In addition to the well-known common symptoms of COVID-19, such as cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and fever, new symptoms accompanying the disease are periodically identified. According to experts, their appearance is due to damage to a particular organ by coronavirus infection, which inevitably leads to a corresponding clinical picture.
There is little talk about the negative impact of COVID-19 on the liver, but this sensitive organ always suffers if an infection enters the body. The liver is a natural filter that ensures the removal of toxins that are formed during the life of pathogens, and if they are too high, it itself comes under attack.
This is precisely what causes the appearance of bitterness in the mouth during coronavirus, which clearly indicates damage to this organ. What specifically causes pathological changes in the liver, which will reduce the load on the organ, and what measures can reduce the negative consequences of damage to the parenchyma are discussed in detail below.
Causes
Why does bitterness appear on the lips? This phenomenon may be due to:
- with gastrointestinal disorders;
- disorders of the liver;
- taking antibiotics and other strong medications;
- long-term smoking;
- poisoning with chemical components - phosphorus, mercury, lead;
- the presence of parasites in the esophagus or intestines;
- disruption of the functioning of the endocrine system;
- poor oral hygiene and oral diseases;
- hormonal imbalances.
Bitterness on the lips can occur at different times. Depending on this, the reasons differ:
- A morning symptom indicates inflammation of the liver or gallbladder.
- After the dentist - allergies to medications used by the doctor.
- With physical activity - liver disease.
- After eating - ailments of the digestive system.
- When overeating or eating fatty foods - inflammation of the gallbladder or liver.
- Combination with heartburn – acid reflux.
- Constant bitterness – oncology, mental, endocrine problems.
- Bitterness, which appears for a short time, can occur after drugs that negatively affect the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
These are the main causes of bitterness on the lips. Whatever the provoking factor, it causes discomfort. Therefore, you should find out the cause as quickly as possible and begin treatment.
How to restore the liver after coronavirus?
The liver is a unique organ that is able to recover on its own in a short time even after a serious load caused by coronavirus infection. One thing is required from a person - not to disturb her.
That is, if the patient continues to eat poorly, drink alcohol, and smoke, the liver receives the same toxic substances from the intestines and lungs, which do not allow it to return to normal. Therefore, it is important to adhere to the doctor’s recommendations, otherwise the treatment will not only take many years, but will also be absolutely useless.
The functioning of the liver is based on the performance of the microbiota inhabiting the intestines. And the state of microflora directly depends on the food that a person eats.
Considering that the body is not adapted to foods containing many additives and substitutes, the liver has to work under increased load. We should not forget that the coordinated functioning of the liver is ensured by exclusively high-quality products consumed in the correct proportions. That is, overeating is also one of the causes of pathologies of this organ.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
It is also called acid reflux. This is a disease caused by the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. This causes irritation and a bitter taste. If your stomach hurts and there is a bitter taste in your mouth, then most likely this is due to this disease. This disease appears from consuming large amounts of fatty, spicy, harmful foods. In addition to bitterness, hiccups, heartburn, belching and bloating appear in the mouth.
To eliminate acid reflux, you need to avoid spicy and fatty foods, as well as citrus fruits and chocolate, in your diet. Light physical exercise will be useful - gymnastics, jogging. Regarding drug treatment, you should consult a gastroenterologist.
Liver inflammation
The symptoms and treatment of liver inflammation are interrelated. When the disease occurs, belching, heartburn, nausea, fever, change in urine color, and severe sweating appear.
You should consult your doctor about the symptoms and treatment of liver inflammation (hepatitis). Bitterness arises from the production of bile by liver cells, which penetrates the intestines and then rises up the throat. Pathology is indicated by yellowing of the skin and coating on the tongue. This disease requires effective treatment, which will be prescribed by a doctor based on diagnosis. Self-medication can lead to negative consequences.
Other symptoms
Bitterness on the lips is not an independent disease . This is a symptom that accompanies disorders in the body.
Thus,
liver diseases are manifested by a yellowish tint to the skin, urine turns dark.
