Lump In My Mouth = Panic.

Unloved. Depressed. Lethargic. Anxious. Frustrated. Hesitant. Meek.

Those are some of the emotions I felt from a simple mucocele on my inner, lower-lip.

I didn’t wanna consult for clients. I didn’t wanna talk to anyone. I didn’t wanna kiss my girls. I didn’t wanna eat. I didn’t wanna venture out into the world.

I didn’t wanna do anything, until the lump was healed.

Think about it:

There were children without food/water in some parts of the world… There were people with full-body cancer just outside my Downtown Toronto apartment… There were people with cold sores from Herpes…

And there I was with a pea-sized, benign bump on my lip, and my self-esteem & energy plummeted.

Over-reaction?

Maybe.

All I know is how I felt, and my own personal experience, and it was extremely unpleasant.

It might be because I’m ‘spoiled.’

I’m spoiled by great health, and robust insides, and generally care-free living.

I’m used to ease. My whole life my metabolism’s quick and effortlessly processes things. For more than a decade, my immune systems’ been robust, and responds powerfully & appropriately. I’ve not had so much as a cold, disease or injury for years, and when something’s out of whack or not quite aligned in my body, I get borderline spastic.

Like misery & temper-tantrum level.

And that’s ok.

It’s ok to feel that way. It’s ok to feel intense things about a ‘weird’ lump on your lip.

And although I’m not a big fan of ‘problems’… I love solutions.

I love wisdom. I love ideas. I love knowledge. I love options. I love progress. I love well-being.

On The Hunt.

So I started researching.

I asked my friend Lynx, lead-singer of the band Random Order, who’s reversed 4 auto-immune diseases on his own, and has tons of experience in healing and anti-aging.

He quickly dismissed the lump as a canker, and since I’d never had a (cold- or) canker-sore before… I researched them heavily. I researched ‘apthuous ulcers’ (another name for cankers). I researched cold sores, herpes, and more.

I turned on all my passion and energy and wits for a remedy!

But…

Turns out, no one on the ‘net seemed to know what caused really cankers, and most said they’d disappear in 1 to 3 weeks. So after 2 weeks of ‘no disappearing’ at all, and the lump becoming more inflamed, I decided that I did NOT have a canker sore, and I started looking into other causes.

Mucoceles AREN’T Canker Sores.

After much googling, reading, researching… I came to the conclusion that I had a mucocele. (MYU-koh-seel)

An oral mucocele, in fact, formed by ‘damaging’ one of the minor salival glands on my lip.

Even more specifically– I had a salivary mucocele, or sialocele, which is a collection of saliva that has leaked from a damaged salivary gland, and has accumulated under the skin. It appears as a fluctuating, painless, swelling blister.

Mucoceles are lined by inflamed tissue, on top of the inflammation caused by leaking saliva trapped under the skin.

Although mucoceles are sometimes called ‘cysts’, they’re technically not. A more accurate term is ‘polyp‘ (lump), but really, if you’re trying to google it– "mouth mucocele" is your best bet.

Either way — a mucocele is NOT a canker sore, and it doesn’t respond or heal quite the same way as a canker sore does.

I spent weeks suffering for no reason, ’cause I was approaching my mucocele as if it were a canker.

But it’s not that big a deal, because much of what is used to treat cankers, seems to have positive effects on mucoceles too.

Anyway, it seems simple and obvious to me now, and hopefully to you too… but in case anyone reading this isn’t clear, here’s an outline of cankers and mucoceles:

Canker: An oral ulcer is a white or red sore; small craters. Ulcers are usually caused by a viral infection, but many have reported having them from stress, lack of B12 & other vitamins, etc. They’re painful and the tend to last for a 1 to 2 weeks.

Mucocele: An oral mucocele is a raised bubble or blister; not caused by an infection. Usually not painful and can last from weeks, to months, or even years before the fade or burst. Sometimes called a ‘ranula.‘

"An injury to the lower lip—for instance, from accidental biting—may harm any of the minor salivary glands found there and block the flow of saliva. As a result, an affected gland may swell and form a small, soft lump (mucocele) that appears bluish. The lump usually disappears by itself within a few weeks." – Merck

Also, they can get infected or become an ulcer if you accidentally bite one when you are chewing.

I was frustrated at the lack of solid info available on the net… and then I discovered the lumpinmouth.lefora.com forums.

United By Pain.

The "Lump In Mouth" forums are pages and pages and pages of different experiences, ideas, perspectives, diagnoses, treatments, and cures for mucoceles.

The main discussion thread there is 33 pages of people sharing their stories and steps to a mucocele cure.

Which is great, but it’s chaos.

• "Alum’s great."
• "Alum didn’t work for me."
• "Evening Primrose guaranteed."
• "EPO didn’t work for me."
• "Salt water’s a natural cure."
• "Tried the salt bath, no luck."
• "Surgery is the ONLY way."
• "Surgery made my mouth numb, never get it!"
• "You’ve got to pop it first."
• "Don’t you dare pop it, it’ll just re-scab harder."
• "All of these are just wives tales, none of you know for sure your cure worked, maybe the mucocele just went away!"

And on and on and on.

On the bright side, here people knew the difference between a canker and a mucocele. Here people had tons of positive, kind, reassuring words and solutions. Here I felt welcomed and less alone and like there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

But how is anyone supposed to make sense of it all?

Drowning In Mucocele ‘Cures.’

How was I supposed to know which cure would help me?

How could I tell which were placebo’s, which would reduce symptoms, and which would resolve the root cause?

