Tongue Disorders
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
Your tongue helps you taste, swallow, and chew. You also use it to speak. Your tongue is made up of many muscles. The upper surface contains your taste buds.
Problems with the tongue include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Changes in color or texture
- Abnormal movement or difficulty moving the tongue
- Taste problems
These problems can have many different causes. Treatment depends on the underlying problem.
Questions for your care team
General prompts to help prepare for your appointment.
- How does this information apply to my situation?
- Which symptoms or results need evaluation?
- Which tests are useful, and what can they tell us?
- What care options, benefits, and risks should we discuss?
- When should I seek urgent help, and whom should I call?
- When is follow-up, and how will we know whether the plan is working?
For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 in the U.S. or your local emergency number.
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