Celery is making my tongue NUMB... is this normal?

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jr1985
jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Raw celery has always made my tongue feel numb, which is why i rarely eat raw celery... cooked celery like in soups generall doesn't bother me though... but for lunch I had 2 bowl of pepperoni soup, which I had put a LOT of celery in... and 2 hours later my tongue is still numb and my whole mouth is a little tingly... I can't decide if it was the celery or that there was a decent amount of sodium in the soup... but while high sodium can give me a headache it generally doesn't make my tongue numb... Is this a normal reaction to celery or so I have a slight allergy or something? Help! Thanks
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Replies

  • jmeadows1999
    jmeadows1999 Posts: 1
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    no
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
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    I'd never heard of this but just googled "tongue lightly numb celery" - evidentially, it's quite common!

    http://www.finecooking.com/item/14463/numbing-celery
  • crysmiss86
    crysmiss86 Posts: 67 Member
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    Probably not. I wouldn't recommend eating it until talking to your doctor about it. Or google it. They might have some information.
  • seansquared
    seansquared Posts: 328 Member
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    You need to check with a medical professional.
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
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    As far as I k.ow not normal, may want to speak to your doctor about it just in case...
  • tandroes
    tandroes Posts: 163 Member
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    i think this has happened to me, but i've never thought much of it... and i don't remember it lasting so long
  • MayhemModels
    MayhemModels Posts: 367 Member
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    For years people have recognized the natural effects of celery in "calming the nerves." Celery. In fact in the 1897 Sears Catalog the company offered a nerve tonic made from celery. And before that Hippocrates (the father of medicine) noted that celery calms the nerves. Celery is high in calcium and it is widely recognized for its medicinal effects.

    Most likely the numbing effect you're noticing is from the Eugenol in the celery. It is the same compound found in higher concentrations in cloves.

    Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_raw_celery_make_the_mouth_feel_numb#ixzz1LtB1mqip
  • Perfectlycrooked
    Perfectlycrooked Posts: 275 Member
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    OH! I totally know what you mean :P maybe your celery is starting to go bad, or it wasn't ready yet.
    Trust me, I know how you feel :P
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
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    You probably just have a little allergy. I am allergic to a lot of berries. They make my tongue hurt a little. I still eat them :).
    Celery on the other hand makes me gag... so maybe you should just stop. LOL
  • therobinator
    therobinator Posts: 832 Member
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    Celery does not have enough nutrition to be worth this. Talk to your doctor about allergy testing.
  • JennMuc
    JennMuc Posts: 70
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    haha, I was always told it was normal (but most of the responders say it's not...I dunno). This happens to me too, but it's worse when my celery is old. But when it happens to me it never lasts that long. Maybe ask your doc just in case?
  • thunt1990
    thunt1990 Posts: 157 Member
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    The same things happens to me but it usually happens when my celery is getting old. It doesnt usually last too long maybe like half an hour. Try to drink lots of water, it helps
  • msenior
    msenior Posts: 171 Member
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    I made celery juice with carrots today, its lovely. You should try it
  • TaushasJourney
    TaushasJourney Posts: 143
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    This happens to me too! If it bothers you, don't eat it, but I don't believe it will cause you any harm if you to want to keep eating it. I've never had any other problems from celery except the numb tongue.
  • freerange
    freerange Posts: 1,722 Member
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    Did you try not biting down on your tongue while eating? :) Oh stop it, I was kidding, never heard of this before, but I guess it is common.
  • JayCrome
    JayCrome Posts: 2
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    Just don't eat it.. there are plenty of other vegetables you could put in your soup.
  • redhead91
    redhead91 Posts: 251
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    For years people have recognized the natural effects of celery in "calming the nerves." Celery. In fact in the 1897 Sears Catalog the company offered a nerve tonic made from celery. And before that Hippocrates (the father of medicine) noted that celery calms the nerves. Celery is high in calcium and it is widely recognized for its medicinal effects.

    Most likely the numbing effect you're noticing is from the Eugenol in the celery. It is the same compound found in higher concentrations in cloves.

    Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_raw_celery_make_the_mouth_feel_numb#ixzz1LtB1mqip

    This is true. I'm in dental school and we use a solution made from celery and cloves to numb the mouth before giving stitches or shots. It's a normal reaction, but yours seems to be elevated. Please don't eat celery if it bothers you this much! It's definitely bot worth it :)
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
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    Thanks for all of your help guys! I did google it before I posted it, and read everything from articles saying that it was completely normal and fine, to it being very uncommon, to articles saying that if it does make your tongue numb that you are allergic, but that it was just a very common, generally basically harmless allergy - like swelling up after a mosquito bite. Not sure what to believe... but considering it has now been 3 hours, my tongue is still numb and my face is now itchy... I think I'll be avoiding celery from now on, just not worth it, whether it ends up being normal or not :) Thanks for your help though!
  • hamncheese67
    hamncheese67 Posts: 1,715 Member
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    Interesting. I have the same type of thing happen when I eat pineapples and until recently didn't realize that it was unusual.
  • kathyhull
    kathyhull Posts: 327 Member
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    I've always had that problem and people have laughed at me, saying celery can't make your tounge numb, so I thought I was a littel nuts. Glad to know I'm not the only one - I just don't eat raw celery (don't like the strings either) but it's ok chopped in cooked foods. There are plenty of other vegies out there to make up for not eating celery.

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