Hello!

I started having minor ear pain off and on. Then I developed what I think is a canker sore under my tongue. The concern is it feels like a canker sore as in the burn and pain, but the pain sort of radiates up to my ear. It's also not circlular like I know canker sores, but sort of a small line under my tongue.

My question is, I saw this come in from healthy skin to what it is today over a couple days. Does it looking like a line going up the bottom of my tongue still a characteristic of a canker sore?

It's been about a week and some days. So, I'm still playing the waiting game on 2 - 3 weeks to see if it heals on its own before I head over to a ENT (starting my second week now). I've had major dental work in the past 6 months and have had my oral surgeon / dentist just do a visual/feel examine for cancer being I am a former smoker with bad teeth prior to this sore coming in. He didn't notice anything. But this sore came out of nowhere. Seems to be impacting my ear or radiating to my ear and is taking awhile to heal. Got me stressed a bit. Yet the pain has went down a lot sense a couple days ago, yet still there in some form only when I move my tongue a certain way.

Welcome to the forum. May I suggest that you go and see an ENT now if the condition is causing you so much concern? Of course, you can wait for the three weeks to be up, but if you are thinking about it constantly and it is making you ultra-anxious, then a trip to the doctor’s now may make more sense.

Thanks for the response. I'm not too stressed about it, but I do want to be proactive just in case. I'm 35 with two kids. I live in a good area with lots of great medical (i.e.: Duke)

Is 3 weeks standard or is 2 weeks a good point? I should stop vaping and drinking so much soda then! On that note, I haven't seen too many people mention this, but even after 3 weeks, how common is it for canker sores to still be a non-issue? So many people make it seem like it's cancer regardless, but this cancer seems rare.

You're correct, oral cancer is not a common cancer. But it is a deadly, life changing cancer that has a lousy survival rate. Only around 50% of newly diagnosed patients will still be alive 5 years later. The most recent numbers are around 50,000 from the US will get diagnosed in 2017. As a former smoker its in your best interest to call and get into see your ENT. Most sores will get better on their own within 2-3 weeks. If you are using a strong mouthwash (listerine or any other that contains alcohol) or ecigs, quit using them immediately. They have known cancer causing additives which will dramatically slow down healing. Also, the extra stress this is causing you could make the sore slower to heal as well. Sounds like you have something thats swollen which is causing

There are many things that can happen here and there in normally heathly adults mouths. Most are non-cancerous. An experienced ENT can give you a thorough exam and do the biopsy. They usually are have a good hunch after the exam and visually checking out a sore of what something is but they need a biopsy to confirm their opinion. As of right now, your sore/spot is NOT cancer. Its NOT cancer until the biopsy says it is. Looking at many photos of mouth sores, its not possible for non-medical professionals to differentiate whats cancer and what isnt just by looking and doing the screening. Im not sure who you are referring to saying so many make your sore seem like its cancerous. If they are not medical professionals who specialize in treating oral cancer patients then ignore what they say. A true medical professional normally will tell you it could be cancer but they wont know until the biopsy results come back.

Since its already been over a week of waiting why not save yourself some time and call the ENT to make an appointment for the end of next week? Most ENTs take a few weeks to get into see them so by calling now should save some time. Plus if your sore and the pain disappear you can always call and cancel your appointment.

I hope its nothing serious. Keep us updated on how you make out. Best wishes!!

Thanks!

I only ask about the sore because I'm wondering if it's not considered a canker ulcer unless it's a circle. If it's not a canker, prob be in the ENT. But it does feel like one.

Yeah, will be hard for me to stop vaping. I was using some strong mouth wash with alch and so forth to help the pain. I've stopped using it for the past few days and just been doing salt water instead. I think that's why my pain has lessened.

Woke up this morning feeling a lot better. Sore is still there, but the pain from it and the pain radiating to my ear or back of my tongue is all but minimized. Seems I have developed a secondary infection in my gums on the same side as the sore around my teeth. Pretty sure this is because I kept prodding around the sore with my fingers and likely caused this myself. Serves me right.

So, I guess I will just watch for the sore to heal. Even if there is no pain, I'll still visit the ENT if the sore is still around. Better to be safe than sorry.

It's good to be able to drink soda without having the back of my tongue hurt so much.