My daughter had surgery in December 08, and during the course of this surgery a nerve was 'knicked' resulting in losing the feeling in her tongue. Her cancer was underneath at the base of her tongue. As well as having a large area lasered, she also had a piece taken off her tongue.

She is forever biting it and also burning it. She's now having decreased mobility, trouble with her speech, and feels a thickening at the front where the surgery was, but this is apparently down to scar tissue and the feeling slowly returning.
I wondered how long it has taken for others to regain the feeling in their tongue.

Thanks

Jude

Jude, I too had surgery - a radical neck dissection - that resulted in half my tongue going numb. This was 3/12/09. When I ask him whether or not feeling will ever return, my surgeon only shrugs.

Here it is 10 months later. I do note more sensation on the upper surface. But it's still numb "inside" and on the bottom. I'm hoping that the return of even this bit of feeling is a good sign. But I have no way to know.

I'm indeed sorry to hear that your daughter is going through this. Let's both take heart from what sensation is returning, and keep our fingers crossed!

David 2

In the summer of 2008 I had 40% of my left oral tongue, my sub-mandibular saliva gland and 14 lymph nodes removed. I have good feeling but not all of it back. I can easily bite my tongue, or cut my left cheek and not know it...who knows when or if feeling comes back. My RO told me improvements up to three years and that would be about it. My uncle has had numerous surgeries over the years and he said it always takes time for feeling to come back.

Good luck, be patient and make sure your daughter stretches her tongue with exercises--they do help.

Thanks to you both David and Ray, your taking the time is appreciated. It's all a slow process it seems, and an ongoing journey of discovery. Not one I ever thought I'd be doing with my child. But that's the hand we're dealt with, so we get on and take one step at a time and one day at a time, and together we'll get there. Thanks for the advice re the tongue stretching excercises. I'll pass that onto her.

She too is always biting her tongue, and I know it drives her mad but she never complains. She's a pretty amazing young woman.

Healing hugs to you both
Jude

I have never had a numb tongue, just one that that hurts so bad it puts tears in my eyes .Heck, this since 2007 and I still have to use Magic Mouthwash and percs to ease the pain. Eating is a chore but I do it. I am waiting for the some day we hear about to occur.

Doesn't seem right does it. You'd happily have a numb tongue rather than feel the pain. I'll tell my daughter that!

Judi

any day Jude ,, anyday.