What to do about tongue pain caused by excessive internal heat
Sep 13, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Liwen
Introduction
Treatment methods for tongue pain caused by "excess internal heat" (shang huo) include the following:
Non-pharmacological treatment: Patients should reduce intake of spicy and irritating foods, and consume more vegetables and fruits. Appropriate exercise can help clear internal heat.
Pharmacological treatment: Medications such as Long Dan Xie Gan Wan, Niuhuang Jiedu Pian, Siji Sanhuang Wan, and dandelion have good heat-clearing and fire-purging effects. For severe cases, oral analgesics and neurotrophic agents may be used.
People are prone to "heatiness" when the weather is hot or their mood is irritable, which may lead to symptoms such as mouth and tongue ulcers. Tongue pain caused by heatiness can be very painful, causing patients to lose sleep and appetite, severely affecting daily life. Therefore, it's important to take measures to relieve symptoms once experiencing tongue discomfort due to heatiness. So, what should you do if your tongue hurts due to heatiness?
What to Do for Tongue Pain Caused by Heatiness
Treatment methods for tongue pain caused by heatiness mainly include the following: Non-pharmacological approaches involve reducing intake of overly spicy and stimulating foods, and increasing consumption of vegetables and fruits. Additionally, moderate exercise has a heat-relieving effect—such as brisk walking or jogging (aerobic exercises), with each session lasting about 45 minutes. Pharmacological treatments include taking heat-clearing and fire-purging medications such as Longdan Xiegan Pills, Niuhuang Jiedu Tablets, Siji Sanhuang Pills, and dandelion, which are effective; in severe cases, oral painkillers and neurotrophic drugs may also be used.
Moreover, in clinical practice, treatment should be differentiated based on the location of the pain. If the patient experiences pain at the tip of the tongue, it is often attributed to excessive heart fire or lung fire, and medications such as Niuhuang Qingxin Pills or Daochi Pills may be taken appropriately. If pain occurs on the sides of the tongue, it usually indicates liver and gallbladder fire, and medications such as Longdan Xiegan Pills or Danggui Luhui Pills may be suitable.
Tongue pain due to heatiness is closely related to lifestyle and dietary habits. It’s essential to develop healthy routines, avoid staying up late, maintain a light diet, and reduce consumption of greasy, heavy, and spicy foods, so as to prevent heatiness caused by excessive gastrointestinal burden. We hope this information helps you. Wishing you good health and happiness!
