. A canker sore will typically go away after several days. If you experience persistent canker sores or if you are concerned about any type of sore that has appeared in your mouth, you should schedule a visit with your doctor or your dentist right away. This is the only way to fully determine the underlying issue and to get a treatment plan in place if necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Difficulty Chewing and Swallowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you have tongue cancer or any type of oral cancer it can impair the functionality of your jaw. This may make it hard to chew and to swallow. It can also make it hard to talk. When the cancer is developing, it can cause the jaw to start to swell. This can cause even more pain as well as many dental issues such as problems with partials, dentures, or other types of dental restorations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jaw pain that is persistent for several weeks should be discussed with your doctor or your dentist. Your doctor or dentist will then be able to determine what is causing jaw pain. Since there are many different issues that can cause a person to experience jaw pain, it is important to get a medical evaluation in order to determine the cause so that the right treatment can be provided and if it is tongue cancer, treatment <\/a>can be started right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Sore Throat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is not uncommon for a person to experience a sore throat<\/a>. In fact, there are many types of bacteria and viruses that can cause a person to have a sore throat. A common cold or the flu can cause a person to develop a sore throat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you have a chronic sore throat and have the feeling that there is something stuck in the back of your throat, it could be a sign of some type of oral cancer. This includes tongue cancer. Painful swallowing can be indicative of many different things. If you notice that this type of pain is not going away, it is important to seek medical advice. A doctor will be able to determine what is causing your throat to be sore and will order the proper tests to determine whether or not oral or tongue cancer are the possible causes of your pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Ear Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It may seem weird to think about ear pain as being a symptom of tongue cancer or oral cancer. However, the ears, nose, and throat are all connected and often times when one of these areas is infected the others are affected as well. If you have chronic ear pain that affects only one ear, you should visit and ear, nose, and throat doctor to determine what is wrong. It may be as simple as an ear infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is the case some drops or antibiotics <\/a>should clear up the pain. However, if the antibiotics or drops do not clear up the issue, there is a chance that the pain in your ear could be caused by some type of oral cancer including tongue cancer. In addition to having pain in one of your ears, tongue or oral cancer may also cause a person to experience ringing in their ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Oral Bleeding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common symptoms of any type of oral cancer, including tongue cancer is mouth sores. These mouth sores will often become irritated and begin to bleed. If you have sores in your mouth and are experiencing unusual bleeding in the mouth or if you have sores in your mouth that are not healing after a couple of weeks, consult your doctor or a dentist and request an oral cancer screening. It is important to note that bleeding <\/a>in the mouth is not necessarily a sign that you have oral cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are gingivitis conditions that are associated with poor oral hygiene that may also cause a person to experience bleeding. For example, a person may experience bleeding of the gums when they brush or floss if you have gingivitis or some other type of dental or oral health issue, which is why it is important to get medical attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Oral Numbness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common symptom of the sign of tongue cancer is numbness <\/a>in the tongue or other areas of the mouth. This does not mean that your mouth will feel like you have been given an anesthetic. However, the numbness in the mouth will be more of a loss of feeling inside of the mouth or partial numbness in one area of the mouth. Tingling or persistent numbness that lasts more than a week or two should be evaluated by a doctor, dentist, or an ear, nose, and throat specialist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling numbness or tingling in the mouth or the tongue is not normal and is something to be concerned about. While there are many different things that can cause your mouth to go numb, this is a symptom that you definitely should not ignore as it is a sign of something being wrong and you should discuss the issue with your doctor as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Bump on the Neck<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When a person develops any type of oral cancer, including tongue cancer it can quickly spread into the lymph nodes <\/a>located in the neck. When this occurs, it can result in swelling in the lymph nodes. This can create a lump that is located in the neck. If you notice a single lump or several lumps in your neck and they are persistent over a week or more, you need to schedule an appointment with your doctor to be evaluated. The sooner that tongue or oral cancer is detected the better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tongue cancer will typically respond well to treatment if it is found early. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms on this list and notice a bump on your neck, it is important to make sure that you are checked out by your doctor right away as early detection for any type of cancer is important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Tiredness<\/strong>
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Tiredness <\/a>isn\u2019t as much a symptom of tongue cancer as it is a symptom of cancer in general. If you feel lethargic, tired, and generally more sluggish than usual, then this should always be taken as a sign that something is not right inside your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, this could simply mean that you haven\u2019t been getting sufficient sleep. It might be due to changes to your metabolism, or it might be something to do with your diet. You obviously should not jump immediately to the conclusion that cancer is responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUT, if you are suffering from cancer, then chances are that you will notice a general sense of being unwell before you notice specific symptoms associated with the particular form of cancer. Your body knows something is wrong, it\u2019s fighting to stop the spread of the cancerous cells, and you are feeling the toll. If you notice a sudden change to your energy levels, always get those checked.