Try them all at once and hope the mucocele went away?

Try them one by one, trying to figure out which one worked for me?

I just wanted it solved, I just wanted to be back to my confident, invincible self.

Here’s an unordered list of the remedies I found:

But each one involved details & steps!

For example, some suggest ‘popping’ the blister first, others insist on leaving it "whole", others imply it’ll burst on it’s own during the treatment.

And each one had their ‘reasons’ for why it worked. X dries out the mucocele, Y drains the mucocele, Z reduces the mucocele, etc.

Argh! I went from no healing options, to an overwhelming amount of ‘possibles.’

Questions (Without Answers?)

And none of solutions were very clear/in-depth, I had so many questions.

• Does solution X work if my mucocele is ‘open’ (pierced/burst), or ‘closed’ (sealed/bulging)?
• Does solution X work if the skin was white/yellow/red/purple/translucent?
• Does solution X work if the mucocele was ‘inflamed’ or ‘reduced’ or ‘dormant’?
• Should I inflame it intentionally by eating spice, so it reacts?
• Do I need a ‘natural’ solution, ‘spiritual’ solution, ‘surgical’ solution, or a combination?
• Will I end up like the people who’ve had their mucoceles for 5+ years?
• Am I doing something wrong? Could I be doing something better?
• Will someone try to pressure / bully me into a solution that doesn’t feel right for me?
• Is it individual for everyone? Will my body composition, diet, environment reduce what would otherwise be an effective solution?

If you experienced any of these questions, and felt uncomfortable at not having answers. I understand. I empathize. And I’ll share what I can here to help, but ultimately… all I have is my own personal experience, and what worked for me.

Interestingly, I had my mucocele for one of the shortest time periods out of anyone I’ve come across, so I imagine I did something right, and I really, truly wish for an even easier solution for you.

Drugs, ‘Dotes, And Digging Deeper.

The first thing I’ll do is give an overview of what I discovered about each item on the list of solutions above.

I’ll give an estimate of the amount of ‘results’ people shared (how popular), I’ll give a single word that I feel DESCRIBES the focus of the antidote. I`ll offer my own personal reasoning and instincts about each remedy, and for the one’s I’ve tried, I’ll share my own personal experience with you.

Woo! Here we go 🙂

Alum

Alum: POPULAR. The most popular remedy by far. Hundreds of people seem to have had success with it, but some haven’t. Usually combined with Listerine rinse.

I tried this for a few days, and I couldn’t really tell if it was having results. Sometimes my mucocele seemed bigger, sometimes smaller. It’s about $4 in the spice section, sometimes tricky to source. Alum dries out the tissues so it’s important to get it focused only on the mucocele or you’ll dry out healthy lip tissue.

The people who put focused alum on a post-burst mucocele, for 15-20min, 4+ times a day, for at least a week, always rinsing directly with Listerine, seemed to have the most results. There’s even a youtube video on it.

I personally did it about six times a day, for 3 days, scooped it on liberally, and left it on for 5-7min while I drooled. It started to irritate me after that long, so I decided to try something else. Which lead me to Evening Primrose Oil.

Testimonial: " I could not imagine going through that surgery again so I tried Bigfoot’s regiman of Alum and Listerene.  After a week completely gone.  I can’t believe it went away as I knew I was headed for surgery again.  I did read about the Alum before using to make sure I was comfortable with what I was putting in my mouth.  I would dip a small piece of slightly wet cotton in the alum and put the alum side so that it rested against the mucocele 2 times a day as indicated and then rinse well with listerine.  Just goes to show that there other things that can work.  Thanks for the home remedy, I would do it again any day over another surgery."

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/3079351/Home-treatment-for-mucoceles-that-works-every-time & http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/245157/How-I-got-rid-of-it-using-Listerine

Note: Alum is edible, sold in the spice section, used in pickling. Some info suggests that alum is toxic. Even water is "toxic" and in the right concentration you can get "water poisoning", drown. I’d say feel it out, make your own decisions, and use as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening Primrose Oil: GENTLE. Second most popular remedy. Tens of people seem to have had success with it, but some haven’t. EPO is easiest to find in "gel-caps,", but can be found as a bottled liquid as well.

It seems the most success come from those who soak a cotton pad or compress in oil, and leave the oil-soaked pad on the mucocele during the night, or for a 10-15min before bed.

I personally bought some gel-caps, and first tried cutting the top off the cap, but it was too messy. From then on I used my teeth to pop the cap, and let the oil flow out over my mucocele. If I felt like it, I’d gently rub the oil across the mucocele.

A outside testimonial: "I did that for a few nights in a row and after only a few days i noticed a HUGE difference at first in the consistency or texture of it.  It had started out as a very hard lump of tissue under the skin, but after the EPO treatments, it became much more pliable and soft.  Then after a week or so it began to decrease in size.  It has now been about 1 month since i started using the oil, i now do it every other night or so and it is almost completely gone.  The bump can no longer be seen from the outside and there is just a little raised spot where the duct is still healing.  I am confident that it will continue to improve!"

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/1447358/Evening-Primrose-Oil-works?page=1

Honey

Honey: SOOTHING. Or even better, bee propolis. Known throughout the ages as a miracle/superfood, honey soothes, reduces, coats, and protects the sensitive skin of the mucocele. A few people have mentioned it, as has this 2014 buzzle article. Some people mix castor oil with the honey, before applying.

