What Could Cause My Lip to Swell Out of Nowhere?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Your lip might swell suddenly because of an infection or an allergic reaction.

Explanation

There are a few reasons why your lip might swell out of nowhere. One possibility is an infection. Infections can be caused by bacteria or viruses and may come with other signs like redness, pain, or tiny blisters on the skin or inside your mouth. Another reason could be an allergic reaction. When your body reacts to something like food, a bee sting, or even a medication, it can cause your lip to swell suddenly. This is known as angioedema, and it may happen even if you have not had the reaction in the past. This is an emergency. It is important to keep track of other symptoms that come along with the swelling and talk to a doctor if the swelling progresses rapidly.

(References)

Amin D, Satishchandran S, Drew S, Abramowicz S. Diagnosis and Treatment of Lip Infections. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Jan;79(1):133-140. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2020.06.025. Epub 2020 Jun 20. PMID: 32673574.
Alciato L, Bonfils P, Rubin F. Unilateral oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal vesicles. Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2019 Apr;136(2):141-142. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2018.11.004. Epub 2018 Dec 13. PMID: 30553733.
Lakhani S, Barnett S, Tappuni AR, Rajakulasingam RK. Recurrent lip swelling: a diagnostic challenge. BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Aug 21;2014:bcr2013203018. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2013-203018. PMID: 25188924; PMCID: PMC4154022.

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