Even after the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, infection symptoms are continuously changing and growing. Researchers are now claiming a strange symptom associated with an illness called the COVID tongue.
Key Facts:
- The disease of COVID-19 can cause a variety of symptoms.
- One rare symptom of COVID-19 that has recently come to light has been informally referred to as ‘COVID tongue.’
- COVID tongue refers to ulcers of the mouth, blisters that develop in the tongue and mouth by COVID-19 infection.
- The condition may include a painful rash, swelling, or discoloration of the tongues of patients;
One UK researcher says it is important to draw attention to “non-classic” coronavirus signs. For example, the COVID tongue that is not on official public health lists.
There have been reports of strange signs of COVID-19 for months. There were COVID toes, irregular skin rashes, and loss of taste and scent. Later these became an “official” symptom of the infection. Now there’s a different one on the back burner: the COVID tongue.
A research letter was published in the British Journal of Dermatology. According to it, many COVID-19 patients report bumps in their tongues and inflammation. The letter collected data from 666 patients in a temporary field hospital in Spain. It found that more than 45% had some mucocutaneous symptoms. There are mucocutaneous signs in areas where mucous membranes and skin meet, such as the mouth, eyes, and portions of the genitals.
More than 25% of the patients had symptoms in their mouth. These include inflammation of the bumps on the skin’s surface and general redness and swelling of the tongue. It was also common for patients to report that they had a burning feeling in their mouth. They also had a lack of taste.
How was it discovered?
A team of scientists at Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, Spain, examined 666 patients who had contracted coronavirus and had mild to severe pneumonia.
Their work’s findings showed that 45.7 percent of patients had seen a sort of skin rash inside their mouth or on their hands or legs.
Changes affected 25.7% – or one in four – of the patients studied. The research was performed at the peak of the first wave of Covid between 10 and 25 April 2020.
Their first findings were published as a study letter in the British Journal of Dermatology in September.
Why are we only learning about this now?
Some doctors claim that these specific signs could be underreported due to the prevalence of facial masks.
Thomas Russo is a Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Buffalo, New York. He said most doctors concentrate on the heart, lungs, stomach, and at the age of Covid-19, they spend more time examining the mouth because it can raise their risk of infection.
“This has probably been missed in a lot of individuals,” he said to Health Magazine.
‘Non-classic’ signs of COVID-19 tend to be ignored
Neither the United Kingdom Health Research System nor the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded “COVID tongue” as a coronavirus symptom.
Other patients, especially those with long-lasting symptoms, reported other skin issues. These include hives, lesions, and itchy rashes on their bodies.
First, is COVID tongue a real thing?
Yes, this is legit. “I’ve seen a few,” said Rajeev Fernando, MD. He is an infectious disease physician working in field hospitals around the country.
Few physicians, such as Richard Watkins, MD, an infectious disease physician and an internal medicine professor at Northeast Ohio Medical University, have not observed this in COVID-19 patients. However, there may be a reason for it.
Patients “are normally wearing a mask, and I don’t tell them to take their mask off,” said Dr. Watkins to Health. Most doctors work on the heart, lungs, and belly, and at the age of COVID-19, they invest much more time inspecting the mouth because it may increase their risk of being infected.
What is the cause of the COVID tongue?
It is important to note that what is related to the COVID tongue is not necessarily unique to COVID-19. “A number of infections can cause mucocutaneous manifestations,” says Dr. Russo. “These symptoms are not a slam dunk for a diagnosis of COVID-19,” he said.
And while this effect has not been widely studied, Dr. Russo says it is “biologically plausible” that COVID-19 can make the tongue swell.
Dr. Fernando explains this. The cells produce enzymes called ACE receptors that SARS-CoV-2 latch onto. From there, the virus will get into your cells, replicate, and make you feel sick. “There are a lot of ACE receptors in the tongue. So, the virus focuses very heavily in this area,” he says. “In the tongue, there can be a lot of COVID.” And that can lead to signs such as tongue bumps and swelling of the tongue.
When should you be alarmed?
COVID tongue can cause a severe infection inside the mouth. It can also cause spots around the tongue. Initially, this might sound alarming. But it is a harmless disorder that will resolve itself in a matter of days or weeks.
Suppose you develop ‘COVID tongue’ along with other coronavirus symptoms. Then it is important to diagnose yourself to check whether or not you have contracted the virus. In the meantime, you must be self-isolated and take all care to avoid the virus’s transmission.
What should you do if you find you have a COVID tongue?
Dr. Fernando says you’re unlikely to develop a COVID tongue. Instead, he notes, it’s more likely that you’d find tongue oddities alongside other, more recognizable signs such as cough, shortness of breath, or lack of taste and scent. “It’ll be part of a constellation of signs,” he said.
If your tongue tastes or looks funky, it could be a signal that you have some form of the virus. Or it may only indicate that you just ate something that annoyed you. “All these oral and mucocutaneous manifestations appear to be non-specific,” states Dr. Russo. Although he says that the symptoms of the tongue “could raise your suspicion for coronavirus infection, other signs would likely cause that diagnostic pathway.”
Bottom line
Don’t ignore the bumps or inflammation on the tongue. But don’t worry if you develop those.
Look for an emergency warning sign. If someone shows either of these symptoms, seek emergency medical attention immediately:
- Breathing difficulty
- Persistent chest pain or pressure
- New confusion
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
- Blue lips or face
