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CYST ON TONGUE
QUESTION: I had a benign cyst removed from my tongue last November. Since then my tongue has undergone healing in various stages. At present, the papilae of my tongue are inflamed and very bothersome. I keep rubbing my tongue over my teeth because I feel like I have something on my tongue that needs to be removed. Do you have any suggestions as to how to treat the tongue? I have tried using tea bags, aloe vera etc.,but nothing seems to help me. I would appreciate your suggestions.

ANSWER: I would really like more information to better help you, do you have cysts anywhere else in the body, any other problems associated with this, did the surgeon say what kind of cyst it was(fluid or fatty) and why it formed? Have you been back to the surgeon and told him about the feeling. Seeing your tongue might be worth thousand words, Baltimore is 2 hours from us would you consider a full consultation. If you do not want to come up I can email or fax our brochure and client intake form. 

Here is the short answer for your question. I would use some topical antiinflammatory and painkillers such as:

Kava Kava, Latin Named: Piper methysticum This herb is good for oral pain, spasms, muscle relaxant along with being an antiseptic.

Spilanthes, Toothache plant, Latin Named: Spilanthes oleracea or Blainvillea oleracea, as the name implies it was traditionally used for toothache, today it is used appropriately for pain of the tongue, teath, gums and throat, it is also antifungal and antibacterial.

I would suggest using tinctures of these herbs and dropping them directly on your tongue, they should help with inflammation and pain.

You might also want to use Echinacea tincture which besides being an immune booster is a great sialogogue, makes you salivate more, good antiinflammatory and increases phagocytosis which are the cleanup cells of the circulation system. The Eclectics also used it for pain in the late 1800's early 1900's.

PILONIDAL CYST
Question: I'm writing to help my daughter who is a healthy 21 year old. As a captain of her gymnastics team and a cheerleader, you know she is in good physical condition. Also, she has always been careful to maintain good eating habits. Recently she developed a pilonidal cyst which was treated with antibiotics and heat applications. This seemed to do the trick. However, 6 weeks later it is reappearing. I'm trying to find a way to avoid repeated use of antibiotics and, of course, surgery. 

Answer: A pilonidal cyst can be a chronic and annoying problem. I would really like more information to give a better recommendation for you. I can fax our brochure and client intake form to you, or send in mail or attached to email if you have Microsoft word. I have run across this problem twice so far and have successfully avoided full blown surgical removal of the area.

In general I would try the following.

1. Keep the area hair free, use a hair removing product once a week.
2. Don't injure the area, such as a blunt landing on the back or bottom when she is doing gymnastics or long-term pressure from sitting.
3. Some practitioners recommend using a rubber inflated ring when sitting so there is little pressure on the area, take it every where she goes, or get one for the car and home.
4. Correct posture when seated and positions when sleeping can help.
5. Use Vitamin C 1000 mg or more
6. Use Zinc upwards to 200 mg
7. Get as much Garlic in her as possible, add it to her daily diet, she should smell like garlic.
8. Medicinal mushrooms such as Gano derma, Maitake, Shitake and Chaga help to build the deep immune system and fight infection. Make broths of the mushrooms or take them as tinctures.
9. Astragalus is a great immune building herb.
10. For stress associated with her fast paced life give Siberian Ginseng, chronic stress depletes immune reserve and response. Stress also effects B vitamin deficiency, she may benefit from a B-Complex supplement.
11. If it is necessary to open the cyst find a surgeon/physician that will try a lance and drain tube technique, less invasive, quicker turn around. The tube stays in for a couple days to drain the cyst then it is removed, the wound heals quickly. Don't let the surgeons foul you, the total cystectomy has only a 25% success rate.
12. Clean up her diet completely, the fuel of infection is sugar and carbohydrates, all products with ingredients that are simple sugars (sucrose, corn syrup, dextrose and any sugar or sugar-alcohols) or are made with processed flours (such as bleached white flour) should be avoided. Fat free products are full of sugars, they take the fat out and add sugars for flavor and texture, avoid them also. No soda, juice or sports drinks. Her diet should consist of in this order: water, vegetables, proteins then a small amount of fat. Fruits are also full of sugar and should be her dessert if she has dessert at all.
13. Keep the area clean, bath and shower daily and after getting sweaty, have her change clothing so she is not sitting around in sweaty outfits. Less damp wet and dark, less possibility of infection.