In addition to bitterness, a specific metallic taste appears in the mouth, and a dense yellow coating forms on the tongue.
During gastrointestinal disorders, heaviness and heartburn after eating, nausea, diarrhea and flatulence may occur.
With cholelithiasis, the patient complains of pain in the epigastric region and belching.
Along with this symptom, heartburn, belching, bloating and coating on the tongue are often observed.
Reference! With cholecystitis, the right side hurts, the oral cavity becomes dry, the color of the mucous membranes and skin changes, nausea and vomiting occur.
The pain may radiate to the back, shoulder blade, or right collarbone.
In case of dental diseases and during allergic reactions to dentures, the tongue acquires a white coating.
During
diabetes, an unpleasant sensation is accompanied by blurred vision and sweating.
When sugar levels rise, your feet and palms burn, and your mouth feels dry.
Stomach dyspepsia
Bitterness in the mouth is a sign of what disease? Stomach dyspepsia – difficulties in digestion that arise from overeating, eating disorders, or eating low-quality food. When the disease occurs, you feel heaviness, bloating in the stomach, shortness of breath, cough, which makes breathing difficult.
With stomach dyspepsia, there is a strong odor from the mouth, unreasonable rumbling in the stomach, and loss of appetite. The disease is treated by following a strict diet and getting enough sleep. Stomach diseases are one of the most common diseases that cause various inconveniences.
Stomach problems
The appearance of bitterness in the mouth also indicates stomach problems. It is often complicated by additional indications: bloating, nausea, heartburn, stomach pain, belching and a yellow-white coating on the tongue.
What to do
- Restore proper functioning of the digestive organs: remove heavy fatty and smoked foods, spices, salty and fried foods from the diet.
- Take medications that normalize the functioning of the stomach and intestines (as prescribed by a doctor).
Attention!
Bitterness in the morning, together with pain in the right side, more often indicates problems with the liver and gall bladder, short-term and after meals - about problems with the duodenum and gastrointestinal tract, hormonal disorders.
Giardiasis
This disease appears from parasites that are found in the small intestine. They become fixed on the internal villi of the esophagus, leading to disorders. Therefore, a person feels bloating, rumbling, and mild nausea. All this causes inconvenience, so you want to get rid of the symptoms as quickly as possible.
Giardiasis affects well-being: sleep is disturbed, fatigue quickly sets in, and appetite disappears. Bitterness in the mouth is one of the noticeable signs of the disease. Only a doctor can prescribe effective therapy.
Impact of COVID-19 on the liver
Based on research by Chinese scientists, it was found that approximately half of the patients hospitalized with coronavirus infection had liver problems. Moreover, most of them had not previously filed complaints against this body. What caused these violations and how do Russian experts explain the changes?
Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor L.B. Lazebnik, answering the question of what symptoms indicate liver problems, explained the following:
“Bitterness in the mouth can be attributed to later signs of parenchymal damage. The first alarming symptom is shortness of breath if it occurs in a familiar situation. The second is weight gain. If your body weight begins to increase, you should pay attention to your overall health and reconsider your diet. Later there are symptoms such as swelling of the legs, dry tongue and throat, heaviness in the right hypochondrium, yellowing of the sclera of the eyes and the appearance of bitterness in the mouth. These signs already indicate more serious damage to the organ.”
Leonid Borisovich explained the impact of coronavirus infection on the liver at the molecular level: “In the liver, and specifically in the cells of the bile ducts - cholangiocytes, there are ACE 2 receptors, which have now been well studied. During infection, protein molecules included in the structure of the coronavirus can bind to these receptors. ACE 2 is present not only in cholangiocytes, but also in parenchyma cells - hepatocytes, as well as in the intestine."
“Data from Chinese scientists indicate that approximately 50% of patients with coronavirus infection who suffered moderate and severe forms of COVID-19 had signs of liver damage to one degree or another. It remains to be seen whether the changes are caused directly by the coronavirus, since the Chinese population has special differences - the majority of Chinese residents have had or are currently suffering from hepatitis B, the scientist argues. “In Russia, the situation with hepatitis B is somewhat better, since vaccination is carried out regularly.”