Personally, I`m a huge fan of honey. I use organic/manuka honey. Honey is especially useful if you keep biting the mucocele; grazing it, and irritating it. Zealous use (coating the mucocele hourly) is yummy and effective. I can’t guarantee it cures mucoceles, but I feel it contributed hugely to easing the discomfort & reducing the size. I kept up the honey use always, no matter what cure I was experimenting with at the time.

Testimonial: "Honey is celebrated for its antiseptic properties, and hence, its application can work wonders to treat this painless cyst effectively. Its antiseptic activity can certainly help reduce the inflammatory response around the cyst. Generously apply honey on the infected area just before retiring to bed, and let it remain overnight. Follow this skincare routine every night, and you will soon notice impressive results."

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/4remedies-to-get-rid-of-oral-mucocele-at-home.html

Listerine

Listerine: STERILIZING. Usually used together with alum, but some have reported results from Listerine alone. The alcohol in the listerine sterilizes and draws out toxins from the inflamed mucocele, as well as drying out the skin that seals in the saliva and lymph residue.

"I’ve never had surgery so I was hesitant to go through with the surgery, especially since the doctor said that mucoceles can return even after surgery. Then I stumbled upon this miraculous site and read someone’s post about using Listerine and IT WORKED!!!!! it was like a miracle. Not sure if this will work for everyone, but it worked for me. I used the gold colored “Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash” and within days my mucocele vanished. Even though the bottle says to rinse your mouth for 30 seconds, I rinsed my mouth for 2 minutes several times a day (more than twice a day), and I made sure to brush my teeth in the morning and at night. It was a miracle. I was so grateful that I didn’t have to have surgery. I recommend everyone try this before even contemplating surgery. Good luck to all!!!"

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/3034144/Use-Listerine-It-works

Salt

Salt: NATURAL. Used as a replacement for alum. Some report results by placing salt directly on the mucocele, as one would with alum, and allowing it to sit there for some minutes (reports vary). Others use it as a saline rinse, dissolving a generous amount of salt until the water turns cloudy, and then swishing it around in one’s mouth for 1-3minutes, 2+ times a day, especially following any meals (see foods section).

Personally, I used salt water rinse after meals and because I was trying other remedies at the same time, I’m not positive of it’s results, but I feel it helped.

Testimonial: "i have a mucocele under my tongue and i washed my mouth with saltwater and it reduced the size within a day or so"

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/3079351/Home-treatment-for-mucoceles-that-works-every-time?page=13

Baking Soda

Baking Soda: AKALINE. Used just like alum or salt above, as a focused coating on the mucocele or dissolved as a rinse. Some people swear by it, most try alum or salt and get results, so they don`t move to baking soda.

On top of that, ingesting baking soda on an empty stomach can reset and re-balance your body`s pH after years of living on acid-heavy, western food regimes.

Personally, I added some to my salt water rinse, figuring it could only help.

Testimonial: "Also, good ole Baking Soda. Mix it in warm water (with the salt even) and gargle, swish as needed. Make a “paste” of baking soda and water and coat it so it can penetrate. Let it stay on as long as possible, then swish with water and spit it out."

Source: http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread887300/pg

Yogurt

Yogurt: NURTURING. Two accounts I saw mentioned keeping organic yogurt on the mucocele would result in a softening of the tissues there, and the gentle seeping of saliva and lymph out of the blister.

It makes some sense, yogurt is jam packed with healthy enzymes, that have a profound effect on various body processes.

Personally, I lived on yogurt and organic soups while I was allowing my mucocele to ease away, simply because yogurt is bland, non-acidic, and soothing. Same with certain soups and teas.

Testimonial: "Try eating yogurt. It is probably a burst salvitory gland, but yogurt has a great way of clearing all your little bump problems in the mouth right up. I have had these randomly going back to childhood, and eating yogurt will make them go away because of the active cultures."

Source: http://www.steadyhealth.com/Small_clear_puss_filled_bump_on_lower_lip_keeps_coming_back_t144914

Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil: POWERFUL. One of my favorite medicinal oils. Super-powerful. Reports from many, many people of it curing all kinds of things. See Evening Primrose oil. Note: It’s stronger than most other oils and requires care and gentle experimentation when handling. Highly recommend against swallowing. Evening Primrose oil is much gentler and has more reports of success.

I used it anyway, again, not certain it helped, but it couldn’t hurt. 🙂 If you’re using EPO I doubt this is necessary, and vice-versa.

Testimonial: "I have been using melaleuca (tea tree) oil on mine and it shrinks it back all the way down. It has still come back the last few days but it has really helped with the irritation of having a bump inside my lip. I hope that after a few more days of this it just doesn’t return. We will see!"

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/reply/45602285/Re-Home-treatment-for-mucoceles-that-works-every-time

Fasting

Fasting: TIMELESS. A personal experiment. As far as I know, no one’s tried this or had any positive results from it, but I gave it a shot, as I was massively inspired to physically move towards healing.

Throughout my life, fasting has been a ridiculously powerful way to devote my bodies entire resources towards healing and re-balancing. I take a break from major activity. I take a break from the constant, constant, constant digestion most people in the west swear by. I aim to live on liquids for 2-3 days, and I’ve rejuvenated and repaired many ‘problems’ this way. Cavities, weight-control, re-growing teeth, bloating, etc.

My mucocele was almost gone by itself, it’d shrunk down to almost nothing… then I went drinking and feasting on spicy Indian food and it swelled up bigger than it ever was. I was pretty upset, and I started thinking the whole issue was food-related, so I turned to fasting.

