Abstract
Patient:The patient was a 67-year-old woman presenting spontaneous burning pain in the left buccal mucosa and the apical part of the tongue upon visiting our clinic for the first time . She reported that the pain was increased while eating hot foods. Thirteen years prior, she reported having experienced oral roughness. After the setting of a maxillary removable partial denture, her symptoms changed into pain. Five years before attending our clinic, she was suspected to have oral lichen planus by Oral Surgery Department of our hospital, and she was treated accordingly. Afterward, Candida was detected, and she was treated with an antifungal drug. On her visit to our clinic, atrophy of the tongue papillae was observed, and saliva production was 6.8 ml/10 min in the gum test. Candida was detected by a fungal test. A blood examination revealed mild iron-deficiency anemia. On the basis of these findings, we diagnosed the patient with oral candidosis, xerostomia, and iron-deficiency anemia. Although the Candida infection was successfully treated using an antifungal drug, the pain in the buccal mucosa and in the tongue was not completely relieved. Rikkosan was prescribed because of its analgesic action. The pain, except in the apical part of the tongue, was decreased after treatment with Rikkosan, and the range of the pain was reduced. After two months, the spontaneous pain was relieved, except when eating hot foods, and the frequency of the pain was reduced. Although her iron-deficiency anemia did not change, oral symptoms were improved compared with the time of her first visit.
Discussion:In this case, oral symptoms were improved after treatment with Rikkosan, though iron-deficiency anemia did not change.
Conclusion:Rikkosan was useful in the treatment of oral mucosal pain caused by an organic disease.
