Red spots on tongue

Red Spots on Tongue - Introduction

The tongue is an organ which consists of the many muscles and is in charge with manipulation of food. It is also necessary for phonetic articulation and it helps with cleaning of the teeth. The tongue is the primary organ for taste and thanks to the presence of the papillae and taste buds it allows people to properly differentiate a variety of taste sensations.

The tongue is normally red and this color reflects the strength of a person's vitality and health. Normal color of the tongue also indicates the health of the internal organs as well as proper blood circulation. Changes on the tongue may point to the presence of some inflammatory processes of this organ, infections or even improper functioning of distant organs and organ systems.

There are several reasons why red spots occur on the tongue. The doctors believe that almost any illness from physical injury to cancer may be associated with occurrence of red spots on the tongue. All in all, if they occur the patient needs to undergo certain tests and examination and the underlying cause must be identified.

Causes of Red Spots on Tongue

Red spots on tongue are a reflection of many imbalances within the body. The first cause of their occurrence is related to vitamin deficiencies. Namely, shortage of vitamin B12 is typically accompanied by red spots on the tongue. People suffering from this deficiency must take food rich in vitamin B12 or are given adequate vitamin supplements.

Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin produced by bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. This illness features with specific changes on the tongue which give it the appearance of strawberry.

Furthermore, red spots on the tongue may also occur in Kawasaki syndrome. This is an autoimmune disease which predominantly affects small children. In Kawasaki syndrome the cause of symptoms and sings of illness is closely related to necrotizing medium-sized vessel vasculitis.

Eczema is one more medical condition which may feature with red spots on the tongue. This illness predominantly affects the skin and clinically manifests in inflammation and irritation. Irritation of the tongue's surface is the cause of red spots on the tongue.

Even people suffering from asthma may complain on changes on the tongue. Allergens are culprits for the onset of all the respiratory symptoms of asthma but they also may be a cause of red spots on the tongue.

Apart from the previously mentioned red spots on the tongue also affect people suffering from different infections, acne and cancer. These changes may be also related to certain digestive disorders and respiratory ailments. Even physical trauma, bleeding or fever may lead to formation of red spots on the tongue. And finally, red spots on the tongue can also affect people prone to consume large amounts of alcohol and heavy smokers.