Mouth Ulcer panic, Am I going to die? :(

[TonettaKringle]

I have a ache in my left side in my cheek, for a week or so, My mum looked in my mouth, and saw it was super swollen with a inflamed blister like thing.
It hurts to brush my teeth on that side. I'm so scared, Is this normal?

[axolotl]

Mouth ulcers are very common things (and can be very painful). The odd one means nothing and is just one of those things - I get them every so often. If you're poking it or playing with it with your tongue you'll make it hurt more. A pharmacist will be able to give you mouthwash if it's annoying you.

Obviously I'm not a doctor or dentist and if it persists get it checked out, but the chances of it being anything to worry about are vanishingly small, whereas mouth ulcers are super-common and something everyone gets.

If your first thought from getting a mouth ulcer is "am I going to die?" you probably need to do something to work on your anxiety.

[TonettaKringle]

Well I do have anxiety, And I googled it....So of course the C word came up, And it does sound like a mouth ulcer?

[axolotl]

Well I do have anxiety, And I googled it....So of course the C word came up, And it does sound like a mouth ulcer?

With the usual caveat non-medical people can't diagnose people over the internet, if I had something that fits that description I would just presume a common or garden, harmless but annoying, mouth ulcer.

Don't Google health symptoms, but you know that right?

[TonettaKringle]

I do but it's the weekend....you can't help it.

[axolotl]

I do but it's the weekend....you can't help it.

Eh?

[TonettaKringle]

No chance of getting to the GP until Monday, and when I panic, I google stuff.

[axolotl]

No chance of getting to the GP until Monday, and when I panic, I google stuff.

We ALL fall off the wagon and do it, but doing your own "research" is the worst possible thing for fuelling health anxiety.

You've got two things going against you here - lack of medical knowledge meaning you have no chance of fully understanding what you read (not a personal dig - this goes for anyone who isn't a doctor), and an anxious mind that will cherry-pick the bits that scare you. The Internet will lead you to hundreds of sites that will tell you mouth ulcers are common and harmless and just leave them be or get some Bonjela, but your anxious mind will only be interested in taking you to the ones that mention horrible cancers. Your anxious brain will not allow you to use the information on the web to reassure yourself.

Just because you can't see a GP for two days doesn't mean it's any better to do it - in fact it's worse because your anxiety will go through the roof and it's longer before you get to see a professional who'll talk you down.

I know it's hard, but if you get the compulsion to Google medical symptoms, find something else to do to distract you.

[TonettaKringle]

I will, I've been stressed too the last couple of weeks, so stressed that my neck hurts in fact. It's one of those things.