Angular Cheilitis is certainly not a term that you are likely to have come across often. Nevertheless, in the event you hear the term and ponder what it’s, or if somebody you know says they’ve it then this article ought to help make it clear. Angular Cheilitis is a medical condition that affects the corners of the mouth. It could be really painful as lesions develop, which due to the site and movement of the mouth quickly deteriorate and split open. They are able to split longways in line with the mouth opening, but can also split vertically which clearly is going to cause a lot of discomfort as it will put pressure on the corner of the mouth.As you might expect these cracks can bleed, be extremely sore and can get unpleasant crust-like scabs which are also not really nice.
One of the main causes of Angular Cheilitis is regarded as to be the medical condition anemia, which is when the body is not able to store and process iron properly resulting in a deficiency. This can be related to other medical conditions or can just be the sole problem, however is certainly worth pursuing from a medical perspective as it can be symptomatic of something more serious yet curable. Other causes are possible. The fungal infection of thrush, for example, can result in these lesions, and again this needs treatment to get rid of the fungus.It is not always the situation that Angular Cheilitis is symptomatic of another condition. It can merely occur on its own.
One example of this is in elderly patients who encounter a change in mouth shape if they lose teeth. This can occasionally cause the cracks to appear. The same thing can happen to young kids who lick their lips in winter. Again, this can exacerbate the lesions.Treatment of the lesions does rely on what the trigger is.
For minor cases, like happen with the elderly and kids, a local cream applied to the area will probably sort the problem. If the trigger is determined to be the thrush virus then clearly the cream used needs to be designed to get rid of that fungus in order to be effective. Or else the lesions will heal but the thrush will just take hold again and create new ones. If the trigger is determined to be a result of a more serious condition then clearly that condition needs to be treated also. Anemia is often treated by administering iron tablets, or in more severe instances by injections of B vitamins to help the body regain balance.
Again, if it makes the patient more comfortable the cream can be given locally to aid the healing process.Whatever happens, medical advice should be sought if you encounter these symptoms in order to rule out one of the much more serious medical conditions or to confirm the presence of a condition and allow for the suitable treatment. If the lesions are minor and simply appear for each day or so in winter it could be safe to assume that the season is to blame; however, keep a close watch and seek medical guidance if they come back.
