Paresthesia of the tongue

The lucky one

I am new to this site as a result of my search for answers! I had a partial glossectomy on 4/20/16 and am so tired of the "pins and needles" feeling on my tongue. I am wondering if others have had this following surgery and how long it lasts?? It's really not that bad of a feeling but it's CONSTANT! I understand it's the nerves regenerating but what I don't know is how long that process takes or if it ever goes away. Any info would be greatly appreciated. 

Tonita

My surgery was in March and I

My surgery was in March and I still have a lot going on with my tongue.  I have the pins and needles mostly at the tip, there is a big lump also that I can't stop messing with and it's driving me nuts and it also keeps it very irritated.  I still have numbness in my neck, jaw and ear because of the lymph node surgery but that has diminished quite a bit.  I just had my follow up visit on June 15 and he said that he could do a minor outpatient procedure on that lump area or I could give it a little more time to see if it goes down further with something over the counter for inflammation.  It was quite big after the surgery.  I was told it could take up to a year for everything to settle down.

Josephwc

One and needles subsiding/ Tonita I have the same lump

I had the same surgery March 21, 2016 and the pins and needles do go away. If you have radiation the lumps, pains, swells all change and take longer to heal but things do move on. My tongue actually got much better but then radiation made things worse. I trust that the swelling will cool down with time and gentle handling along with following the doctors orders. I do want a beer but luckily the taste and smell make me sick so it's no problem. 

 

Good luck to you both. Keep your head up. We will go back to a nice new tolerable new normal And it won't be bad at all.

wmc

Welcome to H&N group

Welcome and as always, sorry you need to be here. I don't have any answers, but I have heard that is supposed to be a good sign. I have doctors say many things were good news, like when they said I was a good candidate to have lung reduction surgery. To my having 30% removed from both lungs wasn't good news. Nerves can do amazing things. My wife had the main nerve severed in her leg and was numb from the knee down. She was told when she was 30 that it might come back in 30+ years if it did. She got all the feeling back in about 4 years, and the doctor was amazed. 

I can't say how long for it to heal, and I have had nerve damage myself and it can really get to you. I do wish you the best and may the pins & needles go away and bring back your feeling.

Bill

The lucky one

wmc said:

Welcome to H&N group

Welcome and as always, sorry you need to be here. I don't have any answers, but I have heard that is supposed to be a good sign. I have doctors say many things were good news, like when they said I was a good candidate to have lung reduction surgery. To my having 30% removed from both lungs wasn't good news. Nerves can do amazing things. My wife had the main nerve severed in her leg and was numb from the knee down. She was told when she was 30 that it might come back in 30+ years if it did. She got all the feeling back in about 4 years, and the doctor was amazed. 

I can't say how long for it to heal, and I have had nerve damage myself and it can really get to you. I do wish you the best and may the pins & needles go away and bring back your feeling.

Bill

Thank you Bill, that is

Thank you Bill, that is encouraging news. I too wish I didn't have to be here but am so thankful for sites like this one! It somehow makes it easier to read about others going through the same stuff. Doctors are really smart (most of the time) but they can't tell you from first hand knowledge what to expect or how you are going to feel. Thanks again!

Shoshanna

wmc

The lucky one said:

Thank you Bill, that is

Thank you Bill, that is encouraging news. I too wish I didn't have to be here but am so thankful for sites like this one! It somehow makes it easier to read about others going through the same stuff. Doctors are really smart (most of the time) but they can't tell you from first hand knowledge what to expect or how you are going to feel. Thanks again!

Shoshanna

Just knowing you are not alone.....And you are not alone.

Shoshanna, you are not alone, and there is so many on this site that do really understand how a person feels and is going through. We have many Caregivers so they help the New caregivers and help to understand what to expect. Sometimes you just need an ear to just listen and "Hear" you. We are open 24/7 and we got your back.

