# Cracks in the corner of mouth?



## vickyoddsocks (Sep 21, 2007)

Hiya....this is a bit of a weird one, and i have no idea whether it has ANYTHING to do with crohns, but im maybe thinkin medication. 
At the moment ive got a crack in the corner of my mouth, where my top lip meets my bottom lip, got one on both sides which are really sore. Ive had them before, but usually only one at a time, they're like fissures i suppose.
But this is what i find quite weird - ive also got (well what feels like) an anal fissure again, coz i get the lovely soreness and incredible itching - which is always a pleasure - NOT! And it correlates with when i got the mouth thingys.
I was thinking the mouth cracks might be due to me being on infliximab AND 150mg of azathioprine, but i dunno. 
So has anyone had this before, or any ideas what it could be, or how to get rid of them, they've been here like a week now, and im starting to get a mouth like a clown! lol! 
Cheers!
XXX


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## Kev (Sep 21, 2007)

Hey Vicky  I've had them in corners of my mouth, corners of my eyes, and in tips of my fingers.  Not related to any meds that I can tell.  Don't have any at the moment.

Sorry, wish I could offer more help. Whatever they are, whatever causes them, they sure do hurt...


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## D Bergy (Sep 21, 2007)

I do not have any evidence that this will work, but I would try it.

When I started taking fish oil I lost my dandruff.  Apperenlty the oil helps the skin to behave normally.  I would think that if it works on my scalp it would also help other skin areas as well.  If it does not work you still are getting a good anti inflammatory that seems to help many people with auto immune disease.

I used a double dose at first.

Either way, it can't hurt.

D Bergy


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## kskitt (Sep 23, 2007)

nope, sorry love


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## crohnsmom (Sep 23, 2007)

My mother suffered intermittantly for years with cracks in the corners of her mouth. She was told by her doctor that it was due to a vitamin B deficiency (she did not have IBD). It would clear up when she took a B complex supplement. It ocurrs to me that since IBD sufferers may have problems with vitamin B absorption, this may be a contributing factor to this problem.  Just a thought.
Ramona


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## killerzoey (Sep 23, 2007)

My experience agrees with Crohn'smom's.  I have had these for years off and on and taking B vitamins always helps.  I remember reading that Riboflavin deficiency, in particular, can be responsible for these cracks in the corner of the mouth.

Also, I dab a bit of Neosporin on the crack as soon as it occurs and often it's undetectable the next day.


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## D Bergy (Oct 3, 2007)

Just found this stumbling around on the internet looking up anemia.  Then I remembered this post.  I would say if you are a women with Crohn's and you have skin cracking particularly in the corner of the mouth maybe you should see if you are low on Iron.  Kind of makes sense, given the extra possibility of blood loss.

*Iron deficiency anemia is caused by insufficient dietary intake or absorption of iron to replace losses from menstruation or losses due to diseases.[2] Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, and low iron levels result in decreased incorporation of hemoglobin into red blood cells. In the United States, 20% of all women of childbearing age have iron deficiency anemia, compared with only 2% of adult men. The principal cause of iron deficiency anemia in premenopausal women is blood lost during menses. Studies have shown that iron deficiency without anemia causes poor school performance and lower IQ in teenage girls. Iron deficiency is the most prevalent deficiency state on a worldwide basis. Iron found in animal meats are more easily absorbed by the body than iron found in non-meat sources. In countries where animal meats are only occasionally available in the diet, iron deficiency anemia is six to eight times more prevalent than in North America and Europe. Iron deficiency is sometimes the cause of abnormal fissuring of the angular (corner) sections of the lips (angular cheilitis).*

Hope this helps someone.

Dan Bergman


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## Guest (Oct 5, 2007)

i think the B vit deficiency theory is possibly on the right track.

following my surgery years back, i slowly became depleted of vitamin B12, which is absorbed by a certain part of your large bowel. because i had had this area removed, i no longer absorbed it, and therefore developed pernicious anaemia (B12 deficiency). i didnt know anything about this B12 issue, the physicians had failed to tell me about this complication of my surgery nor to sort out any meds for it. so - i endured increasing symptoms until i almost collapsed, and then, following blood tests, the deficiency was found. i now have B12 injections every 3 months. 

i have been told that crohns or any malfunction in that area, can also cause lack of B12 deficiency - you dont necessarily have to have had surgery....

one of the symptoms was dry, very sore, cracks at the corner of my mouth. that, and all the other symptoms, disappeared once the injections got to work.


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## maryp (Oct 5, 2007)

I sometimes get these cracks when I am feeling run down and I am not getting enough protein.  Some rest and a good home-cooked meal, meat and potatoes style, does the trick for me.


