Treatment for Angular Cheilitis – Do you have it?
Open lesions, cracked lip edges, and a great deal of pain are some of the first indicators that you have angular cheilitis. To someone who does not suffer from this condition, it may appear to be nothing more than a little irritation - this could not be further from the truth. Excruciating pain is often associated with this disorder, and even more so with everyday activities such as eating, drinking, and even speaking. When you start to consider it, if you have a fine cut or even a split on another part of your body, the pain usually subsides within the first few hours. When you have sore and cracked lip edges, this can last for days or even weeks, so why is this?
As you may expect these cracks can bleed, be very sore and can get nasty crust-like scabs that are also not very nice. One of the primary causes of angular cheilitis is considered to be the medical condition anemia, which is when the body is unable to store and process iron correctly leading to a deficiency. This can be associated with other medical conditions or can just be the sole issue, but is certainly worth pursuing from a medical point of view as it can be symptomatic of something more serious but treatable. Other causes are possible. The fungal infection of thrush, for example, can trigger these lesions, and again this needs treatment to eliminate the fungus.
Contrary to popular belief, this condition is rarely caused by extremes of temperature, although there is no doubt that this can be an aggravating factor. The most common cause is a bacterial or fungal infection which takes hold on the corners of the mouth when they become dampened repeatedly. People with a strong immune system are less susceptible, although the condition can affect anyone, but seems to concentrate mainly on the elderly and young children.
Whatever happens, medical advice should be sought if you experience these symptoms in order to rule out one of the more serious medical conditions or to confirm the presence of a condition and allow for the appropriate treatment. If the lesions are minor and simply appear for a day or so in winter it could be safe to assume that the season is to blame; however, keep an eye and seek medical advice if they reappear.
As you may expect these cracks can bleed, be very sore and can get nasty crust-like scabs that are also not very nice. One of the primary causes of angular cheilitis is considered to be the medical condition anemia, which is when the body is unable to store and process iron correctly leading to a deficiency. This can be associated with other medical conditions or can just be the sole issue, but is certainly worth pursuing from a medical point of view as it can be symptomatic of something more serious but treatable. Other causes are possible. The fungal infection of thrush, for example, can trigger these lesions, and again this needs treatment to eliminate the fungus.
Contrary to popular belief, this condition is rarely caused by extremes of temperature, although there is no doubt that this can be an aggravating factor. The most common cause is a bacterial or fungal infection which takes hold on the corners of the mouth when they become dampened repeatedly. People with a strong immune system are less susceptible, although the condition can affect anyone, but seems to concentrate mainly on the elderly and young children.
Whatever happens, medical advice should be sought if you experience these symptoms in order to rule out one of the more serious medical conditions or to confirm the presence of a condition and allow for the appropriate treatment. If the lesions are minor and simply appear for a day or so in winter it could be safe to assume that the season is to blame; however, keep an eye and seek medical advice if they reappear.
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