I figured it’d help with the mucocele as well, and it kinda did. It helped because I rested my mouth and didn’t aggravate the mucocele at all, but it did NOT seem to help in any other way, and eventually I began feeling like I might as well eat. When I began eating again though, I was a lot more gentle and selective with the foods I put in my mouth. (see food section.)

Antibiotics

Antibiotics: EXPERIMENTAL. There were a few reports of this working, and it makes a kind of sense, so I peppered some antibiotics throughout my days.

"The mucocele shrank at first, but I will later realise that it was not due to the salt, but antibiotics. Yes, antibiotics… To cut the long story short, I told the specialist that I didn’t want to go for surgery and asked that he give me some medicine. He was quite reluctant, but relented in the end and prescribed some antibiotics for me."

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/8382466/Treating-mucocele-with-antibiotics

Turmeric

Turmeric: ANCESTRAL. Not sure where I heard about this, and I didn’t try it myself, but I could see it helping.

Testimonial: "Get cotton gauze and place on it a few drops of milk and a pinch of turmeric powder. The turmeric powder has a strong anti-microbial properties and prevents any form of bacterial infection."

Source: http://www.simple-remedies.com/health-tips-2/mucocele-home-treatment.html

Lemon

Lemon: BALANCING. Ah lemon juice… delicious, refreshing, and insanely useful. Said to help with obesity, allergies, fatigue, ulcers, even cancer.

Interestingly, lemon is acidic outside the body, and alkaline inside the body, possibly the only citrus fruit that isn’t actually acidic once it’s metabolized.

Honestly, I couldn’t find much on lemon curing mucoceles, except this guy said it worked:

"Different things work for different people, so this might help someone out.  I was told to try sucking on a lil piece of lemon, ya know, kinda place it over the mucocele.  It worked for me for about a day, at least i think it did lol!

Anyway, I thought it might work for someone else!  I was told that it is supposed to help drain it without bursting it.  If anyone tries it, lemme know what happens K? 

Good Luck!! –RGL"

Personally, I consume a lot of lemon myself, as it’s a staple that Lynx and many others swear by, and I picked it up. It always feels good, refreshing, and cleansing – I’d rather have it than not – and unlike many other foods, it didn’t seem to aggravate the mucocele.

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/2986070/A-bit-of-Lemon

Kamillosan Spray

Kamillosan Spray: POSSIBLE. Lots of reports from the Phillipines of this working. I couldn’t source any in Toronto, but it sounds great. Eucalyptus & chamomile in a spray. Pre-blended, easy to apply, natural, time-tested oils, and reasonably strong reported results. Definitely interesting.

I can’t find the links I’d stumbled on in forums, but there were 3 cases from the Phillipines all reporting success at healing there mucocele with Kamillosan Spray.

I realize that this slap-dash method of simply adding anything in that may help is not the most methodical or scientific, and it makes it tough

Source: http://www.amazon.com/Kamillosan-Spray-Bacteria-Throat-Tonsil/dp/B007XVB5QW

Licorice Root

Licorice Root: RARE. Raw, natural, organic licorice root. I`ll just share what one woman said about it, as I’ve not tried it, and she’s the only one who mentioned it.

"Now, I find it easier to use the pieces–otherwise you will have to break up or chew on one of the long, slender sticks and this is less convenient. I typically chew up a piece of licorice root and hold it in my mouth against the malicious mucocele and I do this a few times per day. Licorice root tastes immensely sweet by the way as it is contains a phytochemical compund which is 50 times sweeter than sugar. One you have chewed up and sucked at the piece of root until it is tasteless and shredded–spit it out and do not rinse out your mouth afterwards…For me I would do the treatment for a week and then stop since the thing would always be gone and stay gone for an inconclusive amount of time. Please note that it is not recommended to use the root beyond a few week’s time of continued use…

I have not had the root fail me–ever–BUT I have recently developed that same ol’ mucocele last week after what has been 3 or 4 years and it does not seem to be responding so much to the licorice root, except that it is smaller…"

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/3865403/I-Have-Some-AdviceTry-LicoriceNot-the-CandyThe-Root

Biotene

Biotene: MAYBE. The only actual "toothpaste" solution I’ve come across, there’s Biotene mouth-wash as well (see Listerine.) The idea behind it is to use Biotene to keep your mouth clean and sterile, and gently allow the mucocele to fade/burst on it’s own.

"Anyway I went to the drugstore and found what seems to be the only toothpaste that doesn’t have SLS called Biotene. Let me tell you after using that I noticed immediate relief and improvement. I also purchased the biotene mouth wash. Its actually for dry mouth and since mucocele has to do with salivary gland issues it makes sense why this toothpaste works. I have to say now after a week of using this product it has gone away on its own….it started to drain on its own..I just kept my mouth clean through out the whole process. I also ate light foods….yogurts, soups….I now have my normal bottom lip back and can kiss my girlfriend passionately again."

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/3304265/My-version-of-mucocele-experience-with-a-happy-ending

Hibiscus Tea

Hibiscus/Chamomile Tea: CALMING. I tried this simply ’cause it felt like another soothing liquid I could consume happily. When working around a mucocele, gentle, chew-less foods are precious, and I treasured each one more.

"Before I found the forum though I had tried to lance it and use Listerine like somebody else mentioned. Don’t do that, it doubled in size immediately. Stash hibiscus tea did the trick. It isn’t  100% gone yet but I think it will be soon. It’s not noticeable any more."

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/9189450/Hibiscus-tea-definitely-works

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing Alcohol: AGGRESSIVE. See Tea Tree Oil. I didn’t try it myself. Between the alum, EPO, salt, baking soda, and bee propolis… I figured I’d put enough ‘drying agents’ on my mucocele.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide: UNSURE. This was mentioned a decent amount, and is well-known in sterilizing and healing all sorts of injuries. I didn’t use it personally, for the same reason as above.

