Why Is My Chin Numb?
Numbness in Lower Lip and Chin: Causes & Symptoms
What is it with me and chin numbness?
I’ve been having these feelings ever since puberty. They started when I was around 12 years old. At first they were very mild, but then over time they got worse until I couldn’t even eat or drink anything without getting sick. I thought it was just because I had a cold. After going to the doctor, he told me there wasn’t anything wrong with me, so I didn’t pay much attention to them anymore. But after college, things changed again and I went back to see him again. He asked if everything was okay and I assured him that everything was fine, but then something else happened which made me realize how bad the problem really was. One day while I was taking out the trash, I found a piece of paper in my drawer from a class assignment. It mentioned that one of my classmates had died. When I read the name, it brought back all those horrible memories and made me feel like crying. That’s when I realized that this condition wasn’t going away anytime soon.
So what caused the numbness in my face? Was it genetics? Or did someone do something to me during childhood?
I don’t really know, but what I do know is that it has affected my life in many ways. For example, there was that time when I was doing the dishes and I swallowed a fly. Yes you heard me right, I swallowed a fly The significance of this act should be very clear now that your chin numbness is explained. The whole ordeal motivated me to start this blog and write about all those things that nobody has ever told you. I’ve had some success so far, but the problem I now face is getting my work out there. So I’m writing this post to tell you about it, since it will really help me out if you shared it with your friends and family.
Why do we get chin numbness? How do we treat this condition? What is a good chin numbness cure?
These are all important questions that we should discuss more in-depth as a community.
Is There a Cure for My Numbness in My Lower Lips or Chin?
As I have already mentioned, this is a very complicated subject and there is no simple answer. However, I will say that there are certain things you can do to make the condition go away. For example, you could try taking some painkillers such as Aspirin or Paracetamol. These medicines can easily be found at your local supermarket. They have no negative side effects if taken in the right dosage, so they are definitely worth a try.
One of the best things you can do is to keep yourself hydrated. Most of us don’t drink enough water on a daily basis, but this problem is even worse when you suffer from numbness in your chin or lips.
Why?
Because you won’t feel thirsty as easily and this problem can eventually lead to a dry mouth. A dry mouth can cause your numbness to get worse and this is something you definitely want to avoid. It’s not only very uncomfortable, but it can also cause tooth decay and other dental issues.
Finally, I can’t stress this enough, but seeing a doctor is definitely a good idea if your condition persists for more than a few weeks. There could be other medical issues that are causing this numbness and you don’t want to risk getting a serious illness.
As I said, this is only my personal experience with chin numbness, so I can’t tell you exactly what is causing your condition. What I can do however, is give you some advice on things you can try.
How Can I Prevent the Numbness in My Lips or Chin From Getting Any Worse?
This is a very good question and one that has a fairly simple answer: exercise. You might not think that exercising will have an effect on something like numbness, but it actually does. When you exercise, your body releases certain chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins are released into your blood stream and they promote feelings of euphoria and pain relief. This is why some people get addicted to working out. It makes them feel good.
This same principle can be applied to helping numbness in your chin or lower lips. The more you exercise, the more your endorphins increase, which can therefore relieve your numbness.
Of course most of us don’t have the time or energy to spend 2 hours a day at the gym, but that’s not necessary. Doing some calorie-burning activities for just a half hour each day can make a big difference. Here are some examples of activities you can do:
• Jogging in place
• Jumping Jacks
• Push ups
Just make sure you are properly hydrated before, and adequately stretch before and after your exercise to prevent injury. Do this daily and report back to me in about two weeks and let me know if this method is working for you (as well as letting me know how the dental appointment went).
Happy numbing,
Bob
(Personal Online Service)
Next e-mail (3/2)
From: Bob Servative
To: Ernestine Crane
Subject: Chapped Lips?
Ernestine,
I’m glad to hear that the dental appointment went well and you were able to get some treatment for your numbness. As I mentioned in my last e-mail, there are a variety of things that can cause this condition.
