Connection to Shingles or Herpes Virus
★★★★☆
First things up were: Thyroid, Hormones or vitamin deficiency. I went for blood work, and it all came back fine. In the meantime, I started taking vitamin supplements anyway....Time passes.....I have used all kinds of things to get the pain down, really to no avail........Then............I remembered that in 2005 I had Shingles/Herpes in my right EYE!!! I know, weird, right? SO I looked up exactly which nerve Chicken Pox hangs out in and what it does. Well guess what? It's the same nerve that it lives in when it gets in your eye!!! And the symptoms I have been having match SHINGLES in my MOUTH!
I did a search for BMS and Herpes Shingles etc and all KINDS of stuff came up! SO, I called my dentist and started on Valtrex yesterday. Call me crazy, but I think it may be helping. It has only been a day, and it's early yet, so we will see. Apparently, you can get it in your mouth without having blisters. I'll update in a few days on how this is working! Oh, and I am a 49 year old female in good health, on no meds, not overweight, BP nice and low. I hope this helps someone!!!
(Mooresville)
12/22/2017
(Collinsville, Il Usa)
06/16/2018
★★★★★
Jules, you may be onto something! I do know that L-lysine is a "cure" for herpes. Shingles is herpes zoster, another of the nine types herpes types. I got type 2 which will appear once every couple years. My wife has type 1 which shows up very rarely these days. Anyway, for both of us, L-lysine, a couple grams a day will quickly make the outbreaks vanish. Thus, I will try the L-lysine for my BMS. I try to avoid all prescription/OTC drugs; L-lysine is a natural amino acid. For every health problem, there are natural remedies. The precaution for the L-lysine is to make sure it wasn't derived from genetically modified corn. By the way, a huge portion of the population has at least one type of herpes aboard. Symptoms will appear under times of duress, whatever the cause of the upset is.
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
(Wales)
07/08/2014
I eliminated gluten 6 years ago and rarely, if ever, ingest it now (I get a reaction, so I usually know), yet have developed a burning tongue in the last three to four months.
Removing gluten may help because it removes wheat which turns to glucose in the body. There is evidence that this issue is linked to higher levels of sugar in the bloodstream (and parasites in the body, but that's another subject), so eliminating at least some sugar, or form of, must help.
Mine gets progressively worse throughout the day. I am going to try the baking soda remedy to see if that helps. I have long wondered whether enough bicarbonate is getting through to my intestines....
(Indiana)
05/17/2018
Can you explain the baking soda remedy, please?
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
(Cathedral City, Ca)
05/09/2010
do u still have BMS?
(Vancouver)
09/10/2015
I have suffered from BMS now for ten years and find that after trying all the natural remedies posted online, the only thing that helps me is clonazepam. While I hate taking this drug it is better than suffering the pain of BMS. Unfortunately the body gets used to it after a certain time and you have to keep increasing the dose.
I also tried the ALA treatment which seemed to help initially but then the BMS came back again, so I went back to the clonazepam. The down side is the drug is highly addictive and the side effects when coming of it are horrendous, which I found out when I stopped using it while trying the ALA treatment. Much as I hate taking this drug it is better than suffering the BMS, I understand how this disease can drive people to suicide. Only people suffering from BMS can understand how bad it can get.
(Us)
09/11/2015
A hair analysis may pin point the mineral that is out of balance.
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
09/11/2015
Hello Patricia;
Re; burning mouth syndrome
If you google "burning mouth syndrome virus caused" you will get five or six articles on HSV-I being the cause. And I believe that colloidal silver can kill viruses. I'd at least take this to your MD and see what harm it would do to swish out mouth three times daily with CS...and gargle with it. If me, I'd do a complete irrigation...that is sinus and ears as well as holding in mouth for thirty seconds and spitting out. I'd try that for a few days to see if I got any relief. Just an educated guess based on the articles under the google search.
(Los Angeles)
11/11/2015
★★★★★
After one year of suffering from BMS, I was prescribed Clonazepam. It started helping within a few hours, and I've been taking it once a day (late evening before going to bed) for about 1 year. I don't suffer any side effects and the mouth pain is reduced about 80% from where it was when I started. And the pain seems to slowly be diminishing. It was quite bad at first.
