Diseases & Conditions Archive

Burning mouth syndrome affects about 2% of people, with women up to seven times more likely than men to be diagnosed. Symptoms include burning sensations in the lips, mouth, or throat as well as stabbing pain, tingling, a sour or metallic taste, or the sense that something is crawling inside the mouth. Women's hormone dips during perimenopause and beyond may play a role in the condition, and stress and anxiety are also considered risk factors. To confirm the diagnosis, doctors must first rule out other potential causes of symptoms.

Two kinds of migraine involve visual disturbances, such as strange, flickering light patterns. One type is migraine with aura, caused by brain activity. The other is ocular migraine, caused by blood vessel problems in the eye. The attacks may or may not be accompanied by a headache. Drugs called triptans might help soothe migraine with aura. Doctors don't have a way to stop an ocular migraine attack as it's occurring. For many people, the only way to cope is resting and waiting until the symptoms go away.

In gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach acid washes backward into the esophagus. This can cause symptoms such as heartburn, an acidic or metallic taste in the mouth, hoarse voice, chest pain, dry cough, post-nasal drip, or trouble swallowing. Symptoms can overlap with those of several other conditions. These include hiatal hernia, functional dyspepsia, eosinophilic esophagitis, esophageal spasms, or heart attack. Distinguishing GERD from other conditions may involve various tests, including an endoscopy to view the esophagus lining.