Consuming citrus fruit may cause your tongue to feel like it has bumps on it, but if you develop tongue swelling or burning, you may have an allergic reaction. Many food allergies don't cause a single symptom, but rather affect various body parts. During a food allergy, various chemicals are released that can trigger tingling or swelling of your tongue. Talk with your doctor about recurring symptoms you may have after eating citrus fruits.
Citrus Allergy
Just because you’re allergic to one citrus fruit doesn’t mean you’ll have an allergic reaction to all citrus fruits. Undergo allergy testing to identify which citrus fruits trigger an allergic reaction. The University of Maryland Medical Clinic states that some tropical fruits, tomatoes and pineapple are common foods that cause an allergic reaction. Cells that are a part of your immune system help to protect the body from intruding and harmful substances like bacteria or viruses. If you’re allergic to a specific citrus fruit, the immune system can be overly sensitive to that fruit's proteins -- which triggers a chemical chain reaction throughout the body.
Tongue Swelling
If your tongue swells after eating a citrus fruit, call 911 immediately. Tongue swelling is not a common symptom of an allergic reaction; it indicates a severe allergy called anaphylaxis. During anaphylaxis, your body creates an extreme amount of histamine, which causes your blood vessels to dilate to a dangerous state, which leads to your body experiencing a state of shock. Tongue swelling, throat swelling, facial swelling, lip swelling, lightheadedness, dizziness, hives and shortness of breath are symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Oral Allergy Syndrome
Oral allergy syndrome is a common allergic condition that may trigger itching of your tongue. This condition is related to a pollen allergy, where your immune system confuses proteins found in certain citrus fruits with pollen. Common symptoms of this type of cross-reactionary allergy condition are itching in the mouth, throat and lips that may cause a burning or stinging sensation. This condition -- common in people who’ve been diagnosed with hay fever -- is more likely to occur during the spring and summer months, according to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Treatment
Most allergy symptoms affecting your tongue are treated through identifying the allergen and avoiding consumption of that fruit. Anaphylaxis is treated with an injection of epinephrine, while oral allergy syndrome may be prevented by cooking the citrus food before consumption.