Frequent and less common manifestations of coronavirus infection
In people with chronic liver pathologies, coronavirus disease is much more severe, since the infection provokes relapses, which is why the body does not have enough strength to fight all the problems present.
Chronic liver pathologies are often accompanied by diseases such as:
- atherosclerosis,
- arterial hypertension,
- diabetes mellitus type 2,
- cardiac ischemia,
- increased cholesterol levels, etc.
The combination of the listed pathologies with liver diseases makes a person most vulnerable to coronavirus, and includes him in a group at high risk of infection. And in the case where a person was not previously aware of possible problems with this organ, infection with coronavirus due to a negative effect on the immune system can “bring to light” hidden pathologies.
Also, the infection can provoke the transition of the disease from the initial stage to the next, accompanied by symptoms such as bitterness in the mouth, changes in taste and perception of food, shortness of breath, yellowing of the sclera and others.
Diabetes
This is a disease of the endocrine system, which is based on a deficiency in the formation of its own insulin and an increase in blood glucose levels.
With this disease, a symptom such as bitterness in the throat is likely to appear. If you have diabetes, you must constantly be under the supervision of a doctor. Depending on your health condition, treatment may be adjusted.
Does COVID-19 therapy affect the liver?
In addition to the toxic waste products of the coronavirus, the liver is also subject to serious stress during treatment of the infection. The drugs used to treat COVID-19 have a fairly strong hepatotoxic effect.
In addition, some patients have various chronic diseases, for example, tuberculosis or neoplasms, which significantly aggravate the situation. In this regard, doctors, when developing a treatment plan for coronavirus disease, focus on mandatory hepatoprotective therapy if the patient has signs of liver damage.
The European Societies for Infectious Diseases and the Study of the Liver also adhere to this position and recommend that patients with signs of liver damage from COVID-19 continue treatment under the close supervision of doctors. During therapy, hepatoprotectors and essential phospholipids are used, which will restore the parenchyma and reduce the clinical manifestations of the pathology.
Inflammation of the small intestine
With this disease, bitterness may appear in the throat. Inflammation of the small intestine (enteritis) is characterized by a decrease in its functionality and structural changes in the mucous membrane. Pathology arises from an unbalanced diet, consumption of fatty and spicy foods, lack of vitamins and valuable microelements.
When the disease occurs, belching, nausea, severe bitterness in the mouth, unstable stools, constant drowsiness, and pain in the lower stomach occur. Treatment is carried out using antibiotics, sorbents, probiotics, and antidiarrheals.
What to do to treat and eliminate the symptom?
If bitterness on the lips is associated with a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, you should pay attention to nutrition.
Avoid fatty and spicy foods, smoked foods, chocolate and citrus fruits , especially before bed.
Doctors recommend switching to fractional meals and taking food in small portions 5-6 times a day, increasing the volume of water consumed to one and a half to two liters.
To relieve the syndrome, you should give up alcohol and sleep on your right side so as not to overload the pancreas.
Doctors recommend taking a walk in the first hour after eating, especially for pregnant women.
Remember! A horizontal position after eating will complicate digestion, so the habit of lying down after eating is not recommended.
Doctors prescribe antacids for pregnant women to relieve symptoms..
To relieve the symptom of bitterness, doctors do not recommend lying down to rest after eating and sleeping on your left side.
If the discomfort is caused by food poisoning, drink as much fluid as possible and take sorbents like Smecta or Enterosgel .
Inflammation of the gallbladder
The causes of the disease are due to obstruction or impaired motility of the biliary system.
Symptoms of gallbladder inflammation do not differ between women and men. The disease manifests itself in the form of dryness and bitterness in the mouth and lips, vomiting, heaviness in the abdomen, pain in the right side, fever and chills. Such symptoms require consulting a doctor. There is a bitterness in the mouth after removal of the gallbladder. This is due to changes occurring in the digestive system. In this situation, not only the ducts need to learn to accumulate liver secretions, but also the organs need to adapt to its changed composition.
