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Have you ever started eating and suddenly felt a tongue bump? Or did your tongue feel sore? This must have made you wonder what bumps on the back of the tongue mean.
Our body has many indicators to tell us when there is something wrong. Some of the most common messages our body sends us to say that something is wrong are swellings, inflammations, or redness.
What do Bumps on the Back of the Tongue Mean?
Tongue bumps are several small bumps on the surface of your tongue. They are also referred to by the name papillae, or more commonly, our taste buds, and are so tiny that we usually won’t notice them.
Since they do not have any colour of their own, nor a unique texture, you will usually pay no mind to their presence.
Unless they are suddenly enlarged and swollen for an extended period, say months, it is probably a good idea to seek medical assistance, as the enlarged papillae could be due to long-term poor oral hygiene or viral or bacterial infection.
In that way, raised tiny bumps on the back of the tongue are a warning sign from our bodies that we cannot ignore.
Here are eleven possible reasons that you see enlarged bumps on your tongue.
Causes of Bumps on the Back of the Tongue
1. Tongue Injury
It is easy for us to unintentionally harm a part of our body or bite or scratch it in the case of tongues and mouths. We can also harm our tongue’s papillae by using our tongue scraper, aggravating the taste buds and causing a bumpy tongue.
Since the tongue is also a part of the body, it will respond to external disturbances and attain an injury by swelling up larger than its usual size, hence the bumps on the back of the tongue. The most common reason for tongue injuries is if you accidentally bite it. This makes the tongue swell, which can last up to a few days to recover.
Another cause of tongue injuries is accidentally burning it by consuming hot liquids such as coffee, tea, or other hot beverages.
2. Oral Herpes
You probably know herpes as a dreaded viral infection that is sexually transmitted. But did you know that herpes can also affect the mouth area? This particular form of herpes is known as oral herpes and is known to be extremely painful.
Oral herpes is widespread, affecting around 60% of all adults in the US at least once in their lifetime. The blisters are unsightly and will hurt a lot, but the good thing is that they will usually heal gradually when taking the medicines prescribed by your doctor.
One can identify this disease with the characteristic cold sore blisters in the mouth and surrounding areas, such as the nose region. As for the tongue, the blisters appear right on the tongue.
The blisters are also commonly seen on the gums. As said before, they are extremely painful and are known to stay for a week or so usually.
Oral herpes can spread; i.e., it is contagious. It can spread through mediums such as direct contact with the affected place and saliva, contacting the tongue lining and mouth.
3. Canker Sores
Mouth sores are pretty inconvenient and sometimes bothersome. They are blisters that form in the region around the mouth region. Canker sores are the most common mouth sore, acutely painful and occasionally irritating.
Canker sores mostly grow inside your lips, which is a pretty inconvenient place. Another possible location where canker sores tend to form is on your tongue, which would cause enlarged bumps.
They appear mainly in three colours: white canker sores, and yellow and red ones and are usually very raw and bruise-like and cause extreme pain when making contact with them or, in some cases, even without.
It is to be noted that stress1 could be a factor that causes canker sores to develop. So try to reduce the factors of your daily life that drive the development of stress.
4. Oral Infection
The signs of an infection at the tongue and mouth are usually characterized by: swelling or inflammation that may be accompanied by pain at the site.
This could happen due to any number of reasons: for example, if the tongue is swollen after biting it or after injuring it in some other way, you must see a doctor as a person with good oral health doesn’t need to get away from tongue infections- if the tongue is injured, bacteria have an easy entry into it to cause infections.
5. Tongue Cancer
In most cases, tongue bumps do not mean anything, and swelling will usually go down. Cancer is a rare possibility, but it is still a possible reason to cause enlarged tongue bumps and should be included in the list. Not to mention that there are several other reasons, such as allergic reactions.
Although it is extremely rare, you should not eliminate the possibility that the enlarged bumps, especially ones that are spotted at the side of the tongue, have a probability of being malignant.
Additionally, if the enlarged bumps are hard and do not cause any pain, and more importantly, they last for longer than enlarged bumps usually do, i.e., if the bumps are present for more than two weeks, it is probably wise to consult a doctor.
6. Tuberculosis
We know tuberculosis, or TB in short, as a disease primarily affecting the lungs. The side effects and symptoms that point to tuberculosis are many, but one of them is that sores or lesions develop on the body of the TB patient in any number of parts of the body.
One of these parts is the tongue- painful sores on the tongue region.
Tongue sores are a pretty rare symptom of tuberculosis. The probability that a person with the disease will develop it is rare- but the possibility that tongue sores are caused as a side effect of tuberculosis must not be ruled out.
Tongue sores, or bumps on the back of the tongue, are likely the first warning signs to look out for in a person newly infected with tuberculosis. The disorder can be treated earlier if the tongue sores are taken seriously.
7. Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that could be life-threatening if not treated properly. It transfers by direct contact with the syphilis sores from person to person in sexual ways such as vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
How does this relate to the tongue? Well, sometimes people have sores forming on the tongue. This is an early indicator of syphilis, as, during oral sex, the mouth is the direct point of contact with the infected person’s sore. A symptom could be having a sore throat as well.
