Burning mouth/face

[Eva M]

Does anyone out there experience burning mouth and buring cheeks as well as dry eye? I have been diagnosed with DES, but these symptoms don't seem as common. Thanks.

[Lucy]

Eva, not to create anxiety....but this sort of thing can be related to Sjogrens Syndrome. At least the burning mouth. Burning cheeks could have something to do with Rosacea.

If the burning mouth keeps up, or gets worse later (much later) this could be a possibility to look into. Lucy

[NYer]

Cheeks burning on the outside is probably rosacea.
Cheeks dry and burning inside the mouth is probably Sjogrens.

[Bunny]

Eva - I had a lot of problems with burning and almost pain in my tongue and cheeks (inside) for almost 2 years after my DES began. I was tested for Sjogren's which fortunately was negative. For me, I found that it seems tied to anxiety and nerves. Also getting completely off any hormone treatment for menopause caused my mouth to be much more moist which helped a lot - didn't help the anxiety and depression though! Be careful of any SSRI medications for depression and some anxiety medications which can dry and cause burning in your mouth as well. Not sure if any of this fits you.....

[Rojzen]

I remember burning, too

Hi, Eva. . .I'm another one who once had burning mouth, and was tested for Sjogren's. . .Antibodies were negative, but who really knows. . .In any case, that burning came with severe dryness. . .Both, however, disappeared shortly after arriving. . .And like others here, I found that burning and dryness varied with anxiety. . .

It's true that SSRIs cause dryness in a certain per centage of patients. . But at the same time, anxiety and/or depression, if they are present, may require treatment before dryness will go away. . .

We have a big section here on depression. . .Even if this is not an issue for you, possibly the section will light up some bulbs for you. . .Somewhere in there I've mentioned Lithium Aspartate as a supplement that has worked great for me, in place of prescription antidepressants, without causing dryness of eyes or mouth, at least in me. . .By the same token, many, many people don't react with dryness to many of the drugs that have the potential to dry. . .

[Eva M]

Thanks!!

To all of you who have replied and given me the benefit of your experience. Very reassuring. Thank you....

[rubyslippers]

I have one cheek that feels sunburned a lot, but looks completely normal.

[GinaJ]

Yes I do and have seborehic dermititis. Have you been to a dermatologist and also a rheumatologist? Sorry for the spelling issues. I would maybe go to those doctors.

[Dotanne]

I had burning tongue syndrome with dry mouth plus face pain - Dr could not help but I researched it and took 1/2 tablet of clonazapam each morning and slowly the dry mouth went and the face pain improved. After just over a year I have now weaned myself off the clonazapam (cut down the dose gradually) and have no more face pain. I am generally able to eat normally now but I do not like dry foods and need to drink lots.
I found a new Dr for my dry eye and using eye massage, compresses and a course of doxy and my eyes are much better - hardly need drops during the day. I feel that made a great difference to the dry mouth, nerve pain etc. Now I am trying to get over the effects of the doxy and antibiotic(for a tooth) on my digestive system!!
The clonazapam was a life saver for me (I can't take SSRIs).
I am so much better.
Cheers
Dot

[Marina26]

I have a burning cheek also.

I have found that if I put a rice baggie over my cheek & under neck when I go to bed the pain is gone in the morning. I find the warmth from the rice relaxes my muscles and i don't clench my teeth at night (I'm a chronic clencher). I find this has also made my eyes feel better in the morning. Not sure how it's all connected though

[NYer]

Dotanne,
That's fascinating about the clonazapam helping the facial pain. What was it in your research that led to that? Klonopin is generally recommended for anxiety and also for seizures. I'm curious as to what led you to the link to facial pain.
Thanks!

[Dotanne]

clonazapam

I was getting desperate early in 2007 with face pain and dry mouth/burning tongue and eyes really bad. I had been to a specialist who said he would send me to a pain clinic after I had had an MRI (which I finally had in August). I couldn't hang in for that long so got onto Google and found that clonazapam could help and I had some on hand from when I had depression - what was there to lose!!! I took half a tablet(started in April) and found things were a little better. I took another half at the end of the day but that made me too sleepy and I didn't want to take too much and clonazapam is addictive. I kept on with the 1/2 tablet each morning and gradually my symptoms improved. I gradually weaned myself off them at the beginning of this year when my eyes improved. I am sure that my eyes were responsible for all that pain.
There was no way that anyone would prescribe me anything but this but my GP understood and gave me more prescriptions when needed. I don't have the link that put me onto this idea but it will be somewhere in Google. Another GP that I went to that has done quite a bit on pain management goes along with that tactic too. Low dose clonazapam does help with pain relief and helps with the anxiety that pain causes.
Dot