"Hydrogen peroxide needs to be diluted in water if it is to be used orally. You could use a cotton swab, dip it in hydrogen peroxide and then swab the area of the mucocele. When hydrogen peroxide is used as a rinse it it usually in equal parts with water (1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide) or even more diluted. However, due to the side effects (drying/sensitivity) it is often not recommend, at least you should not do it too frequently."

Source: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100621184505AAvXzwe

Gly-oxide

Glyoxide: REFERRAL. An over-the-counter oral debriding agent, that similar to alum, salt, and baking soda above… dries out the skin of the mucocele.

"I got rid of mine by draining using a needle sterilized with alcohol, then rinsing thoroughly with Listerine, THEN applying Glyoxide (canker sore medication) for about 2 minutes, then rinsing that. The debriding agent removed the dead skin, keeping the wound from refilling. After about 1 1/2 weeks, all gone! 

Glyoxide is available OTC. My sister who is a nurse suggested this treatment. I am not a health professional, but this worked, so I thought I’d pass it on!"

And…

"and a couple of products that have also really worked well for me are Gly-Oxide and CankerMelts. The Gly-Oxide is kind of like the baking soda rinse…. and the CankerMelts are these weird little discs that are kind of like natural hard-candies that sort of stick to the sore and melt away. They strangely help a lot and also temporarily help with any pain you might get from rubbing against teeth or whatever too.

Anyway, just thought I’d throw it out there in case they might help. Usually only a pharmacy-type of store will carry these products… i can usually only find them at Walgreens or Rite Aide… I don’t know what they have up in your area…."

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/245154/This-worked-for-me-maybe-will-help-someone-else & My friend Jennifer Price of Much Copywriting.

Heat

Heat: PLEASANT. Heat seems sensible if one is wanting to open the pores/saliva glands, etc., but the only heat I got was from soup and tea.

"I have read a few articles that say apply heat (maybe drink some tea) and rinse your mouth with peroxide once or twice a day. The heat is supposed to open up the ducts that are blocked and relieve the build up of mucus and saliva. "

Source: http://www.lookfordiagnosis.com/faq.php?term=Mucocele&lang=1&from=20

Ice

Ice: RELIEF. Numbs and deadens the sensations of the mucocele, bringing fast relief. Doesn’t seem to actually ‘cure’ it.

Apply ice to the blister area the first moment you feel tenderness or tingling on your lip. Wrap an ice cube in a clean cloth and place on the lip for as long as you can stand it. Remove the ice for about five minutes and reapply at least one more time.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy: UNAPPEALING. Freezing via Dr. Scholl’s Wart Remover. Not my #1 favorite solution, so I didn’t try it myself, but it has potential.

"So the answer is, cryotherapy. There are a lot of successful clinical studies for use of cryosurgery on most types of oral lesions, I have no idea why there isn’t more people that tried this alternative. If these home remedies did not work for you, then certainly try rapidly freezing it. These are the actual steps that I did:

Two sessions of thawing and freezing with Dr. Scholls wart remover. How: I froze it for 30 seconds, then wait a minute, then freeze again for 30 seconds. Swelling will increase 1 – 2 days after cryotherapy, will remain for 2-3 days, will start "sloughing" in 3-5 days, then tissue repair will happen in next 1-4 weeks depending on the size of mucocele. Repeat in 7 days after first treatment if needed."

I did not try this, and only found a couple people who had.

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/3079351/Home-treatment-for-mucoceles-that-works-every-time?page=33

Lancing

Lancing: EXCESSIVE. There are tons of stories of people piercing or lancing their mucocele with a heated, alcohol-sterilized needle, with great relief and success. There are a similar number of stories of how doing this only made things worse.

I always, always, always gravitate towards gentle, natural, non-invasive remedies, and I believe the human body is possibly one of the most miraculous, powerful, mind-blowing creations we interact with — and the same way it can ‘suddenly’ or ‘chronically’ develop ‘issues’, it can similarly suddenly or chronically develop healing and well-being.

Because of this belief, I tend not to experiment with cures that involve willingly cutting, piercing, or acutely damaging the tissues of my body.

"I tried the “Hey just wait it out method”. (I’m too impatient to wait more than a month). That just made it bigger. So using the anger of not being able to see my dentist for another month, I finally popped it. 

Though I may feel relieved right now, I have a bad feeling that it is going to come back just like some of the other users on this forum have said. I’ll be sure to update as the week goes by…

…okay so it has been about a week since i popped it. There is no longer a bump at all and you can’t even notice that anything was there. I recommend popping it on your own before you go and pay money to get it removed."

Source: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/245169/I-finally-popped-it & http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/282758/How-to-pop-it#.VDCgq_l-Tx8

Surgery

Surgery: EXTREME. Basically the same as lancing but done by a ‘professional’. Can be done with a scalpel, razor, or laser. I’ve most often come across accounts of orthodontists, oral surgeons, and ENT (ear-nose-throat) doctors performing the surgery. Lip stitches will be necessary and prices seem to average $600-$800.

