Clinical Statistics of Patients with Lingual Abnormalities Including Glossalgia -Clinical Characteristics of Glossodynia-

Purpose: There are many kinds of diseases that can cause glossalgia, and it is not always easy to determine the differential diagnosis. Therefore, establishment of screening procedures for organic factors of glossalgia is important to obtain the correct diagnosis. We statistically analyzed the findings in patients with various lingual abnormalities. <br>Methods: Patients were 104 persons consisted of 12 males and 92 females. Medical history taking, intraoral and extraoral examinarion, panoramic x-ray radiography, blood examination, culture, and salivation test were performed. It was also determined whether local analgesic or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug relieved the pain or not. <br>Results: Glossalgia-related diseases consisted of oral candidiasis, xerostomia, glossitis, glossodynia and other diseases. The major part of oral candidiasis lacked a change in organic appearance. Concerning xerostomia, a sense of thirst was also lacking. Local analgesic or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug showed a limited effect on glossodynia. The prevalence of taste disorder or hypozincemia in glossodynia was less than that in other diseases. On the other hand the prevalence of palm sweating in glossodynia was greater than that in other diseases. <br>Conclusions: Culture and salivation test were necessary for the diagnosis of either oral candidiasis without a change in organic appearance or xerostomia without a sense of thirst. If these examinations were not performed, these cases might be diagnosed as glossodynia. The presence of pain on tongue tip and the absence of food-induced pain or oppressive pain were specific findings of glossodynia. Lingual mucous damage could not be directly correlated with pathology of glossodynia judging from the nature of glossalgia and the result of analgesic effects. Taste disorder and hypozincemia were found to be nonspecific findings of glossodynia. It was suggested that glossodynia is related to dysautonomia, and palm sweating is a specific finding of glossodynia.