Have you ever thought about it what causes tingling lips? Tingling is a prickling sensation that is unusual and is often felt in your hands, lips, feet, arms and legs. You will feel numbness or decrease your ability to sense or feel pressure This sensation felt in the body is communicated through our body’s nervous system, which is divided as:
- The Central Nervous System include brain and spinal cord.
- Whereas the rest of the nerves and cells are there in the peripheral Nervous System is.
Causes of Tingling Lips
When we feel numbness or tingling in any part of the body, it is because of nerve damage in the peripheral nervous system, also known as very Peripheral Neuropathy. In this, all body parts are affected lips too.
However, tingling lips are a little different; it is odd or harmless symptoms. Still, in some instances, it can be a sign of a serious illness that will require medical attention immediately. For example, the lips can be numb simply due to sensitive skin, mild allergy because of food or facial products, or cold weather conditions, which can be easily treated.
Moreover, the problem arises when the tingling or numbness of lips is due to some other medical conditions such as hyperventilation, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, cancer, lupus, shingles, cold sore and more.
What Are Characteristics of Tingling Lips?
This question can be described by looking at some common characteristics of lip-tingling or numbness.
- You may have an uncomfortable absence of sensation in the lower lips, sometimes in both lips.
- It may be due to swelling, cracking, redness, bleeding and inflammation of the lips.
- There can be pins- and -needles like sensation, stinging and tingling.
- Sometimes you can also have a breast pump for blisters inside the mouth or around the lips area.
Why Do I Have Tingling Lips?
Lip numbness is caused due to any condition, but how serious it will depend upon the cause.
- If your both lips are numb, it will be likely due to allergies, and so is treatable.
- If you had frostbite or hypothermia, it’s not any sign of severe disease. However, it is moderately serious about being treated at an early stage to avoid any permanent tissue damage.
- When your lower lip is numb, it is a sign of serious illness and should be given medical attention professionally.
Therefore, you should always pay attention to how suddenly lips tingling or numbness develop and are there any other symptoms also with it. This will help you to know about the cause severity of the problem.
Read related- What Causes Black Spots On Your Lips?
Why Are My Lips Tingling? Is It Because Of Raynaud’s Syndrome?
When you have lip-tingling, it’s not usually a thing to worry about, and they will go on their own. However, you should worry if you have Raynaud’s syndrome. The tingling of lips is an important symptom of this syndrome. Raynaud’s syndrome is of two types:
- Primary Raynaud’s Syndrome
This is the most common type in it the stress or exposure to cold weather is responsible for tingling of lips. So the mild medications or early care is needed.
- Secondary Raynaud’s Syndrome
This one typically develops around 40, which is due to any underlying conditions. The symptoms during the syndromes are quite extensive. There can be difficulty in blood flow, especially in hands and feet, and due to reduced blood flow, the areas affected tend to turn blue in color. So urgent medical help is needed.
What Can Cause Tingling Lips?
- Cold Sore
You will experience tingling lips before a cold sore develops which is caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus and is common in many adults and children.
When the cold sore starts, it’s in patterns, first tingling and itching, blisters and then oozing and crusting takes place. Sometimes you may get a fever, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes because of cold sores. However, they are easily treatable by home remedies and medication.
- Allergies
You can feel tingling in lips because of allergic reactions. There are many types of allergic reactions such as minor and severe, like anaphylaxis. It is a life-threatening allergy and starts as soon as you come in contact with the allergens. You will seek medical help immediately when you experience:
- Troubled breathing
- Facial swelling
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Mouth and throat swelling.
- Food Allergy
It occurs after consuming any trigger food, which can be within few minutes or more. For example, food allergy-like protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome may occur by drinking milk or ingesting soy, grains, or other solid food items after five to six hours. Few people can also get Oral allergy syndrome by eating certain raw fruits, vegetables or tree nuts.
- Drug Allergy
In this allergy, your immune system becomes very sensitive to a substance in particular medications. So, apart from feeling tingling lips, you also have:
- Wheezing
- Itching
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Hives
- Skin rashes.
- Chemical Allergy
The chemicals in cosmetic products can also cause an allergic reaction which can be mild or severe both.
- Food Poisoning
It may cause tingling in your lips, as well as in your tongue, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and cramping, fever. It may last from a few hours to a couple of weeks, so a doctor visit is recommended.
- Hyperventilation
This allergic reaction occurs with anxiety or panic attacks. While hyperventilating, you breathe in too much oxygen resulting in lowering carbon dioxide level in the blood; this can cause tingling of lips or numbness around the mouth. It can be treated by breathing in a paper bag.
- Oral Cancer
Sometimes, tingling and numbness in your lips can be a sign of oral cancer. This is because the clusters of abnormal cells (tumors) on lips can occur due to sensation. If you feel tingling in your lips for longer than two weeks and that too in your lower lip, then it’s the alarm that you need to see your dentist or general physician. The oral cancer cure is effective when detected early hence, decreasing the mortality rate.
Tingling Lips Treatment
However, tingling lips is not a sign of any serious health condition and can get cured within two with or without medication. The treatment procedure for tingling and numbness of lips will depend upon the severity of the disease. However, consult your doctor for tingling lips treatment if you have one along with :
- Sudden and severe headaches
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Paralysis.
If you experience tingling due to any disease, you will be given steroid therapy, antiviral drugs, antibiotics and other treatments.
In-house Treatment For Lip Tingling and Numbness
- When you go out in cold weather, apply petroleum jelly.
- Stop drinking carbonated drinks
- Improve your diet, eat veggies, fruit and take Vitamin B complex.
- You can also apply peppermint oil
All this treatment will work for you if you are not experiencing any serious illness or need proper medical care.
Key Takeaway
Why do I have tingling lips, is one question that can confuse you. However, once you know what causes tingling lips, you can treat it on your own or consult a Meddo dermatologist for the best treatment.
