Tingle in upper lip
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Tingle in Upper Lip: Causes and Mechanisms
Altered Sensation in Patients with Cleft Lip
Patients with cleft lip often experience altered sensation in the upper lip area. A study involving 17 patients with cleft lip revealed that 56% reported a loss in sensation, described as decreased touch, scratch, tickle, or tingle intensity. Conversely, 38% of the patients reported an increase in these sensations. The altered sensation was typically confined to the skin area around the surgical scar and, in some cases, extended to the non-cleft side of the upper lip or the philtrum. This suggests that reconstructive surgery can lead to sensory changes in the upper lip, likely due to trauma to the tissues during surgery.
Tingle Compounds in Food and Their Effects
Certain compounds in food, known as tingle compounds, can induce a tingling sensation on the lips and in the mouth. These compounds, such as Spilanthol and Pellitorine, are found in various botanical species and are known for their numbing or pins-and-needles effect. The sensation is a result of the interaction of these compounds with sensory receptors in the mouth and lips. The study of these compounds has shown that their structure, including chain length and double bond location, influences the intensity of the tingling effect.
Szechuan Pepper and Its Unique Tingling Sensation
Szechuan pepper, a common ingredient in Asian cuisine, is well-known for the tingling sensation it produces on the lips and tongue. This sensation is linked to the activation of tactile afferent fibers, specifically the RA1 afferent fibers, which respond to a frequency of around 50 Hz. The tingling sensation can be reduced by adapting the RA1 channel through prolonged mechanical vibration, indicating that the same tactile channel is involved in both the pepper-induced tingling and mechanical vibrations. This finding highlights the complex interaction between chemical compounds in food and the human sensory system.
Conclusion
The tingling sensation in the upper lip can arise from various sources, including surgical trauma in patients with cleft lip and the consumption of certain foods containing tingle compounds. Understanding the mechanisms behind these sensations can help in managing and potentially mitigating the discomfort associated with them. Further research into the sensory pathways involved in these tingling sensations could provide deeper insights into their causes and effects.
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