"Hey guys, I posted a while back. I tried the alum treatment and the mucocole got smaller but would alway come back. It was driving me nuts so I had it removed on Friday. It wasnt a big deal at all. I got a shot in my lip, which didnt hurt at all, and that all that I felt. About 10-15 minutes I was all done and on the way home. Yes it was pretty swollen for a few hours and my lip a little discolored, but the swelling went down and the color came back fast (within a couple hrs). Also it didnt stay numb for more than a few hours. It is now the third day since my surgery, the swelling is almost gone. I have 3 stitches, but you can hardly see them. Lets just hope it doesnt come back! If you live in Dallas, the doctor I used was great."

Many reports of permanent lip numbness & recurrence are a big turn off for me, as is anything acute & invasive… but maybe it’s a fit for you – there’s lots more to learn here: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/4108446/The-truth-about-removal

Orthotropics

Orthotropics: PREVENTATIVE. Also known as ‘mouth & jaw posture’.

This is more of a preventative, but often mucoceles are caused by accidentally biting one’s lip, or in a malformed mouth, having one’s teeth edge up against the surface of the lip causing lesions.

Dr’s John & Mike Mew have had substantial success helping people realign & reform the bones of their jaw, face, and teeth, creating more room for the teeth, and keeping them well-spaced away from the lips.

Their posture exercises basically boil down to: "Lips together, teeth together, tongue pressed to roof of mouth."

Personally, I tried this, love it, and fully intend to make it a natural habit.

I just started it, but it feels well-worth researching and practicing in order to prevent mucoceles in the future.

Learn more here: http://orthotropics.com/

That’s The Spirit!

Spiritual. Mental. Emotional.

The following cures are less action-based and more mind-over-matter. If you’re not one for running around putting new substances into your mouth, you may want to try the cures below — or even combine them with other cures.

For me, gentle & easy solutions that require minimal action are ideal. It’s what I want. There are some things I like to solve by taking action and doing things; ie: the creative challenges my clients bring to me, but…

…health issues, I’d much prefer to ‘solve themselves’ quickly, easily, and effortlessly. To that end, check out the solutions below:

Pretending

Pretending: PRACTICE. The idea here is to never touch it, play with it, or acknowledge as little as possible. Eat liquids or fast, so that you don’t have to interact with it. Go about your day as best as possible. Don’t give the mucocele any power, don’t dramatize it. Simply accept it as a brief, temporary phase that is on it’s way out. This engages the power of fantasy, and engages your body’s healing powers, turbo-charing the cells by releasing stress, increasing serotonin, dopamine, etc.

Consider: Kids are great at pretending, and they often ‘get what they want.’

I kind of employed this technique myself by default, through my fast and dietary adjustments, and my attitude of putting good, nutritious things in my body like sea salt, honey, yogurt, etc., but NOT attached to curing or fixing anything.

Prayer

Prayer: PRIMAL. Do I really need to say anything about this? Billions of humans, when the chips are down, and they hunger for change, reach out to a ‘higher power’. This includes many, and if we could read people’s thoughts — perhaps all –atheists and agnostics.

I used a next-level version of this based on a process by Robert Scheinfeld from The Ultimate Key To Happiness.

EFT

Emotional Freedom Technique: SURPRISING. More commonly, EFT, this is a ‘finger-tapping’ technique that’s used by many, many, many people with tons of documented results. It’s known to solve a massive list of health issues. It’s related to meridians, similar to acupuncture and shiatsu. Find out more about it here: http://eft.mercola.com/

I tried this once a long time ago, and can`t remember if it helped or not, but I know it relaxed me and improved my general stress levels, so I decided why not — like the other solutions, if it feels good, I do it, and it felt good to acknowledge the situation and my feelings, and it felt good to love myself and admit I’m doing the best I can.

There You Have It.

So there you go, the most clear, comprehensive, in-depth discussion on mucocele cures on the internet (at least at the time of writing: 2014/10/06)

Update: I came across some more proposed cures, namely Milk of Magnesia, Aloe Vera, Black Tea Bag, and Vitamin E, and if you end up with results from these, share them in the comments below.

The next sections will discuss some fine details and mucocele finesse in a more general sense, as well as explain what exactly I did.

My Approach = Shotgun, Bro.

Yep.

The shotgun approach is the one I chose.

• I f***ing wanted my mucocele cured.
• I wanted progress.
• I wanted results.

I wanted to feel better, and I knew that having my lip naturally, healthy and whole, blister-free would be a major help.

And I was willing to try just about anything. Which is good, because the shotgun method is basically "try anything you can and hope something helps/clicks."

I researched cures, I scoured the city for balms, I spent on anything that felt even remotely helpful.

I overlapped some cures. I was inconsistent with some. Intermittent with others.

Chicken With It’s Head Off.

It looked like I was running from cure-to-cure like a chicken with it’s head cut off.

But I did that with good reason.

I believe that all positive results can be felt, and major positive results can be seen.

So trying experience different cures would let me feel and see if there was progress.

I experimented with alum, and felt it’s effects. I could definitely feel it tightening and drying out the mucocele, but it wasn’t pleasant. I stuck with it, dosing for 6+ times a day, for three days straight. And the mucocele only seemed a ‘bit’ smaller.

I no longer felt enthusiastic about alum.

I replaced the alum with salt, with baking soda. Both felt like they performed a similar function, but the himalayan salt I was using seemed to aggravate other parts of my mouth, so I dropped it as well.

I took up tea tree oil, and like the semi-inedible alum above, it was a messy, drool-y affair as I put it on my lip, while aiming not to swallow any.

I kinda hated it.

Messy Cures.

I’m a very clean, ordered, neat person. I believe that the creating is awesome, and that creating elegantly and smoothly is awesome-er. I believe that healing is awesome, but I believe that healing elegantly and smoothly is awesome-er.

