According to a Spanish study, uncomfortable changes in the tongue, hands or feet could be early warning signs of a coronavirus infection.
The investigation, presented on Tuesday, revealed that one in four patients noticed swelling of the tongue and four in 10 reported a burning sensation in the palms or soles of the feet.
Unusual changes in the tongue, called “COVID tongue” by researchers, include transient lingual papillitis or inflammation of the small bumps on the surface of the tongue and glossitis, which causes the tongue to swell and change color.
Other symptoms of COVID tongue may also appear as ulcers or a white, uneven coating on the tongue, according to the study.
In addition, many coronavirus patients also experienced a burning and redness sensation in the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, sometimes followed by the appearance of small imperfections, according to the study.
The research was conducted among 666 COVID-19 patients at the IFEMA field hospital in Madrid, which was created during the first wave of the pandemic.
Healthcare professionals at La Paz Hospital in Madrid and primary care services conducted the study in April and the findings were published as a “research letter” in the British Journal of Dermatology in September.
“Nearly half of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 admitted to a field hospital over a two-week period showed mucocutaneous findings,” the researchers wrote.
“The oral cavity was frequently involved and deserves specific examination under appropriate circumstances to avoid the risk of infection.”
With publishing cables