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## Darkeffx (Oct 6, 2007)

I had them also. Once when I went to see the dentist he noticed and said they were caused by a Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) deficiency.


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## vickyoddsocks (Oct 6, 2007)

I asked my GP and she did say it was to do witht he anemia, she said the best thing for them is vaseline - and plenty of it, keep appliying it, they seem to have gone now, or almost gone. I'll think about that B12 thing, i had it checked not long ago tho and was told it was ok!
Thanks for all your help everyone!! 
XXX


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## D Bergy (Oct 6, 2007)

I do not understand the logic behind using vaseline for cracks in the lips if an Iron deficient anemia problem is the root cause.  Anemia, by definition, is an Iron deficiency.

While Vaseline will help the immediate cracking, it does not resolve the Iron deficiency.  More red meat and other Iron rich foods will resolve the anemia problem which would then resolve the lip cracking problem.  Cooking in a cast iron frying pan will help also.  I guess I would rather resolve the cause, rather than treat the symptoms.  That is my motto after all.

Did your GP test for Iron deficiency?

Dan Bergman


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## Kev (Oct 6, 2007)

*somebody is slipping*

Hey Dan...  ;-)  You asked & answered your own questions..  vicky has anemia, root cause of the problem..  Her Dr is aware of it, and surmising that she's already been treated (as vicky said she was recently checked, and her blood levels are OK now), then the vaseline her doc recommended is to help with 'immediate cracking'. until it resolves from the anemia reversal...  glad to see i'm not the only one on here who has an off day.  OK, good natured ribbing aside, next time my fingers, eyes or corners of my mouth start to crack (painful little issue), I'm going to have my blood checked... see what my iron levels are, maybe add more iron to my diet.




			
				D Bergy said:
			
		

> I do not understand the logic behind using vaseline for cracks in the lips if an Iron deficient anemia problem is the root cause.  Anemia, by definition, is an Iron deficiency.
> 
> While Vaseline will help the immediate cracking, it does not resolve the Iron deficiency.  More red meat and other Iron rich foods will resolve the anemia problem which would then resolve the lip cracking problem.  Cooking in a cast iron frying pan will help also.  I guess I would rather resolve the cause, rather than treat the symptoms.  That is my motto after all.
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Oct 6, 2007)

hi vickyoddsocks 

i agree with dan on this.. vaseline is fine if its just chapped lips. if there is any suspicion its a deficiency, really it should be checked out.

are you under any specialists for your crohns? if so, and if the gp isnt giving the care he/she should, i would mention this next time you see the hospital team. i'm sure they would take it seriously.

by the way.. i only live a few miles from you lol.


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## D Bergy (Oct 7, 2007)

I hope you are correct Kev that the GP is treating the problem.  Given my history with GP's, it would not surprise me if Vaseline was the only treatment recommended.

I do not even bother to see a GP if I can see a specialist.  When I deviated from that, me and my wifes diseases only became worse.  I hope they do not represent a cross section and that we were just unlucky in this respect.  

Probably a lot of variations over different areas and countries. 

Dan Bergman


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## vickyoddsocks (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi all, I see a specialists for my BIG problems with crohns and my GP for more niggling little things, and other unrelated things, this GP is actually a very good one and understands alot. But im sure like most of you iv had my fair share of 'crap' ones! lol! 
Its annoying with my aenimia, but im already on alot of iron for it, even when im at my wellest im usually still out of the normal range with my aenemia. - which sucks! lol! ( i think its ecuase of my persistant infection etc etc) 
I might see if i can have a transfusion or something to give me more energy, coz it really affects my riding at uni. 
But the cracks have gone now anyways, they were probably due to not so nutritious 'student' food and wasnt getting enough iron! lol! 
Thanks for your help and suggestions everyone!
XXX

to dingbat; where abouts do you live then? Do you mean Lincoln or Leeds?


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## kpratte (Oct 8, 2007)

D Bergy said:
			
		

> Anemia, by definition, is an Iron deficiency.


There are several types of anemia..  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemia  so iron isn't the only cause. 

I would hope that Vicky's doc has done more than CBC and tested iron, B12 and the other possible issues for anemia.

- Ken


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## kskitt (Oct 9, 2007)

when i was admitted to hospital last week i got the cracks - and i think it was due to the fact i wasnt eating that much, so my mouth was very dry


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## jazzpollard (Feb 3, 2014)

Keeping the areas moisturized, as you are trying to do with chapsticks is important, but often this is not sufficient to clear it up in chronic cases. Many cases of angular cheilitis are actually caused by colonization of the skin around the mouth by yeast organism....


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