His tongue's
strange appearance would turn out to be a sign of an underlying blood
condition.
A man's
tongue was missing "papillae," or the small bumps on the tongue that
often contain taste buds (A). After treatment, the man's tongue returned to
normal (B).
When a
64-year-old man stuck out his tongue for a physical exam, doctors could
immediately tell something was off: Instead of a typical, textured tongue, his
was smooth and shiny. It didn't take long for them to recognize why: The man's
taste buds were missing.
His tongue's
strange appearance would turn out to be a sign of an underlying blood condition
that required a relatively simple treatment, according to a new report of the
case.
The man, who
lives in Singapore, went to the doctor after he experienced pain and redness in
his tongue along with a burning sensation around his lips, which had lasted six
months, according to the report, published today (Oct. 16) in The New England
Journal of Medicine.
Doctors from
the National University of Singapore observed that the man's glossy tongue was
missing "papillae," the small bumps on the tongue that often contain
taste buds.
The man's
symptoms fit a condition called atrophic glossitis, or inflammation of the
tongue that leads to changes in color and texture, including the loss of many
papillae, according to Healthline.
But what had
caused the atrophic glossitis? Blood tests revealed an important clue: The
man's levels of vitamin B12 were very low.
He was
diagnosed with pernicious anemia, a condition in which a person has low levels
of red blood cells due to a deficiency in vitamin B12. In some cases, people
develop pernicious anemia because their immune system attacks a protein needed
for the absorption of vitamin B12. Indeed, further tests showed the man had the
autoimmune form of the condition.
Red blood
cells contain a protein called called myoglobin that is important for the
health of muscles, including the tongue muscle, according to Healthline.
Fortunately,
pernicious anemia is usually easy to treat, according to the National
Institutes of Health. Patients receive large doses of vitamin B12 in the form
of shots or high-dose pills.
In the man's
case, he received shots of vitamin B12, and within one month, his tongue was
back to normal. He will continue to need regular vitamin B12 shots to keep him
from developing a vitamin B12 deficiency.
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Originally published on Live Science.
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