Burning mouth syndrome treatment

I've had this problem a year. I found some relief by doing salt water rinses numerous times a day and sucking on some lozenges the periodontal doctor gave me for fungus. He didn't see fungus but wanted to give it a try anyway. Does anyone else on here with burning tongue smoke? I do and I don't know if its associated with smoking or all the other conditions I have. Thank you.

i do not smoke

I don't smoke either.

Curious to know I'd anyone else has had head or neck injuries and am considering a link with artificial sweeteners.

Thank you, I've replied to the bottom thread with some information.

I've suffered for a year but the last few weeks I've had some relief. First, I went through all the B vitamins & Zinc with no luck except a troubled stomach.

I went to a Periodontal Surgeon, he gave me Clotrimazole 10mg, I dissolved 1 lozenge in mouth 5 times a day. I use 1tsp of salt to 1 liter of water and swish it throughout the day, especially after smoking or drinking soda. He didn't see a fungus but there possibly could be some that is not visible to the eye.

I found some relief from the above but I talked to my pharmacist and he recommended getting all of the live bacteria I could get back into my stomach. He gave me chewable tablets that are kept refrigerated and you have to ask for them. They are called Lactinex. I chew 2 tablets 4 times a day. The Lactinex is easier and more effective than trying to eat enough probotic yogurts throughout the day too.

It appears the Lactinex has helped me more than anything this entire year. I started with this problem after taking a z pak, I also have been on Omeprazole for many years for stomach issues.

I've eliminated the Omeprazole and just hoping I don't start with stomach problems but apparently antibiotics as well as Omeprazole can diminish the bacteria in our stomachs and intestinal tracts that we need to be healthy.

I admit, its not an instant cure but I am able to enjoy life a bit more just in the last week and that's after going through this for a year of pure misery.

I am also hypothyroid and menopausal but increasing estrogen didn't make a bit of difference and it's impossible to get my Levothyroxine change due to my history of thyroid cancer.

I am hopeful this is my Christmas Miracle because I never been through something this agonizing in my life and I'm a person that's had 13 surgeries.

I hope this helps others on the thread. I will post as things progress and please share any information you receive too.

Merry Christmas and God Bless.

 

Gooze, I hope this works for you. I've been dealing with this for 6 months and believe it is hormone related. I was DS with breast cancer, did the chemo and radiation and am now on Tamoxifen with is a hormone blocker, forcing me into menopause. Once my body took on the these new changes the symptoms started for BMS. I have found no one to help with treatment as I can take no hormone booster. So I'll look into the lactinex. thanks for your post

I developed BMS a few weeks ago as a result of taking Lisinopril, a blood pressure medicine.  Once I made the correlation between the medicine and the burning sensation I was getting, I immediately stopped taking it, but the burning continued.  Typical presentation - no pain when waking in the morning, but a gradual increase throughout the day with the evenings becoming absolutely miserable.  Lots of Internet searching provided some relief techniques (chewing gum, using Biotene rinse, spray and toothpaste), but I finally stumbled across a technique that has provided the first REAL relief I've had since this started. Found it on Brigham Women's Hospital website.  Mix 5 to 6 drops of tobasco sauce into a teaspoon of water (I put 6 drops into a tsp. measuring spoon & added water until it was level).  Put this in your mouth & swish around for as long as you can take it (I probably swished for 20 or 30 seconds), then spit out.  Try not to get it too far back in your throat while swishing.  Your mouth is going to burn like the dickens for 5 or 6 minutes, but it will calm down.  After about 10 or 15 minutes I noticed a decrease in pain, which steadily continued until bedtime.  No pain in the morning, and at this time (late evening), I am having only some very mild burning in a couple of areas.  The website recommends doing this 4 times a day.  If you find this helps, I would just "play it by ear", as I have only done it once so far, & the relief has lasted all day.  I'm hoping this technique continues to provide relief, and perhaps it will help some of you.

Hi, I have been suffering from this for many years and just like you unable to eat any spicy foods at all. also fizzy drinks and my favorit salt & vinegar crisps. my doctor has not been able to help me and im desparate now. Plz let me know about the remedy you have mentioned about. it could help me too. Thanks.

I too just woke up with this condition. I took all the tests…cat scan, blood work…and tried all the homeo remedies. Then my neurologist prescribed Lyrica and I have been (almost) pain free since the second day. It is expensive. About $1 per day. But you can order larger dose SL tablets from Canada and split them. I just thank God I found the cure because I was ready to commit suicide if the condition turned out to be permanent. Hope this helps.

You said, Please see my blog, but what is your blog? I'm also someone desperate for a cure!! had BMS for 6 years already! Thanks!

We have so many of the same issues. I take levothyroxine, omeprazole, have tried the probiotics (not the refrigerated ones). I am past menopause. Have had B-12 shots, vitamin B tablets that I dissolve on my tongue. Nistatin mouth wash for 2 weeks, an oral prescription for mouth thrush for another 2 weeks, salt water rinses, biotene spray. Oh, I have also been eating Greek yogurt a lot! Had all kinds of blood tests. Nothing shows up that is abnormal. I have had this condition for 3 months. Can't believe some have had it for years. Thanks for the information you have posted. I am going to try the Lactinex but I don't think I can get off the omeprazole since my acid reflux is so painful - have tried some natural "cures" for this too but nothing has helped. This burning mouth, dry mouth condition is terrible. Don't understand why the doctors do not understand what it is. My pharmacist said she had never heard of it. Well, thank you again. I hope we all find a healing cure soon.

