The Dangers Of Having Cancer Of The Tongue

Head and neck cancer is very common and one of its types is the cancer of the tongue. It is a curable disease when discovered at its early stage but when two thirds of the tongue is already affected, it will already fall under oral tongue cancer and eventually lead to throat cancer. People who smoke and drink alcohol are very prone to this illness.

Cancer of the tongue begins with a small white lump in the tongue. If left untreated by a qualified doctor, it can lead to serious damages to your health.

Cancer of the tongue starts as a tumor and as it grows bigger, it causes dangers to your health up to the point that it can even lead to death. The following symptoms are exhibited by you when diagnosed with cancer of the tongue:

Untreatable sore throat

Sore throat normally lasts for only a week with proper medication but once it exceeds more than that, you might be having more than just soreness in your throat.

Having difficulties when swallowing

One of the common symptoms of cancer of the tongue is having difficulties in swallowing. Eating is a daily necessity for every human being and to experience pain while swallowing is something that you are likely to experience when diagnosed with cancer of the tongue.

Bleeding of the tongue

This is one serious effect of having cancer of the tongue. Every day we use our mouth and tongue to communicate and eat. Once there’s abnormal bleeding in the tongue, be sure to see your doctor immediately.

Lack of sensation in the mouth

Another effect of having cancer of the tongue is the numbness of the mouth. You can’t feel anything even if you bite your tongue or the inside of your cheeks.

Having difficulties in breathing

Another serious effect of cancer of the tongue is that you experience difficulty in breathing. This is an indication that the cancer is already in its critical stage and the proper treatment should be performed as soon as possible to avoid further complications.

Unable to speak properly

When you have cancer of the tongue and didn’t take the necessary actions to treat it, you’ll find it very difficult to talk. The tongue is the major organ of the body that enables us to talk and produce the sounds that we need in order to communicate.

If you are currently experiencing any of the mentioned symptoms, it is advised to consult a doctor at once and have yourself checked. If you are diagnosed with tongue cancer, take the proper treatments as advised by your doctor so that it can be cured while it is still in its early stage.

Patients of tongue cancer will have to undergo several treatments including transoral robotic surgery through the mouth and IMRT or Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy. Do not wait for it to worsen and badly affect your health before taking the treatments.