Then COVID-19 virus has many terrible side effects and symptoms that we are just beginning to understand. From the loss of taste and smell to serious breathing difficulties and splitting headaches, the deadly virus can be very scary to contract. But now, a new unexplained symptom may have been uncovered, and it has a lot of experts scratching their heads.
It’s called “COVID tongue” and it appears on the tongue as spots or a thick white or yellow coating, similar to thrush. Though having this type of coating on the tongue does not mean that you definitely have COVID-19, it can be a warning sign akin to the loss of smell or taste.
If your tongue appears to have any of these symptoms or has changed in appearance in other ways, including swelling, seek out medical help or call Dr. Abelar’s office for further instruction. Not everyone with COVID-19 will experience changes to the tongue, nor do they mean a definite COVID diagnosis. The important thing is to rule out COVID if changes in the tongue and mouth are present.
So, why do some people get COVID tongue while others don’t? Experts believe that it’s because the virus affects different people in different ways. While some carriers of the virus can be totally asymptomatic, others may only experience a headache. Further still, others may have such grave difficulty breathing they must be admitted to a hospital and put on a ventilator.
COVID tongue is just one more way the virus can manifest itself, but it does not occur frequently enough for experts to use it as a diagnostic tool just yet.
For now, if you believe you could have COVID-19, we recommend calling your doctor’s office and receiving further instruction as to where to go for testing. Isolate yourself in self-quarantine for at least 14 days, and avoid contact with others at all costs. If you must go out, be sure to wear a mask and gloves if possible.
COVID-19 is a very serious illness and should be treated as such. Monitoring your own body and looking for anything out of the ordinary can help alert you to any problems, and hopefully, save lives.