Clonazepam is pretty cheap, but requires a prescription. My doctor has also asked me to replace coffee with green tea and avoid carbonated beverages. Also, no alcohol based mouthwash. The symptoms seem to be slowly going away, but there's still a bit of discomfort at all times. It's tolerable and sometimes I don't even notice it. Quite a bit better than two years ago when it started. Better in the morning, hurts more in the afternoon, and better in the late evening.
My doctor described BMS as a little bit like tinnitus (ringing of the ears), where there really isn't a ringing sound, but the brain thinks there is, and the Clonazepam stops the brain from thinking that there is burning in the mouth. So far, we have had to change the dosage and it's working for me. Plus, the stuff helps me sleep better at night.
That's my experience. Dave
(Brisbane)
08/22/2016
(Port Saint Lucie Fl)
11/03/2016
Yes I do but, my problems started when I was having dental work done. The technician spilled a solution in my mouth preparing for a veneer application. I had burning and blistering. I have had BMS ever since, and have tried many ways to relieve the discomfort. hopefully, some of the remedies I have been reading about will help.
Dietary Changes
I have been tested for H. pyroli and it was negative. Today i just had a biopsy of my intestines to see if it could be related to celiac/ gluten sensitivity. I am going to try and eliminate gluten as well as dairy and see if i notice any improvement. Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms to the above?
I feel like im going crazy and i would love to get some relief from this burning sensation in my lips etc! Its almost like a reaction and it seems to get worse throughout the day..
(Coatesville, Pa)
03/16/2012
Dietary Changes
★★★★☆
(Okc, OK)
12/29/2007
A f/u to my previous message(Sharon from OKC)..still was having burning mouth after eliminating wheat for 3-4 wks, diarreah subsided to twice a day but mouth/underneath tongue and sometimes palate of mouth TENDER....had a live blood cell test done..have leaky gut syndrome and yeast in system...doc says it all goes together along w/gluten intolerance..tested high for mercury, doing oxidation/chealation treatments, done about nine...since my mouth still hurts I cant tell if I feel better or not..if that makes sense..Guess I am going to have to call UNCLE and go see a GI doc which I was trying not to do..Im 41 and have never been sick, so I am just beside myself that I cant nip this in the bud. Will keep you posted as I go as there seems to be no quick fix....lots of prayer..
(Tokyo, Japan)
06/10/2008
I also suffer from a burning (and sometimes bleeding) tongue. I also get these weird looking circular white sores all over my tongue, both on top and underneath. I get them because I am very allergic to (or intolerant of) citric acid (and probably the proteins in practically all fruits). Perhaps this is a possibility you might explore with your doctors. I would suggest that you do extensive research on the subject on your own, too (via the internet and libraries). Sometimes doctors don't go out of their way to find out what's wrong with people because they are often swamped with many patients and grueling schedules.
Iron
★★★★★
Anyway, I'll give you a background about what lead to this. So about 5 months ago I gave up red meat, then about 3 months ago I decided that wasn't so bad so maybe I will try vegan before 6 (aka VB6), then I decided to cut out meat all together, except for large get togethers or on the occasional weekend when I wanted to live it up. So when you go vegan I gave up eggs, dairy, and meat. I loved being vegan, felt great, was taking my b12 supplements, thought everything was fine. That was the case until I burned my tongue one evening eating what I thought was "warm" apple pie. Well I only burned it a little bit, like if you drank something that was too hot. Didn't think anything of it until the next afternoon around 3 pm when the tastebuds on my tongue started swelling up all around my tongue.
So the next couple weeks I went to some crappy doctors that were available at a health clinic and they couldn't figure it out, but gave me some serious pain meds (woohoo! ). They referred me to an oral surgeon who laughed me out of the office because apparently an oral surgeon wouldn't know what to do with this. Then I ended up calling my primary care physician - should have done this in the first place, but unfortunately by the time the pain was initially excruciating it was a Sunday. So he said I had thrush and that the BMS was secondary. He gave me a prescription for Mycelex and sent me on my way but said to call back in a few days if there were still issues.
Well I followed everything to a "T" and my tongue was still going crazy. I started adding things back into my diet - eggs, then yogurt, then white meats. Nothing. In the meantime I had gone in for some blood work, but they only tested me for a b12 deficiency (aka pernicious anemia) and HIV (which they forgot to do at the clinic but luckily I am happily married and was not too concerned about that test). So I vaguely remember mentioning to my doctor during our conversation that I had a slight history of anemia, nothing major just that I wasn't able to donate blood a couple times in my life.
