AS a patient stuck his tongue out during a check-up, doctors were stunned by what they saw.
The 64-year-old man had no taste buds whatsoever, and the surface of his tongue looked completely smooth and shiny.
2
And on further investigation, medics soon discovered that it was actually a sign that he had an underlying heart problem.
Doctors from the National University of Singapore have now shared bizarre photos of the man’s tongue in The New England Journal of Medicine to raise awareness for the symptom.
The man first suspected something was wrong when he began experiencing pain and redness in his tongue along with a burning sensation around his lips which had lasted six months.
He went to the doctors who, during a physical exam, noted that his tongue had a strange appearance and was not textured like normal.
Changes in colour and texture
Medics observed that the man’s glossy tongue was missing “papillae” – the small bumps on the tongue that often contain taste buds.
They found that the man’s strange symptoms fitted a condition called atrophic glossitis, or inflammation of the tongue that leads to changes in colour and texture, including the loss of many papillae.
And blood tests soon revealed that the atrophic glossitis had been caused by low levels of vitamin B12.
The patient was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia, a condition in which a person has low levels of red blood cells due to a deficiency in vitamin B12.
Low levels of red blood cells
In some cases, people develop pernicious anaemia because their immune system attacks a protein needed for the absorption of vitamin B12.
And further tests showed the man had the autoimmune form of the condition.
Fortunately for the patient, pernicious anaemia is usually easy to treat.
He was given shots of vitamin B12, and within one month, his tongue was back to normal.
2
He will continue to need regular vitamin B12 shots to keep him from developing a vitamin B12 deficiency.
It comes as many experts claim the shape, coating, colour and texture of your tongue can give clues to your overall health.
Tongue reading has been used for more than 2,000 years to diagnose health problems.
In Chinese medicine it’s thought your tongue is the window to your inner health, experts in the practise, Emilia Herting and Maeve O’Sullivan explained.
The tongue is a microcosm of the entire body, and by looking at the shape, colour, coating and texture, you are able to see any excess and deficiencies in the body
Emilia Herting and Maeve O’Sullivan
They said every person’s tongue is unique and has distinct characteristics.
“The tongue is a microcosm of the entire body, and by looking at the shape, colour, coating and texture, you are able to see any excess and deficiencies in the body,” the pair said.
There are four key parts to tongue reading, Emilia and Maeve said – shape, coating, colour and texture.
They said: “These can show us any imbalances and digestive issues in the body to help us confirm diagnosis and treatment.”
And they said different parts of the tongue, correspond to different parts of the body.
The tip can reveal clues about your heart and lungs, while the centre can hint at tummy troubles.
The sides tell us about the liver and gallbladder, while the back is linked to the kidney, bladder and intestines, it’s claimed.
