Asked by: Althea Gohrig
medical health ear nose and throat conditions

Why is my uvula touching tongue?

22
When the uvula touches the throat or tongue, it can cause sensations like gagging or choking, although there is no foreign matter present. An aphthous ulcer which has formed on the uvula can also cause swelling and discomfort. If the swelling is caused by dehydration, drinking fluids may improve the condition.


Also know, how do you treat a uvula that touches your tongue?

Drink plenty of fluids. The uvula is sometimes swollen due to dry mouth or dehydration, so water is the best medicine. Gargling with warm water and plain table salt can help to soothe a sore throat. Throat lozenges such as eucalyptus cough drops or throat spray can help to numb the pain.

Subsequently, question is, why does it feel like I'm swallowing my uvula? Your uvula -- the flesh that hangs in the back of your throat -- helps you swallow and speak. A swollen uvula can cause a sore throat, redness, trouble breathing or talking, or a choking feeling. If your uvula is oversized, it's a sign from your body that something's not right. Sometimes the cause can't be found.

Consequently, what can cause an elongated uvula?

Causes. Bacterial and viral infections such as strep throat, mononucleosis, or respiratory tract infections can cause uvulitis. The common cold is an easy way to pick up an infection because people's nasal passages are typically blocked up. This can cause the uvula to be enlarged, off place, shrunken, or even missing.

How do I make my swollen uvula go down?

If you are experiencing an uncomplicated case of a swollen uvula, drinking cold fluids, or sucking/eating ice chips may ease your pain and help the swelling to go down. But if the uvula swells enough so that you can't swallow, talk or you have difficulty breathing, you should go to the nearest emergency room.

Related Question Answers

Birger Gigliotti

Professional

Can you get your uvula removed?

Uvula removal is done with a procedure called an uvulectomy. This removes all or part of the uvula. It's usually done to treat snoring or some of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Your doctor might recommend an uvulectomy if you have a large uvula that interferes with your sleep or breathing.

Mandie Muhlhaus

Professional

Can your uvula be too long?

Elongated uvula is a rare genetic condition in which the uvula is larger than normal. It's similar to but isn't uvulitis and isn't caused by uvulitis. Like uvulitis, it can interfere with breathing. However, unlike uvulitis, when treatment is necessary, surgery is the only option.

Etelvino Durana

Professional

Can your uvula bleed?

When uvula hematoma occurs without severe airway obstruction, anticoagulant medication and follow-up should be sufficient. Similar to other hematomas, uvula hematomas without active bleeding are usually reabsorbed into the body within a few weeks.

Dilenia Wilshusen

Explainer

Can you live without a uvula?

A submucous cleft palate can occur without a bifid uvula. This form has less muscular tissue than the palate of someone who does not have the condition. It can also lead to some medical problems.

Viggo Usatorre

Explainer

What is a Uvulectomy?

A uvulectomy is a surgical procedure in which all or part of the uvula is removed. The uvula is a bell-shaped organ that hangs from the top of the throat. There are a few different reasons a uvulectomy is performed including some rituals, but most are controversial.

Fineas Packard

Explainer

Is it normal to see your epiglottis?

Congenital anomalies associated with epiglottis are very rare. Unlike bifd epiglottis, visible epiglottis has not been associated with any specific syndrome. Normally, visible epiglottis does not present any physiological distress except in few cases where the patient might complain of difficulty in breathing.

Kostadinka Alami

Pundit

Can you get cancer on your uvula?

Virtually all cancers on the mouth, tongue, gums, hard palate or anywhere in front of the uvula (the “punching bag” dangling from the soft palate) are caused by tobacco and alcohol. The kind of chronic HPV 16 infection that leads to oral cancer occurs much farther down, near the base of the tongue.

Niceta Sismeiro

Pundit

What happens if you don't have a uvula?

If you're not convinced by how awesome your uvula is now, we should also mention that it wards off infection and disease by blocking pathogens off from your throat. But alas, our uvulas aren't perfect, and can sometimes succumb to infections themselves, or cause life-threatening sleep apnea.

Aragones Arandia

Pundit

What is the first sign of throat cancer?

Common early symptoms of throat cancer might include: pain or difficulty when swallowing. ear pain. a lump in the neck or throat.

Aurelijus Suryanarayanan

Pundit

What is the purpose of a uvula piercing?

The jewelry will also pull the uvula down during sleep, reducing the diameter of the nasal airway and increasing the chance of sleep-related breathing disorders such as snoring. Uvula piercings may migrate leading to bisection of the uvula, which is harmless.

Generosa Giora

Pundit

Does a long uvula cause coughing?

A long uvula as a cause of chronic cough is rarely encountered in literature and likely to be missed. It can touch various structures in the upper airway, irritation leading to chronic cough. Most of the reports regarding an elongated uvula causing chronic cough are from paediatric age group.

Evolet Giadas

Teacher

Can Uvulitis cause death?

Life-threatening. It can lead to swelling of the air passage in the mouth or throat. Severe swelling can block your breathing and cause death.

Antea Talanov

Teacher

Is Uvulitis contagious?

Yes, pharyngitis (viral and bacterial) is contagious and can be transmitted from one person to another. Usually, mucus, nasal discharge and saliva can contain the viruses and/or bacteria that can cause sore throat. Consequently, even kissing can cause transfer of these organisms.

Satpal Arche

Teacher

Can a long uvula cause snoring?

If it is too long or floppy, it can vibrate and cause snoring. The uvula is suspended from the center and back of the soft palate. An abnormally long or thick uvula also can contribute to snoring.

Johanne Trem

Reviewer

Can you bruise the back of your throat?

Bleeding into the throat or neck can cause swelling which can block your windpipe. Throat bleeding may happen after a bad coughing spell, tonsillitis, or even a common cold. A bruise under the tongue can spread down into your neck.

Sendoa Willenborg

Reviewer

What does white spots on uvula mean?

You might see white dots or patches in the back of your throat. These could be signs of bacterial infection like strep throat or oral thrush, or a viral infection like oral herpes or mononucleosis. They also might be something else, like tonsil stones, which are painful calcium deposits on your throat.

Asan Ginart

Reviewer

Why is my uvula swollen when I wake up?

Reasons for Swollen Uvula
The reason this occurs is because of nasal congestion. This suction current will pull on the uvula and stretch it creating swelling. The more swollen it gets the louder the snoring. The suction current can also pull the tongue back in to the throat creating sleep apnea.

Stepaniya Hayyah

Reviewer

What to do if you feel your throat closing up?

You can gargle with a mixture of salt, baking soda, and warm water, or suck on a throat lozenge. Rest your voice until you feel better. Anaphylaxis is treated under close medical supervision and with a shot of epinephrine. Other medications like antihistamines and corticosteroids may be necessary as well.

Virgil Tsiolkovsky

Supporter

How do you know if your throat is closing up?

How does tightness in the throat feel?
  1. the throat is swollen.
  2. the throat muscles are locked.
  3. there is a lump in the throat.
  4. a tight band is wound around the neck.
  5. tenderness, pressure, or pain in the throat.
  6. the feeling of needing to swallow frequently.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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5th February, 2020

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