Thankfully you were able to narrow it down to a simple case of dry mouth and took care of it quickly.
I myself had a similar problem a few months ago; I chalk it up to stress, but I know exactly what you are talking about. The worst part about having numbness like this is not being able to feel anything in the area.
You can’t taste food or drink, and if you smoke you can’t even taste that! I can honestly say this condition is a real pain in the mouth.
If you’re concerned about this problem happening in the future, there are a few things you can do to help prevent it from recurring. The most obvious one is drinking more water on a regular basis, especially around meal times.
I know we’re always telling you to drink more water, but it really does help. Staying hydrated prevents your lips and mouth from getting too dry in general.
Do you smoke?
If so, you might want to consider stopping. I’m not saying this because I have a moral issue with smoking, but due to the drying effect it has on your lips and mouth in general. I used to smoke (about twenty a day) before I quit several years ago. I found that when I did smoke, my mouth would get incredibly dry and my lips would chap nearly instantly.
As a side note, I am very proud of you for the progress you’ve made in decreasing your smoking. I know it can be difficult to decrease gradually as you’ve been trying to do, but every cigarette you don’t smoke is one less that will eventually kill you and one more victory over the addiction.
Keep up the good work!
If drinking more water and quitting smoking aren’t something you want to do, there are other ways to help prevent this condition from happening again. Chewing sugar free gum or sucking on hard candy helps to keep saliva flowing and prevents your mouth from drying out.
You could also look into buying some of those over the counter “lip balms” to keep on hand when your lips start to get dry or just start feeling numb.
Regaining sensation in your lips and mouth will help you to feel like yourself again. I don’t really need to tell you this, but you’ll feel much better if you’re not constantly feeling numb.
I’m sure your boyfriend will appreciate it too!
If you have any other questions, please let me know.
Take care,
Bob
(Personal Online Service)
Next e-mail (3/3)
From: Bob Servative
To: Ernestine Crane
Subject: Feeling better
Ernestine,
I’m glad to hear that you’re starting to regain sensation in your lips and mouth. I can only imagine how unpleasant it was for you to deal with this problem for so long!
Although I’ve never really experienced anything quite like that myself, I can only imagine the frustration of dealing with this. It’s good to know that you’re making a full recovery.
It looks like you’ve got this problem solved, but if you ever start to feel numbness in your lips and mouth again, come see me. Although I don’t foresee any future problems, it never hurts to come in just to be safe.
I’ll see you then and congratulations on your recovery, Ernestine!
Bob
Sources & references used in this article:
Numb chin syndrome–a reflection of systemic malignancy by RK Baskaran, M Smith – World Journal of Surgical …, 2006 – wjso.biomedcentral.com
Numb chin syndrome: a case report and review of the literature by J Lata, P Kumar – Indian Journal of Dental Research, 2010 – ijdr.in
Numb chin syndrome as a manifestation of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus by H Narendra, S Ray – Journal of cancer research and …, 2009 – cancerjournal.net
Orofacial pain and numb chin syndrome as the presenting symptoms of a metastatic prostate cancer. by A Gaver, G Polliack, R Pilo, M Hertz… – Journal of postgraduate …, 2002 – jpgmonline.com
Galloping ophthalmoplegia and numb chin in Burkitt lymphoma by JJC Lau, CY Okada, JD Trobe – Journal of neuro-ophthalmology, 2004 – journals.lww.com
Multiple myeloma presenting as mandibular ill-defined radiolucent lesion with numb chin syndrome: a case report by HG Elias, J Scott, L Metheny, FA Quereshy – Journal of oral and …, 2009 – joms.org
Metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma associated with numb chin syndrome by ECS Soares, FWG Costa, FD Rocha-Filho… – Journal of …, 2011 – journals.lww.com
Numb chin syndrome in Ewing sarcoma by NL Antunes, R Gorlick, E Callaja… – Journal of pediatric …, 2000 – journals.lww.com