Then a couple days ago I was having a conversation with my husband about how it's like my body is making me eat everything that I had cut out of my diet while I was vegan. Then I remembered that I hadn't eaten any red meat yet. So the next evening we made steak fajitas. The swelling started to go down within an hour, just a little bit, but enough that I could tell there was a difference. So then we went out and got some iron pills and I took one as soon as we got home. The next morning the swelling had gone down a bit more. So then I took another iron pill, had eggs for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch, and a cheeseburger for dinner, needless to say I am almost back to 100% feeling normal.
Now I haven't added any citric acid back in yet, I think I will give it another week just so I don't irritate anything, but I at least wanted to get this posted in case it helps someone rule it out. When I read the boards and heard there is no known cure if it is primary I got completely depressed, the thought of never being able to enjoy a glass of wine again or dinner out with my husband weighed heavily on me. I spent hours trying to figure it out and I hope that by posting this it might just help somebody else. Good luck everyone!!!
(Europe)
10/31/2014
Mrs. Smith, I'm really curious: what blood type are you?
(Geneva, Ny)
01/29/2015
(Klamath Falls, Oregon)
02/02/2015
I will try the iron. I have had Burning Mouth Syndrome for 8 years. Been to every doctor. Still miserable. There are days you just want to die. I completely understand. Depression steps in and you feel worthless. I pray you are doing better. This is a very bad thing. Good luck. Still in pain myself. It comes and goes as it pleases.
(Michigan)
02/03/2016
I've been gluten/dairy free for five years, and started the BMS about 8 months ago. Got rid of sugar too now. I've been doing the apple cider vinegar drink for a few days once a day, but I'm going to try it twice a day. Still have a burning mouth 24/7. Gets me up several times a night. I'm so sick of this. I just want to get a good night's sleep, not have to drink water all night long.
(Alliston Ontario)
06/28/2016
I wish there was a drug to take to make this go away. After a year of searching, tests and blood work, I have been given the label of BMS and no direction. It is extremely frustrating to live with this disorder nonstop without relief. I am gluten free so not that. I have a number of inflammatory issues so guess this is my latest.
I have gotten some ideas from reading about everyone's experiences. Just glad to know that I am not alone.
(Illinois)
09/15/2017
Same for me. Found to be extremely anemic. Iron pills did the job.
L-Lysine
★★★★★
EC: Hi Lisa,
Can you please tell us how much L-Lysine you took daily? Thank you!
Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
★★★★★
It seems the most difficult part is finding a doctor who will prescribe it. Good luck.
Milk of Magnesia and Frankincense
★★★★★
What I did was try MOM [Milk of Magnesia]; big swig in mouth and hold there as long as can before spitting out. No rinsing. Then one drop therapeutic Frankincense vitality on softest possible dry toothbrush and brushed thoroughly on teeth, above gumline, and tongue gently.
Try not to rinse with water right away.
I did this treatment twice a day for 3 days. Then added a day again if flared up.
Hydrogen peroxide seemed to bring it back on.
I also upped my probiotics.
God Bless.
MMS
★★★★☆
(Faithville, Us)
06/25/2020
I thought burning mouth was from low magnesium. That and TMJ tight muscle in jaw.
(Ireland)
11/27/2020
Multiple Remedies
★★★★☆
(Greenville, Tx)
06/28/2016
I found the recipe for a candybar I love...just confectioner's sugar (powdered) sugar and peanutbutter. I was pretty much eating it all the time. Hungry? Grab the candybar mix and eat. I know I consumed at least 1lb of confectioner's sugar in the process; but one day, I noticed it didn't taste the same and it actually made my tongue sting. And my tongue hasn't stopped burning since. I've done bloodwork which is totally normal; I can still eat peanutbutter, but nothing so far has worked...I know I've read many things are suspect for causing BMS, but I wonder if larger amounts of sugar consumption, especially processed sugar like confectioner's could be a culprit. Sugar feeds yeast, yeast LOVES sugar...candida is yeast and I developed candida at the same time. I got rid of the candida, but the BMS never stopped. Next on my attempts to stop the BMS that I've had for 3 months too long...is iron, as well as Lipoic Acid, and B1.
(Somewhere, Europe)
06/29/2016
Michel, I seem to be finding diverse uses for Clay. Maybe you can try it as a mouthwash.
