HIV/AIDS

[Guest]

I read that thrush usually does not appear solely on the tongue. What is the difference between a coated tongue and thrush? Is it that thrush looks like patches of white on the tongue while coated tongue would be more of an even distribution of white on the tongue? I read that thrush is "creamy" or "curd like." It sounds like it would have a thickness to it while a coated tongue would not. Can you help with a concrete description? I thank you very much.

[Guest]

Coated tongue is a colloquial term, not a medical term. In med school, residency and >20 years of practice I never got an explanation for exactly what causes that. Thrush is a white coating on the tongue and inside of the mouth. It is patchy. You can't diagnose it yourself from a website. But a health care professional can in minutes by scraping it and looking under a microscope. See someone if you think you have it.
GR
[quote] I read that thrush usually does not appear solely on the tongue. What is the difference between a coated tongue and thrush... [/quote]

[Guest]

When you say thrush is "patchy," can that be interpreted that the entire surface of the tongue would not be the same color and that the "patches" would stand out fairly obviously when viewing the tongue? Thanks for answering my follow-up-I know you must be very busy!
[quote] Coated tongue is a colloquial term, not a medical term. In med school, residency and >20 years of practice I never got an explanation for exactly what causes that... [/quote]

[Guest]

Yes it stands out fairly obviously, but so does a coated tongue. So... here's the deal sparky! You need to let someone who knows what they're doing look at your tongue. GR
[quote] When you say thrush is "patchy," can that be interpreted that the entire surface of the tongue would not be the same color and that the "patches" would stand out fairly obviously when viewing the tongue. Thanks for answering my follow-up-I know you must be very busy... [/quote]

[Guest]

THANKS!! I've been reading a lot of old posts and assure you that I'm not like a few posters here who seem to continuously ask the same questions. I appreciate your valuable time and expertise and promise not to BUG you!
[quote] Yes it stands out fairly obviously, but so does a coated tongue. So... [/quote]

[Guest]

Thanks, you're not bugging me. This is an educational service provided by healthcommunities. Sometimes people want me to diagnose them or read into what they have more than is humanly possible on a website...or even would be over the phone. thanks GR
[quote] THANKS. ... [/quote]