Hi,

I have red places on both sides of my tongue. I thought for the longest time that they would go away if I could give up -- or cut down -- on drinking Cokes, a long-time addiction. Well, I gave up the sodas. The red places are still there.

I went to my GP a couple of months ago about a persistent sore throat. Didn't even think to ask her about my tongue. She assured me it had to be allergies. But the medicine hasn't made it go away.

Now I'm starting to believe that these two things are connected and may be cancer. I am particularly worried because I have two small children. I'm going to call my doctor again tomorrow, but I really want to get this checked out by a specialist. What kind of doctor do I need to see?

And does this sound bad? Yes, I know. It does, potentially. I'm a dope for not having moved faster on this earlier. But I went to the doctor. She looked in my mouth -- though not at my tongue. I've been to the dentist regularly. I didn't ask him about this, but he looked at my mouth, obviously, and said nothing.

I should have quit drinking sodas long before this. I have to think that's a main cause. I smoked a little for a couple of years many years ago, but not much. I drink occasionally, but not all that much. I'll give that up, too, if I have to.

I'm sorry to fall apart like this. I'm having a middle-of-the-night panic attack.

Thanks for your time.

Hi JM

See your dentist about the red areas on your tongue and ask for a referral to an oral & maxillofacial surgeon if there is doubt as to what it is. There are some normal structures at the side, towards the back of the tongue that can be mistaken for abnormality! Hopefully the pictures of normal appearances in Examination Technique with Normal Findings and Structures Mistaken for Disease will help reassure you. Some lumps seen at the back of the tongue are often part of the normal scenery.There are large bumps on the top surface of the back of the tongue called circumvallate papillae located along the "circumvallate line" and contain taste buds that confer the sense of sour and bitter to the back of the tongue. A lingual tonsil can also be quite prominent and are mistaken by patients for cancerous growths. Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes
Vinod

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

Thank you. I will see my dentist first about this. The red spots aren't bumpy, just red streaks. It's like the whitish surface that I think must have been there before got worn off. And I can feel their presence, which seems a little weird.

And my throat has been sore for so long, which is strange to me. I've never had allergies before.

I will let you know what the dentist says.

Thanks again.