7 main causes of swollen lips and what to do

The main causes of Swollen lips are usually a sign of allergy, appearing mainly up to 2 hours after ingesting medicines or foods that can cause allergic reactions, such as peanuts, shellfish, eggs, or soybeans.

However, having a swollen mouth can also indicate other health problems such as the presence of a cold sore, dry and burned lips, a mucocele, or other inflammation on the lips. When the swelling lasts more than 3 days or is accompanied by other symptoms such as respiratory distress, it is recommended to consult a general practitioner or pediatrician or to go to the emergency department immediately in case of difficulty breathing.

In some cases, placing an ice cube wrapped in a cloth on the swollen lips could help them to deflate, however, in those situations where the cause is allergic, the doctor could indicate the use of anti-allergy drugs.

1. Allergies

Food allergy is the main cause of a swollen mouth and lips and generally appears up to 2 hours after eating food, and may also be accompanied by a cough, a sensation of having something in the throat, difficulty breathing or redness on the face. However, other types of allergies can also be the cause of lip swelling, such as allergies due to ingestion of drugs, plants, or even being hereditary, such as angioedema.

What to do: the treatment is generally done with the use of antiallergic tablets such as Cetirizine or Desloratadine, prescribed by the general practitioner. In case of great difficulty in breathing, you should go immediately to the hospital emergency or call an ambulance. In addition to this, it is advisable to carry out an allergy test to evaluate what type of substances a reaction occurs to prevent it from reoccurring.

2. Herpes and other infections of the mouth

Herpes infection in the mouth can cause swelling of the upper or lower lip, accompanied by a lesion with small blisters, in addition to tingling or numbness at the site. However, other infections such as candidiasis can also cause swelling of the mouth, especially when the lips are chapped, which increases the proliferation of many microorganisms, causing redness around the lips, fever, and pain.

What to do: it is necessary to consult a general practitioner to assess the problem and identify the microorganism that is causing the infection, to start treatment with ointments or tablets. In the case of herpes, it may be necessary to use antiviral ointments and tablets such as acyclovir, and anti-inflammatory or analgesic tablets such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can also be used to relieve symptoms of pain and sensitivity in the mouth.

3. Dry or burned lips

Sunburn, hot food, or acidic foods like lemon or pineapple can cause the lips to swell for about 1 or 2 days, accompanied by pain, burning, and discoloration at the site.

What to do: apply cold compresses to the lips to reduce swelling and apply moisturizer, cocoa butter, or petroleum jelly when the lips are dry or burned. Read More>>