Useful video
From this video you will learn about the possible causes of bitterness in the mouth:
In conclusion, it is worth noting that bitterness on the lips and in the mouth is a symptom and not an independent disease. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate the disease, and not its symptom .
Most often, discomfort is associated with the functioning of the digestive system. In this case, it is important to pay attention to your diet and stick to a diet once diagnosed.
If bitterness appears on your lips, you should consult a doctor to rule out serious diseases, including cancer.
Dental diseases
If the rules of hygiene are not followed, the immune system is weak or there is caries, then the mucous membranes of the oral cavity become inflamed and fungal infections appear. An unpleasant taste is associated with innervation disorders, inflammation of the taste buds of the tongue and necrotic processes.
With gingivitis and stomatitis, swelling and hyperemia of tissues, pain, and bad breath are observed. With candidiasis, a whitish coating appears on the mucous membranes. Metal and polymer orthopedic structures, composite fillings can lead to bitterness in the mouth.
If you have such problems, you should contact your dentist. If there is any disease in the oral cavity, it must be treated. If necessary, you may need to contact an orthopedist, for example, if the problem is in the prostheses.
Reasons not related to illnesses
Bitterness on the tip of the tongue and lips can appear from reasons that are not related to diseases. This symptom occurs:
- due to taking antibiotics, narcotic drugs;
- stress and nervous tension, restless and anxious states;
- smoking;
- ailments during menstruation or menopause;
- improper oral hygiene;
- poor nutrition, abuse of junk food.
Some foods themselves have a bitter taste. For example, pine nuts can go rancid. This indicates a violation of the storage processes and oxidation of fat. Unshelled nuts do not spoil for a year, and shelled nuts do not spoil for 6 months. The product should be left in a dry place with a humidity of no more than 70%, away from highly swelling products. If the expiration date is not met, a feeling of bitterness appears.
This symptom also occurs when overeating, consuming large amounts of fried, smoked, spicy foods. At the age of 40, taste receptors change. This is often observed with inflammation and chronic ailments. Food poisoning or poisoning with heavy metal salts leads to bitterness in the mouth and lips.
Reasons and features
Causes caused by diseases
Bitterness on the lips can be a sign of diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract , as well as dental and hormonal dysfunctions.
Organs of the digestive system
Stay up to date! Bitterness on the lips and in the mouth is often the first signal of problems in the digestive tract.
In case of disorders of the liver, bile ducts and gallbladder, bitterness is a classic symptom.
Liver diseases
During the digestive process, the liver produces bile.
After production, the secretion accumulates in the gallbladder and, with the help of the bile ducts, enters the duodenum and then the intestines.
If there are disturbances in the functioning of the liver, bile stagnates and goes up into the esophagus, causing discomfort..
Bitterness may occur during physical activity or after sports activities, along with heaviness and discomfort under the ribs on the right side.
A common cause of bitterness on the lips is liver and gallbladder diseases.
Cholelithiasis
You should know! When calculi (stones) and duct obstructions (blockages) form in the bile ducts, they interfere with the transport of bile.
The gallbladder tries to get rid of foreign bodies and begins the process of reverse transport . As a result, bile enters the oral cavity.
Cholecystitis
Inflammation of the gallbladder is one of the common complications of gallstone disease.
Moreover, the symptom of bitterness may return after removal of the gallbladder if the diet has been disrupted .
Bile is still produced and can flow into the stomach and from there into the esophagus.
Dyskinesia
Impaired motility of the biliary tract . Another consequence of malfunctioning gallbladder.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Keep in mind! In this case, the stomach is not able to cleanse itself.
Its contents enter the esophagus through the lower esophageal valve and cause an acidic or bitter taste in the mouth.
Stomach dyspepsia
Digestive disorders caused by hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and impaired motility.
Other diseases of the stomach and intestines
Peptic ulcer and dyspeptic diseases of the stomach, gastritis, duodenitis, colitis, enteritis, pancreatitis.
Oncological neoplasms in the organs of the digestive system.