And I mean, I have moods and preferences:

Some messes are more welcome than others… eating Ethiopian food, hands-only and splashing champagne on a lovers body or coating one’s face with her delicious nectar… these are cherished messes.

But I got really annoyed at cleaning the bathroom after splashing alum and tea tree everywhere, so I stopped.

Then back to the chaotic forums again — where I read about evening primrose oil, which was said to offer the results of alum, but gentler, and more edible. So I bought some capsules and cracked ’em onto the mucocele. I was pleased, so I kept that up for a few days.

All this time I was barely touching it, eating only organic yogurts/soups/broths/veggie juices and drinking organic lemon water.

• As well I used spiritual cures such as pretending/fantasizing and EFT and prayer and meditation.
• As well, I was taking antibiotics and soothing it with honey.
• As well, I was popping vitamin C and mega-multi-vitamins like they were candy.

Plus I was distracting myself and writing something productive (this article).

So as I saw the mucocele become smaller, less-inflamed, and less fluid-filled, I was thrilled and at the same time, because of my shotgun approach… I couldn’t attribute one specific action to the positive progress and rejuvenation.

And even with this positive progress, I felt I could tap into even faster healing, so I went out and bought some bee propolis and hibiscus tea.

The bee propolis felt the best so far. It felt as intense as tea tree oil or alum, but edible, and without the mess. It was the color of iodine and was sticky, so it kinda made it’s own mess, but only of my teeth and tongue… kinda like eating blueberries.

Lynx offered me some mega-antibiotics usually used before travelling, and I figured they couldn’t hurt, so I took those too.

My mucocele continued to get smaller.

Are you getting the picture?

The shotgun approach works, but it has it’s own drawbacks.

And it’s not exactly J-Ryze level elegance.

Sigh, on to some of the finesse and details and burning questions that sometimes come along with suggested cures 🙂

Detail #1: Pop ‘Em?

OMG, could this issue of "popping blisters" be more controversial? It seems so polarized and divided, and people seem so passionate about their views.

• "NO! NEVER pop them, you’ll get infected."
• "YES! Pop ’em, it’s easy and natural."
• "Just bite the blister! I did and it was a huge relief."
• "I had to keep popping it over and over, and it got more and more sore."
• "Only let a professional pop it."
• "Use a CO2 laser or forget it."
• Etc.

Me? I aim to be open-minded, and choose to sidestep arguments on "the right thing."

Straight up, it’s your body. Really. You do what feels good to you. Lump pushing you to the edge of sanity? Can`t stand it? Fine, then pop it. Or are you at peace and able to ‘let it be’? Then don’t pop it.

Whatever you do, trust your gut, and if you’re unsure, sleep on it and arm yourself with knowledge. Research; google ‘popping blisters properly.’

Learn more on popping blisters: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-blister-treatment

Detail #2: Gentle Foods Vs. Intense Foods.

Spicy, oily, alcohol-filled foods seemed to aggravate my mucocele. While fasting, it’s size and inflammation would reduce, and minimize, and then I’d get happy and jump right back into celebrating and feasting on intense foods: clients treating me to Indian, friends taking me out drinking for my birthday, etc.

Then the mucocele would be giant and angry-looking.

So I took a break from that kind of food for awhile.

I switched to bland, gentle foods.

(Note: I don’t know anything in particular about the interaction of foods with mucoceles, I just know that in my experience, the foods on the right did NOT feel welcome or inviting while I was going through this.)

A few people on the forums talked about avoiding acidic foods, but as far as I know, this is the most specific list anyone’s shared, I hope it helps ease your life.

UPDATE: After expermenting, for me, I found most of the inflammation came from biting or brushing against the mucocele with me teeth as I chewed, and the more soft, liquid foods I ate, the smaller the mucocele got, and the more comfortable I felt.

But it got boring and annoying to just live on the same 5 organic soups, so I started digging deeper.

Ultimately, I put together a longer list of liquid or soft foods, some are filled with protein, others more vitamin/mineral-y, others are sweet and dessert-like – I aimed for a reasonable variety:

• Quiche (delicately, or skip the crust)
• Pumpkin pie (delicately, or skip the crust)
• Organic smoothies
• Scrambled eggs
• Whey protein shakes
• Liquid meal replacements (odwalla, orgain, etc.)
• Organic soups (squash, lentil, carrot, broccoli, potato-leek, split pea, etc.)
• Stew (chew delicately)
• Bone marrow (roasted into a jelly)
• Veggie/fruit juice (eg: Bolthouse farms, booster juice, aloe juice, etc.)
• Hibiscus tea, mint tea, etc. (you could try coffee, but I avoid it just in case).
• Raw honey
• Ice cream
• Hummus (skip the pita, try it on softened olives.)
• Certain soft, unbattered fish
• Water

I also found I could add ‘pizzazz’ and variety by combining items and sprucing things up with herbs and spices.

• Organic yogurt + cinnamon + honey.
• Organic hot chocolate + cinnamon + turmeric + a pinch of himalayan salt.
• Chicken stock drizzled with a beaten egg (‘egg drop soup’)
• Ice cream + organic jam
• Scrambled eggs + softened diced veggies

And of course, an immersion blend can puree just about anything – but I didn’t use this.

Detail #3: Nothing Really Matters…

There’s a strong school of people who believe that none of these cures matter.

They don’t matter because while some people report using the cures for a few weeks or months… many people report the mucocele "going away by itself" after a few weeks or months.

If you knew your mucocele was gonna go away by itself after a few weeks or months, would you wanna run around with an alum-covered lip, holding it out and drooling saliva?

