What’s that hole in Hillary’s tongue?

[ Here’s the image in question]

by Kelly

Two weeks ago, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton experienced what could have been an epileptic seizure on camera. Then she coughed 22 times during one speech, her staff manipulating the applause form the crowd to give her time to clear her throat. Now, sharp-eyed internet sleuths have spotted a suspicious cavity on Clinton’s tongue that could be indicative of a biopsy:

I believe it may have been Glenn Reynolds who first examined the picture closely and wondered “What the heck is that dark thing on Hillary’s tongue?”
…it doesn’t look like a throat lozenge that might have been employed to stay her persistent, sickly cough.

iOTWreport discovered a likely cause of said cavity: It appears to be the result of a tongue biopsy.

If you want to read some saucy speculation about why Clinton might have needed a tongue biopsy, you can do so here. The picture does however highlight the issue of tongue biopsies which is not something we think about much, so we thought it would be interesting to cover them. Here’s what the U.S National Library of Medicine has to say. 

Tongue biopsy

A tongue biopsy is a minor surgery that is done to remove a small piece of the tongue. The tissue is then examined under a microscope. 

A tongue biopsy can be done using a needle.

• You will get numbing medicine at the place where the biopsy is to be done.
• The health care provider will gently stick the needle into the tongue and remove a tiny piece of tissue.

Some types of tongue biopsies remove a thin slice of tissue. Medicine to numb the area (local anesthetic) will be used. Others are done under general anesthesia, (allowing you to be asleep and pain-free) so that a larger area may be removed and examined.

How to Prepare for the Test

You may be told not to eat or drink anything for several hours before the test.

How the Test will Feel

Your tongue is very sensitive so a needle biopsy may be uncomfortable even when numbing medicine is used.
Your tongue can be tender or sore, and it may feel slightly swollen after the biopsy. You may have stitches or an open sore where the biopsy was done.

Why the Test is Performed

The test is done to find the cause of abnormal growths or suspicious-looking areas of the tongue.

Normal Results

The tongue tissue is normal when examined.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results may mean:

• Amyloidosis
• Tongue (oral) cancer Tongue cancer tends to be diagnosed when the cancer is small and more easily removed through surgery.
• Viral ulcer
• Benign tumors

Risks

Risks for this procedure include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Swelling of the tongue (can obstruct the airway and cause breathing difficulty)

Complications from this procedure are rare. But we understand that biopsies can affect speech. If this is the case, former-First Lady Hillary Clinton did a good job of overcoming these effects at the recent Democrat Convention where she was elected as their nominee for President.