Just saw your post - is this still helping you? Really want to know. Thank you so much. I have tried so many different things - been to dr. 3 times - have been on 3 different meds and nothing has helped. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Who prescribed vitex. How did you learn BMS was progesterone levels? What is vitex? My mom suffers from BmS and has night sweats. Help.

How do I get to your blog?? My mom as BMS.

This from India.   Best information I have found.  My wife has BMS.  She is somewhat arrogant, and won't try a systematic approach.  Found this from a tidbit on a sidebar on the Mayo Clinic website.   Used Amisulpride as a search argument to find this.

Interestingly, Amisulpride is not available in the U.S.  It is available, as far as I can tell, in every other country on the planet.

Amisulpride is a selective serotonin inhibitor. 

 

TREATMENT (3,8,9)

 

TOPICAL THERAPY

Clonazepam - 1mg Tab to be dissolved & hold in mouth

Lidocaine -2% gel

Capsaicin -0.025% cream

Benzydamine hydrochlorate - 0.15%

 

SYSTEMIC THERAPY

Amitriptyline – 10-75mg/ day   2nd choice  Available in U.S.      

Paroxetine- 20 mg/ day

Amisulpride- 50 mg/day   1st choice  Unavailable in U.S.  Available in Hong Kong  Need                                                                         FDA special approval.

 

                                                            At low doses, amisulpride enhances dopaminergic                                                             neurotransmission by preferentially blocking                                                                       presynaptic dopamine D2/D3 autoreceptors.          

 

Clonazepam- 0.25–2 mg/day

Gabapentin- 300–2400 mg/day

Alpha-lipoic acid- 200 mg tid

Capsaicin- 0.25% capsules tid

BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS

Cognitive behavioral

 

Treatment

The management of BMS has been quite disappointing

to date – this in part being due to our lack of knowledge

of the specific mechanisms underlying the syndrome.

The symptoms of BMS tend to become chronic. This

complicates patient management and gives rise to situations

similar to those found in chronic pain, where

symptoms persistence over time gives rise to increased

anxiety and depression. Paramount to the clinical management

of BMS is obtaining the correct diagnosis. Also,

it has been proved that the sooner treatment is prescribed

after the diagnosis of burning mouth syndrome (BMS),

the better the results obtained (26).

Initially, the clinician must determine if the patient is

suffering from primary BMS or secondary BMS (27).

Secondary BMS requires appropriate diagnosis and

treatment of the underlying condition to manage symptoms.

In primary BMS the cause is unclear, so treatment

options are based on patients’ symptomatology. Three

approaches or combinations that can be considered part

of the management strategy include topical medications,

systemic medications and behavioral interventions (9)

(Table 4).

The most-used medications to treat this syndrome are

antidepressants, antipsychotics, antiepileptics, analgesics

and oral mucosa protectors. The tricyclic antidepressants

such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline at low doses

are useful in BMS, although some authors contraindicate

their use in patients with dry mouth as they can

worsen the condition (10). Studies have been made to

evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of amisulpiride (50

mg/day) and selective serotonin inhibitors: paroxetine

(20 mg/day) and sertraline (50 mg/day) in the treatment

of BMS, over eight weeks, with a reasonably high efficacy

(around 70%) (28). The efficacy of oral clonazepam

(0.25 mg/day increasing increasing to a maximum of 3

mg/day) has also been evaluated with variable results, or

by topical application (0.5 mg to 1 mg two or three times

a day) with better results (29).

Gabapentin has demonstrated mixed results and studies

are ongoing with pregabalin. The medication is administered

at an initial dose of 300 mg/day, increasing by 300

mg/day every two days to a maximum of 2,400 mg/day

(30, 31). Topical capsaicin has also been applied in BMS

used as a desensitizing agent in patients with BMS, but

it is usually unaccepted by patients due to its taste. Topical

capsaicin has been used as a treatment alternative

for controlling neuropathic pain in general. The drug is

normally used at concentrations of between 0.025% and

0.075%, inducing desensitization to thermal, chemical

and mechanical stimuli when applied topically. However,

it should be noted that there are clear limitations

to

the use of topical capsaicin, such as limited effect over

time and a limited magnitude of improvement (32). Systemic

capsaicin has been used (0.25%, three times a day,

for 30 days) with a significant reduction in pain intensity

compared with a placebo group (33).

Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful neuroprotector that prevents

damage to nerve cells by free radicals. It significantly

reduces the symptoms in the majority of patients

with idiopathic dysgeusia.

 

Several studies suggest that alpha lipoic acid can improve the symptoms in BMS,

showing that at two months, 97% of the patients treated

with alpha lipoic acid (200 mg, three times a day) experienced

 

Will submit more, if  you are interested