Multiple Remedies
★★★★★
I tried almost every home remedy mentioned here. Don't know which one worked but he is symptom free after one week! The things I tried are attached in image here.. Also mentioning in brief:
1. Baking soda rinse
2. Brushing with baking soda instead of tooth paste
3. Stop using mouth wash
4. Folic acid supplements
5. Glycerin rinse
6. Lavender oil application
7. ALA (alpha lipoic acid)600mg a day
8. Honey application
9.drink honey with milk
10. B complex supplement
11. Topical anesthetic like lidocaine ( I didn't try this one)
12. Capsaicin local application ( didn't try this one)
13. Oil of oregano (drink one or two drops in water with meal daily ) ( didn't try this one too)
14. This may also be due to fungal infection in mouth or glossitis. So, make an appointment with your doc to check.
15. Antidepressant may help in some cases as I found on internet. ( try to reduce stress and exercise daily)
Hope this helps some one!! Keep trying. For this condition you are on your own to find cause and remedy.
EC: Hello, so sorry but no image was attached to your post.
(Wi)
12/16/2015
I have had BMS for 21 months, it is horrible!!! One of my symptoms is a phantom salty taste in my mouth. Eating anything with salt increases all symptoms. Has anyone had this symptom, if so, have you found a remedy that has helped you? Also, how much oil do you use for oil pulling?
(Bristol, Ct)
02/18/2016
White table salt is terrible for the body. Try using pink Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt, black lava salt, any salt that is natural. Pink Himalayan has the most trace minerals and is very good for you. Do not use salt that has been processed or bleached.
(Somewhere, Europe)
12/16/2015
Dorothy, would drinking LOTS more water help?
(Dubai)
04/02/2016
(Tx)
01/12/2018
Redmond Real Salt specifically is one of the main culprits that started & exacerbates my BMS. Trigger point injections with lidocaine & steroid around base of my skull & neck helped briefly. I'm going salt free to test my theory on salt but after elimination of everything else I'm pretty certain salt sensitivity, perhaps related to Addisons disease combined with SIBO, plays a dominant role here. Hydrogen breath testing is scheduled this morning, so testing progresses. Try eliminating added table salt for a day or two & see if it helps. Klonopin has been mentioned in several feeds I've read & I'm following up for a Rx for this soon as well. None of the Rx toothpastes or mouth rinses used for braces have helped except prolonged frequent use of Oragel rinse.
Multiple Remedies
★☆☆☆☆
May need to go to clean limited diet. Will do what it takes. i am 44 but come on, had this as far back as 21. Any advice welcome. Thanks.
(Melrose Park, IL)
03/30/2015
Had this so bad once that I thought I'd have to live with it, but eventually it went away... Obviously the good bacteria (flora) was unbalanced! Tongue would burn and burn then break out in geographical patches then stop burning... So annoying and uncomfortable
Try taking a raw (keep refrigerated) probiotic for a whole month (should maintain that everyday) raw with the mother apple cider vinegar shots daily and tsp olive oil swished in mouth and swallowed before you eat... Use bicarbonate soda mixed with olive oil to clean teeth instead of reg toothpaste at least till it clears, good luck ?
(Wichita, Ks)
05/26/2015
Gladys, although your suggestions are very helpful if your BMS is a secondary issue resulting from yeast (fungal) overgrowth or imbalance, it does not do any good if BMS is the primary issue. I went through an entire round of multiple anti-fungal meds and I take a strong powder probotic daily. I have been taking ACV daily now for over a month, I have tried pulling with unrefined organic virgin coconut oil and I am just about to complete a round of anti-viral meds. No change. My BMS started after a sinus infection and bronchitis. I also have thyroid issues, I am 50 and have full blown menopausal symptoms as well. Started on Armour thyroid in March and my hot flashes have gotten worse, as well as, now I can't sleep so my BMS is worse due to lack of deep sleep. I am at my wits end. Dreading the summer heat, and this continuous pain in my mouth. My only relief is Xylitol gum. Still burns a bit but makes it at least manageable. I am going to try the ALA as soon as possible. I am currently working with my ENT to find an answer. This thread as given me the most info to date. Really happy I found it!
(Toronto)
05/26/2015
Mary, definitely try the ALA. If you look online, you will see several studies for ALA and BMS. That's how I took it, after enduring BMS for over a year.