A malignant tumor may not appear for a long time, attracting attention only by bitterness in the mouth, general weakness and poor appetite.
Oral inflammation
Stay up to date! Bitterness on the lips can appear from problems in the oral cavity. With inflammation of the gums and mucous membranes, periodontitis, periodontal disease, pathogenic bacteria multiply in the mouth.
The situation is aggravated by poor hygiene and mechanical damage to the mucous membrane. Also, a bitter taste in the mouth is associated with a disorder of receptors due to impaired innervation of the tongue.
Endocrine system diseases
Thyroid dysfunction
The disease causes changes in the secretion of thyroid hormones.
Increased secretion causes a state of hyperthyroidism, and decreased secretion causes hypothyroidism.
Diabetes
With this chronic disease, the pancreas cannot produce insulin itself, or it does not work effectively.
With hormonal disorders, spasm of muscle tissue causes the reflux of bile into the lower parts of the esophagus.
Parasites
For your information! Parasites like Giardia and helminths disrupt the digestive processes. Giardia attaches to the walls of the small intestine and irritates the mucous membrane.
They destroy the glycocalyx (molecules of oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins and glycolipids) and disrupt nutrient metabolism.
Causes not related to disease
If you have bitterness on your lips, this is not necessarily a sign of illness .
In this case, it is enough to eliminate the cause of bitterness , and the unpleasant sensations will disappear.
Spoiled products
Some foods themselves may have a bitter taste. Thus, pine nuts or other foods rich in fat may turn rancid .
This means that storage processes were disrupted and the fat was oxidized.
Unshelled nuts do not spoil for up to a year, shelled nuts - 6 months, provided they are vacuum packed.
Need to know! The product should be kept in a dry place with humidity no higher than 70%, away from strong-smelling products.
Failure to meet the expiration date of pine nuts may cause a bitter sensation.
Allergic reactions
A patient in a dental office may experience an individual reaction to dentures due to metal potential differences .
Also, a bitter taste occurs due to poor-quality fillings and crowns.
Binge eating
A feeling of bitterness can appear with an abundance of fatty, fried, smoked, spicy foods, as well as citrus fruits and chocolate.
Decreased number and activity of taste receptors
Note! People over 40 years of age change their taste receptors.
This often occurs during inflammatory processes and chronic diseases.
By-effect
A bitter taste may occur when taking choleretic drugs, strong antibiotics , antiallergic and antifungal agents .
preparations based on St. John's wort, sea buckthorn oil and boron uterus have similar properties
Stress
A nervous condition causes increased tone of the gallbladder , which causes excessive release of bile and disrupts the function of the gastrointestinal tract.
Poisoning
Food poisoning or poisoning with heavy metal salts causes bitterness in the mouth and lips.
Smoking
For your information! Smokers are familiar with the bitter taste as a residual effect from inhaling smoke.
In addition, this symptom can be the result of dystrophy of the taste buds.
Causes of bitterness during pregnancy
Pregnancy is accompanied by a restructuring of the entire body , and women often experience changes in internal organs.
Therefore, bitterness on the lips often accompanies the second half of pregnancy along with heartburn, a feeling of acidity and burning in the esophagus .
This is due to two factors.
Due to changes in the gastric background, the tone of muscle tissue increases, which disrupts the transport of acidic stomach contents.
Fetal pressure and organ displacement only increase this likelihood.
Know! Pregnant women often experience a bitter taste on their lips. This is influenced by the increased tone of muscle tissue and the child’s pressure on the internal organs.
During pregnancy
Bitterness on the tongue and lips appears during pregnancy. This leads to inconvenience for women. Often the symptom appears in the first trimesters of pregnancy, and sometimes persists until childbirth. It may occur:
- from hormonal changes;
- slow digestion and disruption of intestinal activity;
- fetal growth.
It is almost impossible to eliminate bitterness before childbirth. You can undergo an examination with a gastroenterologist, monitor your diet and take medications.
