Burning Mouth Syndrome and Cognitive Therapy

Burning Mouth Syndrome and Cognitive Therapy

Burning mouth syndrome is a painful condition that can affect your entire mouth. It also has emotional consequences, making you feel anxious or depressed. Burning mouth syndrome typically requires medication, physical therapy and mental health counseling in combination.

Cognitive therapy teaches ways to cope with stress and minimize your symptoms. It may also teach you ways to manage pain. Furthermore, cognitive therapy encourages good sleep habits as well as other techniques for managing burning mouth symptoms.

The initial step is to consult your health care provider about any mouth symptoms you’re experiencing and they may suggest testing for other medical issues. They could suggest an MRI, CT scan or other test to diagnose what’s wrong with your mouth.

You may be tested for vitamin deficiencies, infections or nerve issues in your mouth. A salivary test can also be done to see if there’s dryness and/or thrush present. Allergy testing may also be done to see if certain foods, additives or dental materials or products cause a reaction in you.

Your doctor will also conduct a blood test to detect thyroid issues or anemia, both of which can cause significant oral pain if left untreated. These conditions must be addressed promptly so that you can get the appropriate treatment for them.

If the source of your pain is due to a medical issue, your doctor can provide medicine for that condition and potentially change or stop any medications causing burning mouth symptoms. You may need to see an oral surgeon or ENT physician as well.

Burning mouth syndrome can be caused by a variety of factors, including hormonal changes and psychiatric disorders like depression or anxiety. However, these conditions are not the sole source of the discomfort.

Other causes of burning mouth syndrome may be infections and lesions in the mouth, such as thrush or oral lichen planus. Fortunately, these conditions are treatable and your discomfort will go away.

Additionally, certain autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren’s syndrome can cause mouth pain. To differentiate this from burning mouth syndrome, your provider will need to perform an X-ray or other imaging test in order to rule these out.

Clonazepam, antidepressants and naltrexone can all be helpful for burning mouth syndrome. These medications will depress the nervous system, providing temporary relief from symptoms.

At the onset of mouth pain, medications can be given for maximum effectiveness. If one medication doesn’t help alleviate it, your provider will either suggest another medicine or suggest trying a different type.

Psychological therapy is an integral component of treating primary burning mouth syndrome. Studies have demonstrated that combining cognitive behavioral therapy and group psychotherapy can significantly improve symptoms among those suffering from primary burning mouth syndrome.