At first, I was in despair, because I thought nothing was happening. I had determined to follow the study's way of doing it exactly, so I hung in there and kept going. It wasn't until the very end, when I started tapering off the dose that I finally got some relief. It cleared up entirely, and I've been free from that awful burn for nearly a year now. So, do give it a try!
(Manlius, New York)
01/28/2016
I am 82 and since May 2015 I've been dealing with BMS. I do have Hypothyroid disease since age of 50.. My BMS started with constant saliva bubbles percolating in my mouth - then the burning tongue and the burning and bubbles haven't stopped since May 2015. No one here on this website has mentioned the saliva bubbles - have any others had this too? Now my story with all the doctors and meds. I've seen two Primary Care Dr's., one ENT who told me that everyone gets saliva in their mouths - JUST SWALLOW IT - and out the door he want - that cost me a co-pay of $40.00. Went to two Dental Surgeons - one said he knew exactly what it was and he could help me by filing the inside of my lower teeth down a little which was irritating my tongue. I CRIED, told me to stop all other meds and rinse with warm water and hydrogen peroxide and it will be gone in 2 weeks. I called their office after two weeks and told them I still was suffering with it and to tell the Dental Surgeon how upset I was. That cost me $65.00. Then I went to see an Allergy/Asthma Dr. and tried many meds which I will list below all Dr.'s meds. He is concerned and wants me to keep in touch. And I do. I only saw him 2 visits but we talk on the phone once a month for my update.
Oh this next one is a good one - This Dental Surgeon was recommended by a dentist in my area. I drove way across town to see this Dentist. This Dental Surgeon had the nurse take my blood pressure then he asked me a few questions then said he would call my Primary Dr. and have her stop my two meds - Amitriptelyne and my blood pressure meds. So, I paid $75.00 for the Dental Surgeon to have his nurse take my blood pressure and he to make a phone call. I am still furious about this. I can eat - that's when I get relief but I can't be constantly eating, I drink lots of water, sugar free gum, sugar free lozenges, lidocaine, dental paste helps. The meds I've been on are:
FLUCONAZOLE, MONTELUKSAT, CLOTRIMAZOLE, MAGICMOUTH WASH, TRIAMCINOLONE PASTE, PREDISONE, LIDOCAINE, GABAPENTIN.
i'VE HAD ALL THE BLOOD WORK DONE BY MY PRIMARY CARE DR. AND ALL WAS NORMAL
i'VE HAD ALL THE ALLERGY TESTS DONE AND ALL WAS NORMAL.
I EVEN WENT TO OUR UPSTATE MEDICAL CENTER HOSPITAL WHERE I SPENT 7 HOURS. MANY DOCTORS LOOKED AT AND TALKED WITH ME AND NOT ONE OF THEM KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT BMS. I am at my wits end in dealing with this situation every waking moment. IF WE CAN SEND A MAN TO THE MOON WHY CAN'T OUR MEDICAL RESEARCHERS FIND A QUICK SOLUTION FOR THIS TERRIBLE CONDITION?
(Cheshire. Uk)
01/29/2016
To Betty (Manlius, New York),
You have my sympathy for your terrible condition, Burning Mouth Syndrome. I do not know the answer to this problem, but may I suggest you try eliminating gluten foods from your diet. Do some oil pulling once or twice a day. Do not use toothpaste, instead brush teeth with bicarbonate of soda in solution, perhaps 1 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 cup of water, use as a mouth rinse too. I believe dissolving it will prevent it being abrasive on your teeth.
Hope this brings you some relief. Please keep us informed whether it helps or not.
Colloidal Silver 2x per day by both swishing in the mouth and drinking for whole body antibiotic. Do this for 1 wk then try Zinc/Vit-C lozenges 2x day for 1 wk and you should get some relief. The prior suggestions should also help.
If you don't get relief from all-the-above suggestions you will definitely need to do a colon cleanse and a parasite cleanse, as these conditions cause chronic infections that do not remedy by either pharmaceutical or natural medicines.
(Santa Barbara, Ca)
05/25/2017
For two years I have tried every doctor and remedy. At this point I believe the BMS is on the spectrum of an auto immune disease. Not a specific one like Sjogrens but it is also accompanied by an extremely dry mouth. I am very healthy except for the chronic, distracting pain. I don't know how to live a normal life with BMS because it is hard to talk and swallow without chewing gum. Currently I am trying to eliminate sugar, gluten and dairy from my diet so that I have no inflammation in my brain or gut. Please keep sharing any or all ideas.