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10. Sickness<\/strong>
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Likewise, another symptom that is generally associated with cancer is sickness. When you struggle with cancer, your body doesn\u2019t know precisely what is going on: it just knows that something is wrong. Thus, it might try to help you to overcome what it suspects could be some kind of infection or some kind of poison. It does this by attempting to help you to empty your bowels. You might, therefore, notice a general sickness, or you might find that food doesn\u2019t settle as well and that you generally can\u2019t enjoy it as much as a result. You might also find yourself being <\/em>physically sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also possible that this sick could have blood in it. Remember, the tongue extends a long way back and so you may have a sore or ulcer <\/a>there that is further triggering a gag reflex.
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11. Stiff Jaw<\/strong>
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As a tumor forms on the tongue, this can actually have a number of effects. We\u2019ve just seen for instance that it can cause you to feel sick or unwell. At the same time, it can also cause mechanical changes to the way your mouth normally works!
We think of the tongue often as almost a kind of independent system that moves around inside the mouth freely. In fact, though, the tongue is much larger than it looks and is linked with the muscles in the jaw as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, a large tumor that affects the tongue can also affect things like swallowing, talking, and simply moving the jaw. Consider something called \u2018irradiation\u2019 \u2013 this basically tells us that when the muscles in one area contract (tense), this can also cause muscles <\/a>elsewhere to do the same thing. Thus, any tension felt in the tongue, is also likely to be felt in the jaw and face.
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12. Weight Loss<\/strong>
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As you can imagine, cancer can cause weight loss<\/a> for a number of different reasons. For one, you are likely to find that you eat less due to the sickness and the difficulty chewing. This can cause weight loss of course and change the physical appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time though, weight loss can also occur due to physical changes within the body: for instance, the body will likely be burning more energy as it attempts to combat the spread of cancer. Likewise, other normal processes involved in digestion and the construction of tissue may be suppressed. The result is that you can very often find yourself losing a lot of weight and becoming weaker.
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13. Bad Breath<\/strong>
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Bad breath is not a cause for concern in itself, and there are many reasons that you can potentially suffer from halitosis<\/a>. However, if you have breath that smells worse than normal, and this is appearing alongside the other symptoms on these lists, then there\u2019s a chance that it is another sign of potential tongue (or mouth) cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This occurs due to changes in the production of saliva, which can, in turn, be the result of the formation of the tumor. This is what then leads to the bad breath, seeing as it allows the build-up of bacteria that would normally be destroyed by the naturally-antiseptic properties of saliva. As more bacteria build-up, this creates worse-than-usual smelling breath.
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14. Dentures That No Longer Fit<\/strong>
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Sometimes, it won\u2019t be a physical symptom that clues you in to the fact that something is wrong \u2013 but rather just something in your usual routine that doesn\u2019t go as normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you wear dentures, and you find that they do not fit as normal, then this suggests that there has been a change in your mouth <\/a>\u2013 possibly due to the appearance of a tumor. Remember: when looking for cancer or for any other type of illness, the main thing to consider is change. If things are different than before, that suggests that something is going on in your body that you need to take note of. Seeing as your dentures probably remain the same size, this can be a useful yardstick when looking out for problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note of course that there are still other reasons you might find your dentures no longer fit. For instance, this could be due to the appearance of wisdom teeth, due to natural growth of the jaw (the jaw keeps growing into adulthood), or even a physical impact.
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15. Risk Factors<\/strong>
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While risk factors are not symptoms in themselves, they are useful to consider when looking at the other signs and assessing whether they might point to tongue cancer or something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are more likely to be suffering from tongue cancer if you have ever smoked tobacco <\/a>\u2013 even more so if you currently <\/em>smoke it. Likewise, if you drink a lot of alcohol, then you are also at greater risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men are more likely to get tongue cancer than women, as are those with fair skin. As you get older (45 years+), the likelihood also increases. Poor oral hygiene or diet increase risk as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, consider whether anyone in your family has suffered from tongue or mouth cancer.
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