Hair Knot Tangled Around Man's Tongue Base
A doctor carefully removed a strand of hair knotted around a young man's tongue after he experienced slurred speech and a sensation of obstruction while drinking. Experts warn against attempting self-removal of such foreign objects and advi
An ENT specialist has reported an unusual case involving a young man who came to the clinic complaining of slurred speech and a sensation of his tongue feeling "stuck and obstructed." The patient reported that while drinking, he suddenly felt what seemed like a wire wrapped around his tongue, and when he probed with his finger, he felt a thin strand attached.
Upon detailed examination, Dr. Chen Shih-Szu discovered the culprit was not a wire but a long strand of hair knotted tightly around the circumvallate papillae—large taste buds located at the back of the tongue. The doctor initially attempted to remove the hair with forceps but stopped immediately when the patient cried out in pain. Using an endoscope for safer inspection, the doctor identified the true cause and carefully untangled the hair using curved forceps, successfully removing it without injury to the mouth's lining.
Dr. Chen emphasized that people should never attempt to remove foreign objects from the throat or mouth on their own, especially using folk remedies like swallowing rice or vinegar, as these can worsen the condition. He outlined four danger signs requiring immediate medical attention: continuous pain while swallowing, worsening pain after attempted self-removal, bleeding or fever, and symptoms affecting speech, breathing, or swallowing.