Diagnosis and treatment
Who should I contact if I have this symptom? Diagnosis is performed by a therapist. If necessary, he will refer you to other specialists. Depending on the illness, you may need the help of a gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, prosthetist, or hygienist. Before treatment, a study is performed, the health status is assessed, a diagnosis is made, and then therapy is prescribed.
If bitterness occurs, you should visit a doctor for advice. What tests should I take to check my liver? During diagnosis, gastroscopy, ultrasound of the esophagus and internal organs are performed. Typically, procedures provide a complete picture of the state of health. What tests to take to check the liver if the specified measures did not show accurate data. A biochemical blood test is required.
Treatment must be performed under the supervision of a physician. For serious illnesses, medications are prescribed. Sometimes hospital treatment is required. If the cause is a pathological disease, then the person is prescribed vitamins and a special diet that restores the functioning of the body. When bitterness is associated with stress, herbal sedatives are prescribed.
What is done to diagnose such a symptom? Which doctor should I contact?
To determine the cause of the symptom, you need to see a doctor. A therapist can help diagnose the disease
Stay up to date! If necessary, he will refer the patient to more specialized specialists. Depending on the disease, a gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, prosthetist or hygienist can help.
During therapy, doctors conduct research, assess the state of health and make a final diagnosis, after which they prescribe adequate treatment.
Drugs
It will not be possible to eliminate bitterness without medication if the cause of plaque is due to diseases of the internal organs. The selection of medications is determined by the type of illness. Treatment can be performed after diagnosis:
- For stomach diseases, Mezim, Festal, Motilium, Almagel, Omeprazole are prescribed.
- In case of disturbances in liver function, Allochol, Essentiale Forte, Flamin, and Ursofalk are prescribed.
- For problems with the functioning of the gallbladder, the drugs “Holagol”, “Karsil”, “Holosas” are effective.
Only a doctor can prescribe any medications. You should not do this yourself, otherwise negative consequences are likely. You should also read the instructions before treatment.
If the cause is not identified
In this case it is necessary:
- Eat small meals often. This is especially effective for pregnant women, in whom bitterness is associated with fetal pressure on the digestive organs.
- Quit or limit smoking.
- Take probiotic medications to normalize microflora.
- Cleanse the body with sorbents.
- Follow a diet that excludes fatty and heavy foods.
- Normalize sleep and rest patterns.
Bitterness should not be treated on its own, as it may be a symptom of some illness. Each disease requires individual therapy.
Features of lip skin
Lip care is an important daily procedure. It is necessary to take care of the skin to prevent many unpleasant phenomena. The number of sebaceous glands in the lip area is reduced, a small number of them are located in the corners. Therefore, in the absence of care, dryness, peeling, and cracks appear.
Dry, chapped lips cause discomfort. Therefore, it is better to constantly maintain skin health than to restore it. There should be several balms in your cosmetic bag, including sunscreen.
Lip care
The lip skin care procedure is as follows:
- Using lip balm. It is applied before going outside, and before bed, a moisturizing, nourishing, restoring balm is used.
- Perform exfoliation. Exfoliation is a beneficial procedure, including the skin of the lips. To eliminate peeling and restore microcirculation, lip massage is performed with soft scrubs.
- Applying primer under lipstick. The primer can be replaced with a gentle balm. It is applied in a thin layer and pressed into the skin using your fingertips or distributed over the lips with a brush.
- Proper removal of lip makeup. You should not wash your face with soap. Apply milk or micellar water to a cotton pad.
To cleanse your lips of stubborn lipstick, you should use a nourishing balm. It needs to be applied to the lips in a thick layer and wait 30 seconds. The balm softens the pigment, and then it is removed with a napkin. This method allows you to keep your lips healthy.
Seasonality should also be taken into account when caring for your lips. Then the skin will be healthy and beautiful throughout the year:
- For summer it is better to choose light textures of products. Regular lipstick without balms will do. In hot weather, sunscreen balms are used.
- In winter, in addition to nutrition, moisturizing, and exfoliation, you need to make masks. If a ready-made product is not available, a restorative cream is applied to the lips and left for several hours. Balm for winter should contain glycerin, oils and ceramides.
