[Psychological aspects of glossodynia (author's transl)]

The term glossodynia refers to all conditions with pain and dysaesthesia of the tongue and entire oral mucosa manifesting themselves in burning, prickling, itching, stinging, and other frequently bizarre sensations as well as subjective xerostomia and bad taste. In most cases psychiatric diseases are the cause of the complex of complaints whereas local and general disorders are of only minor importance. Menopausal women with atypical depression are most often affected. Schizophrenia and abnormal personality development are far less frequent in glossodynia. After exclusion or therapy of organic disorders antidepressants are the treatment of choice in glossodynia. Thereapeutic difficulties may arise in patients suffering from marked xerostomia whose complaints may intensify during therapy because of the anticholinergic effect of most antidepressants, and in neurotic persons.