Fifty three individuals, outpatients of the Department of Otolarygology, Itabashi Hospital of Nihon University who had glossodynia as their chief complaint, were subjected to psychological tests, taste examinations and measurements of serum zinc and serum copper to determine the possible relationship between zinc deficiency and glossodynia.
Psychological problems were revealed in 35 patients (66.0%), and zinc deficiency was diagnosed or suspected in 26 patients (49 .1%).
Zinc sulfate alone was prescribed orally for 10 patients with both zinc deficiency and glossodynia. Seven of them were cured. Therefore, glossodynia appears to be closely related to zinc deficiency as one of the major factors and zinc sulfate orally is effective treatment for many such patients.