Burning Lips

[ThisIsMyName]

About 24 hours ago, my lips suddenly started to feel like they were burning and my bottom lip is swelled a bit. I thought I was having an allergic reaction to something I'd eaten earlier, but when I woke up this morning and found my lips to be in the same condition they were in, I decided that was not the case.

Now they don't LOOK much different from normal (execept for the deeper red color). They feel almost like they're sunburnt but it's the middle of the winter so I don't how likely that it... I've beend rinking water and constantly applying chap stick but nothing seems to be working.

I googled it, thinking maybe it was a wicked cold sore or something, but I got nothing.

I wouldn't exactly say "I'm worried" but if I wake up tomorrow morning and nothing has changed I may be.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?? Any tips?

[InfiniteNow]

If it's cold, it could be severe chapping. Otherwise, maybe wind burn? Have you been outside a lot? Lips can also get sunburned, even if the sun is reflected off of ground or snow.

[palmtreepathos]

have you been eating mangos? fresh mango has a substance similar to poison ivy, actually in the same family I think.. It definitely will do that. Also I developed a reaction to spearmint a few years back and my lips itched and swoll' up like a ubangi's ... Not meaning any disrespect to the ubangi people. just wasn't normal for me. My hubby said I looked like Julia Roberts

PS. it took days for my lips to return to normal for both occurances

[Invascms]

It sounds like you have a phenol sensitivity, as do I. Phenols are substances that are in almost all foods, but in varying amounts. If I eat a high phenol/salicylate fruit I have the same reaction. After a short delay of about a day, my lips swell up a bit, turn blood red, and I feel them 'burn', or as I think of it 'pins and needles'. All of this lasts for a few days to a week, after which my lips are dry and cracking. It's usually related to foods, In my case at least. Here's some links to help you out:

[EDIT}
Since I can't post links, just remove the spaces.

Phenols - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - What the chemical is.
Dana's View - Phenol Information - An overview of it. I suggest you start here.
Food Salicylate Content List - Very helpful list of foods and their relative Salicylate amounts.

I'd look at the list of Salicylatic foods and try and remember if you've eaten any of them prior to the reaction.

As for treatment, and I'm no doctor, but an anti-histamine like benadryl should shorten the whole cycle. I usually do this and drink a whole lot of water, which seems to help. I haven't had any luck with chapsticks or vaseline myself, but you can keep trying them.

Anyway, after this entire cycle my lips are back to normal. This might happen in your case if you do in fact have a phenol sensitivity. Again, I'm no doctor, but that's what happens to me. Best of luck figuring out what it is!

[chandra2]

I have been having a burning sensation for four days now on my lips. Lips are very chapped with chafed bits of skin. I have also been breaking out into a red, excema type rash which burns as well. Since end of summer rasberry season I've been eating loads of them and now I see that I eat many fruits and some foods high in salicylic acids.
It's the weekend and I want to stop the pain from the burning, what can I do? Should I take and anti-histamine?
What should I ask my doctor to do?

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by chandra2

What should I ask my doctor to do?

Isn't that why you go see the doctor in the first place? To get help?

[chandra2]

Originally Posted by Tormod

Isn't that why you go see the doctor in the first place? To get help?

I did see my doctor and because he was treating a stomach virus, he thought the lip thing was a kind of cold sore. He gave me a stomach anti-biotic. I find with GPs that you have to tell them what to do otherwise they say "you're fine, get some sleep".
Maybe ask him for an allergist or nutritionist.
Also, I was hoping someone could answer my question about taking an anti-histamine right now. It's the weekend and I'm in pain from the burning rash on my face.

[freeztar]

First of all, I would stop eating the foods that give you that reaction.

An antihistamine may help. I don't think there is any harm in trying. You also might want to try some good ole lotion for your skin, and chapstick for your lips. If none of this works, then you might try some hydrocortisone cream.

Please be aware that I'm not a Doctor though!! Your best bet would be to see a dermatologist.

[GAHD]

if your lips are chapped getting water/spit on them is a BAD thing, it drys them out worse. I find with severe chapping Aloevera plant juice cures the chap inside of a day, though applying it BURNS LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE UNTIL YOU TRY. If you can put up with that burning for the 15-20 minutes it takes to soak in swelling and pain goes down considerably, though the top layer of your lips may turn greenish depending on if you use commercial aloe gel, or just bust a piece off the cactus to rub-in yourself.

Hope that helped

[mynah]

Originally Posted by GAHD

if your lips are chapped getting water/spit on them is a BAD thing, it drys them out worse. I find with severe chapping Aloevera plant juice cures the chap inside of a day, though applying it BURNS LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE UNTIL YOU TRY. If you can put up with that burning for the 15-20 minutes it takes to soak in swelling and pain goes down considerably, though the top layer of your lips may turn greenish depending on if you use commercial aloe gel, or just bust a piece off the cactus to rub-in yourself.

Hope that helped

Aloe juice will certainly help - apart from its medical qualities, it is very bitter, and will stop you from licking your lips or drawing your teeth across them inadvertently. (Many people do that, especially when they are stressed.)