Of course not.

One reason these may "go away" on their own is this:

"Most blisters caused by friction or minor burns do not require a doctor’s care. New skin will form underneath the affected area and the fluid is simply absorbed. Do not puncture a blister unless it is large, painful, or likely to be further irritated. The fluid-filled blister keeps the underlying skin clean, which prevents infection and promotes healing."

Source: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-blister-treatment

Which again, leads towards more mental solutions, possibly stress-related — the mucocele "came out of nowhere… by itself", and it can disappear back into thin air "by itself", no running around necessary. The power of the human mind, body, and emotions are undeniable.

So many possible cures at first seemed annoying to me, but after listening to everyone’s stories, I realized there was some beauty in it.

True Beauty: Unique People, Unique Cures.

So…

Should you pursue cures? Should you leave it be and let it disappear on it’s own?

I asked these same questions of myself, as I felt drained and tired of "trying" cures.

The only answer I came up with was:

The beauty of life is that we’re all unique. What works for one does NOT always work for another. And what works at first isn’t always what works as time goes on.

Maybe trying a bunch of cures was helpful at first, and taking a break next, was what helped most.

There’s no rules, no guarantees, except this: trust your gut. Trust your feelings. Life’s a mystery and an adventure… experiment if you feel inspired to, be easy and drop the subject if inspired to. Check in with yourself moment to moment on how to proceed.

It’s really key that you tune-in to your body. Tune-in to your discomfort. Tune-in to your life.

Many, many people have had "things happen to them", that seem ridiculous or unnecessary at first, and end up inspiring them to some of their greatest works, or opening doors they wouldn’t have had.

Here`s a story to illustrate:

The Story Of The Taoist Farmer

This farmer had only one horse, and one day the horse ran away. The neighbors came to condole over his terrible loss. The farmer said, “What makes you think it is so terrible?”

A month later, the horse came home–this time bringing with her two beautiful wild horses. The neighbors became excited at the farmer’s good fortune. Such lovely strong horses! The farmer said, “What makes you think this is good fortune?”

The farmer’s son was thrown from one of the wild horses and broke his leg. All the neighbors were very distressed. Such bad luck! The farmer said, “What makes you think it is bad?”

A war came, and every able-bodied man was conscripted and sent into battle. Only the farmer’s son, because he had a broken leg, remained. The neighbors congratulated the farmer. “What makes you think this is good?” said the farmer.

As told by Executive editor, Elise Hancock, in the Johns Hopkins Magazine, November 1993, page 2, in section entitled Editor’s Note. 

The sooner you can make peace with your situation, accept it, tune-in to your feelings and move forward with what feels good — whether that be trying every solution I listed, or ignoring them and trying none, or something else entirely — the sooner you’ll make progress.

For example, I never wanted a mucocele, and I felt intensely frustrated at it’s arrival, and I felt anxious every day it remained.

But without it, I never would’ve put together this beautiful compilation of info to help others.

So "thanks, mucocele" <3

Prevent & Represent, Yo.

Many people complain of ‘re-occurrence’, but my suspicion is that they never really healed fully, or that the way their mouth is set up, or the posture while sleeping causes them to abrade and irritate the membrane of their lips.

There’s not a lot of information out there addressing prevention, so here’s what I’ve come up with on my own.

• The most common ways of prevention are:
• Avoid biting, grinding, grating, or damaging your salivary glands
• Maintain a diet rich in skin nourishing nutrients, so your mouths membranes are more resilient. (ie: bone marrow/broth, vitamin e, selenium, collagen, loads of vitamins, minerals etc.)
• Maintain a well-formed and aligned jaw-posture (see orthotropics above – lips together, teeth together, tongue on roof.)
• Practice hearty oral hygiene, rinsing with sea salt or tea tree, balming with honey.
• Relieve stress; breathe easier, enjoy life more -> relieve teeth-grinding/clenching at night.

Just some food for thought, and hopefully a pointer in the right direction, since so many complain of re-occurrence but fail to offer solutions.

Pictures Of Progress.

Unfortunately I didn’t take a thorough documentation of my mucocele’s progress, but there are some others who’ve shared before/afters, and even some videos of the alum process, surgery process, etc.

Check ’em out (beware, kinda gross to some people.)

Pics

• Before – http://s140.photobucket.com/user/cybilransom/media/Photo31.jpg.html
• After – http://s140.photobucket.com/user/cybilransom/media/Photo34.jpg.html
• Taken From: http://lumpinmouth.lefora.com/topic/245157/How-I-got-rid-of-it-using-Listerine

Videos

• Alum Video From Brandon of Pho My Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kXKBDn541s
• Alum Video From Jessica Ramirez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USO0FPSLTmg
• Before/After Surgery Video From Slug0Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qHNvVSU0i8

Wrap-Up

My mucocele lasted almost 3 months, and eventually went away when I relaxed all my all efforts to cure it, except for the bee propolis, and living on a liquid diet so that I never aggravated it. I’m not sure what will work for you, but hopefully reading this has brought you peace of mind, as it has for many of the commenters.

Thanks for reading. I really appreciate it. I poured a lot of love into this ’cause I didn’t want people to feel the frustration I felt when researching my mucocele.

I want you to feel understanding, empowerment, and ease. I want you to feel, if not certain, at least confident moving forward.

You guys rock.

Focus on solutions.

Trust your feelings.

#TogetherWeRyze

P.S. If you have something to share, please do in the comments. I’d love for this to become a home, a fountain of stories and info of mucocele-triumph.