Bill

Belladee

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/303134/paresthesia-of-the-tongue

I just recently had a partial glosectomy 5/10/22. I’m experiencing numbness & pins and needles terribly. It’s constant and it’s been getting me scared as though maybe the cancer is reoccurring. I would love to hear from you since yours was in 2016 maybe you can help me get through this I’m really having a tough time . How long did your symptoms end up lasting?

wbcgaruss

Hello and welcome to the CSN H&N forum as I always say, sorry you have to be here but at least it sounds by your description that you have had your operation to remove the cancer and I would guess they have gotten clear margins when they operated unless you had any follow-up treatments such as radiation or chemo. The person you are hoping to reach has not been active since 2016 so they will probably not see your post. if you click on their picture and then view profile you get--Joined June 2016 Visits 0 Last ActiveJuly 2016. You could try sending them a private message through the forum.

You are just a little over 2 months out of surgery and many times the recovery from any of these head and neck treatments can take many months and sometimes up to a year or more. it is a slow process especially when nerves are involved. It is very early for you not really being that far from having surgery so give it some time yet, several more months to resolve possibly. What does your doctor say? I had a part of my tongue removed and it just takes some time and patience and one day you will notice it is not there. Try not to think about it too much and keep your mind occupied with other things.

Your cancer is not recurring, I had clear margins and I bet you did too, and that means they got all the cancer. if they were unsure they would have given you follow-up treatments. I would imagine your doctors are going to do a follow-up CT scan with Contrast at maybe the 6-month mark as a follow-up just to be sure everything's OK, you may want to check with them on that.

If you look at Tonitas post which is the second one down on the top of this thread at the end of her post she says "I was told it could take up to a year for everything to settle down".

Be patient, and I think it will resolve for you and if it persists in your thinking too long just give your doctor's office a call and ask them about it.

Wishing You the Best

Take Care God Bless

Russ

motherearthschild

Howdy,

I had a partial glossectomy on 10/10/23 (and a neck dissection- negative for cancer) and an emergency second surgery in the same to areas 10/19/23 after some hemorrhaging.

Anyways, I was wondering if other people’s paresthesia came and went in intensity. Sometimes, it is hardly noticeable, and other days it feels very intense. I sometimes wonder if the type of food and drink I have impact it. Any elucidation is greatly appreciated. I will be going in for a check up 2/08/24.

wbcgaruss

Hello, motherearthchild, and welcome to the CSN H&N discussion forum.

I would recommend you check out the Superthread at the top of the page there are loads of information in there with links and you will find it helpful.

I would be glad to elucidate on your situation. First off I am glad your tests of lymph nodes were negative for cancer. There are a number of us on here that have paresthesia. Ours is usually from chemotherapy with any of the platin drugs there is a risk of paresthesia but it wouldn't be in the tongue area like yours is. Also, you do not say to what area or areas the paresthesia is associated with. You do not say if you had follow-up radiation or chemotherapy so that may rule that out. I would imagine your paresthesia is due to nerve issues from your operation. Nerves can be cut, pinched, moved, changed, etc., and some strange things can happen when nerves are affected. Possibly it may help if you could give us a few more details of the cancer you had, location, type, etc and did you have any more treatments other than surgery. That is about all I can elucidate on your situation so I hope my elucidation has helped you in some way.

Wishing You The Best

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

motherearthschild

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1711909#Comment_1711909

Hi Russ,

I'll definitely checkout the superthread. I'm guessing that is the Head and Neck Cancer link at the top? For one of my generation (I'm 40), I can be a bit thick with technology. I had stage 1 tongue cancer. The tumor was about 1 cm long and 5 mm deep. It was on the left side of my tongue, very far back, almost to the midline. I did not have chemotherapy or radiation (though I had them both for rectal cancer back in 2015). Any the write-up the tumor is described as well-differentiated at one point and moderately-differentiated at another (I want to check with my surgeon about why that is). I do know the tumor involved the nerve. Thank you for your help.

Take care and many blessings to you,

Gabe