Your body is a very intricate mechanism. The tongue is a very important muscle that helps us during the feeding process. Yes, it is a muscle in case you didn’t know. It is also very sensitive, being capable of sensing textures and tastes, with the help of taste buds.
But what if other bumps appear on the surface of the tongue?
Are they safe? Were they there, but never been noticed before?
I am talking about the bump that appear on the back of the tongue. We will see, together, what they are and what do they do.
Normal bumps on back of the tongue
Having bumps on the back of your tongue is normal. If you never noticed them before, you should know that this is the way your tongue should look, because naturally the tongue has taste buds and sometimes they are just a bit bigger. But if they don’t hurt then nothing is bad about them.
Some people actually have bigger bumps than the rest, and it’s a fact. If you know you enjoy spicy food, rather often, you should expect some inflamed and bigger taste buds, in the back of the tongue as well. If you have issues with the sinuses, they are known as well to enlarge the papillae. Lingual tonsils or a mass of lymphatic tissues, in a round shape, may also look like bumps and they are as well situated at the back of the tongue.
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The circumvallate papillae
Our tongue is filled with different kinds of papillae, the circumvallate or vallate papillae are among them. They are found in the back of the tongue, in an almost V shape. The two sides of the circumvallate papillae are divided by a fissure, called sulcus, the bumps forming the actual papillae are found on each side of the sulcus. These bumps are normal, because they naturally belong to the structure of the tongue, so it is nothing abnormal about your tongue if you notice those. They are also associated with the gustatory system, meaning they help you feel the taste of your food. These bumps also secret a digestive enzyme, that cleans out the papillae, making them more receptive to taste.
Bumps on the back of the tongue when sick
You may notice some awkward bumps on the back of your tongue when you are sick. Sick meaning to have the flu, seasonal cold, or sore throat. Any illness that might affect the respiratory system or throat infections. These bumps can appear from the reason you got dehydrated, due to cold and fever. Or if you have a sore throat, the bacteria or virus may have spread from the throat to the nearest area of the tongue, and that it its back part. In any case, you might go and see a doctor, because if it is a virus, you might need some antivirals to fight it off, depending on how severe the case is.
Could STD cause bumps on back of the tongue?
If you are not familiar with the term, STD means sexually transmitted diseases. In some cases, STD can cause infections in the throat and cause the bumps on your tongue to get inflamed, in the case you have oral sex. The harmful micro-organisms (bacteria and viruses) that trigger gonorrhea or herpes are held responsible for these events. But only medical tests will acknowledge if this is the case or not.
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Swollen bumps on back of the tongue
It is normal to have bumps on the back of your tongue, but if they change their appearance, look enlarged, or even cause pain in swallowing, then several issues may cause the condition.
Don’t be afraid if the bumps look swollen after a spicy or hot meal. They go get rather inflamed in these circumstances, but the effect will pass away after several hours.
But conditions like canker sores, allergies, herpes or warts, can enlarge the bumps. Also, if you notice bleeding, a sore sensation whenever you want to swallow, then you must see a doctor because it can be an infection, in the worst case scenario even cancer.
Read Also: Top 11 Causes of Bleeding Gums
Bumps on back of the tongue and sore throat
It is rather common for the bumps on the back of your tongue to enlarge when you have a sore throat. It is because sore throats occur due to viruses, usually the same ones that bring the cold. It is because your immune system is down, since you got the cold or the sore throat virus. So bacteria can freely spread and multiply, causing the taste buds to get inflamed and increase in size. What you can do about it is to enhance your oral hygiene, like gently scraping and brushing your tongue, and get your medication for sore throat and/or cold.
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