8. Lie Bumps
Sometimes, the papillae or taste buds off the tongue inflame or swell for a short period, i.e., temporary swelling of the papillae2. These are also known as lie bumps or transient lingual papillitis.
Lie bumps are identified by the swelling of the taste buds on the top (upper surface) of the tongue. They appear out of nowhere and are accompanied by a burning sensation on the tongue.
They might also cause an itching sensation in the tongue, and you may feel that the area is much more sensitive and painful than usual.
The good thing about lie bumps is that they do not usually require medication of any sort– leave them undisturbed for a while. They appear suddenly, and they typically cure themselves and go away in a few days.
9. Allergies and Irritation
When the body is not tolerant to certain foods or materials, it develops an allergic reaction to that particular food or material, like bumps on the back of the tongue. However, allergic responses in terms of the tongue are characterized by tongue bumps on the back or sides.
Your body could react adversely due to certain types of food, for example, acidic and spicy foods. Allergies and food intolerances usually go away if you identify the food causing an adverse reaction and avoid it.
However, there is a condition known as anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal reaction that causes sudden tongue inflammation. Sudden respiratory problems like difficulty in breathing characterize it.
One should also look out if their body develops hives or rashes and swelling on the tongue and lips area.
Visit a doctor immediately who can provide medical advice on what to do.
10. Oral Thrush
Yeast infection is a common term heard in the medical world, it often causes bumps on the back of the tongue. Yeast is a fungus that thrives in environments that are dark and moist, and a perfect example of the ideal setting for yeast would be our mouths.
Oral thrush is a type of yeast infection that develops in our mouth. It is also referred to as oral candidiasis; its telltale sign is inflamed bumps at the back of your tongue. One is susceptible to oral thrush if they have or suffer from diabetes3, take medicines that state dry mouth as a side effect, etc.
Yeast causes this dry sensation, and it could be one of the causes of bumps on the back of the tongue.
These inflamed tongue bumps are accompanied by other symptoms of oral thrushes, such as cottonmouth, otherwise known as dry mouth. However, the population most susceptible to oral thrush is newborn babies.
Some Remedies to Treat Bumps on the Back of the Tongue
If tongue bumps are bothersome and are causing a disturbance to your routine, you might want to try some remedies to treat them. These may be home remedies or otherwise.
- In the case of oral thrush, you can consider using antifungal medications. On the other hand, in case of bacterial infections, you might consider buying an appropriate antibiotic.
- Oral herpes4 is unfortunately not curable in one go. It is a recurring outbreak that may well continue for your lifetime. One way to soothe and calm the herpes outbreak is by applying antiviral medication. This will prevent the outbreak from spreading further.
- Other factors, such as having medication that causes dry mouth, diabetes, etc., can also cause tongue bumps. So treating the underlying factor could be a possible solution to cure tongue bumps.
- You could make a few minor changes to your daily diet to prevent swollen papillae in the long run. You could avoid consuming spicy foods and acidic foods that aggravate tongue bumps.
- You could also use topical numbing gels to reduce the pain for a little while.
- Being hydrated is, as always, a solution to many problems faced by the body, including tongue bumps. Drink lots of water at regular intervals. Having a gargle with warm salt water is also said to help.
- It is recommended to have a saltwater gargle, especially in times of seasonal allergies and colds. Warm salt water gargles also help several problems: they mainly help with a sore throat and irritation in the throat.
- Finally, ensure good oral hygiene and follow these home remedies. Check your mouth region properly for any of the above signs of swollen papillae.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What causes bumps on the back of the tongue and throat?
Tongue bumps can be caused by a variety of factors like allergies, and infections, These are mostly harmless, but some may suggest an underlying illness that necessitates medical attention.
2. What does it mean when you have bumps on the back of the tongue and it hurts to swallow?
Bacterial infections, which are more frequent in the winter and early spring, can also create lumps, which cause difficulty in swallowing.
3. Are tongue bumps serious?
Most bumps typically disappear on their own after a few days, are not potentially dangerous, and do not require medication. But better be safe than sorry, right?
Bottomline: Bumps on the Back of the Tongue
Now that you know what the bumps on the back of the tongue mean, it is advised to not wait for too long before referring a doctor, and in case or if needed, visit your doctor in case of any serious concern regarding enlarged taste buds as it is always best to realize your symptoms before it gets too late.
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Suggested reads:
- O’Connor, Daryl B., Julian F. Thayer, and Kavita Vedhara. “Stress and health: A review of psychobiological processes.” Annual review of psychology 72 (2021): 663-688. ↩︎
- Zhang, Yiding, et al. “Minimally invasive procedures for deficient interdental papillae: A review.” Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry 32.5 (2020): 463-471. ↩︎
- Care, Diabetes. “Care in diabetes—2022.” Diabetes care 45 (2022): S17. ↩︎
- Abdalla, S., et al. “Population pharmacokinetics of intravenous and oral acyclovir and oral valacyclovir in pediatric population to optimize dosing regimens.” Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy 64.12 (2020): 10-1128. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Suchi
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