Ulimi (kusuka ku-Latin lingua) yisitho esihambayo esitholakala emlonyeni futhi sinemisebenzi eyinhloko yenkulumo nokudla.

Ukwakheka. Ulimi lwakhiwe yimisipha eyi-17, engaphakathi nengaphandle, enemithambo yegazi ngokweqile, embozwe ulwelwesi lwamafinyila. Ulimi lunezinzwa, izinzwa nezimoto.

 Mayelana no-10cm ubude, ulimi luhlukaniswe izingxenye ezimbili:

- Umzimba, ingxenye ehambayo nebonakalayo, eyakhiwe izingxenye ezi-2 ezincane: ingxenye ye-pharyngeal, etholakala ngemuva komlomo kanye nengxenye ye-buccal, evame ukubhekwa njengolimi. Lesi sakamuva simbozwe nge-papillae futhi sinamathele phansi komlomo yi-frenulum (²).

- Impande, enamathiselwe ethanjeni le-hyoid, kwi-mandible nakuleveli ye-puck, eyingxenye ehleliwe efihlwe ngaphansi komzimba.

Indima yokunambitha. Ulimi ludlala indima enkulu ekunambithekeni ngenxa yemifino yokunambitha yolimi. Ezinye zalezi zinhlayiya zokunambitha zinamamukeli okunambitha ukuhlukanisa ukunambitheka okuhlukile: okunoshukela, okunosawoti, okubabayo, okumuncu kanye ne-umami.

Iqhaza ekuhlafuneni. Ulimi lwenza kube lula ukuhlafuna ukudla, okwakha i-bolus, ngokukuhlanganisa futhi kukuphushele ngasemazinyweni (2).

Indima yokugwinya. Ulimi lunendima ebalulekile ekugwinyeni ngokucindezela i-bolus yokudla emuva komphimbo, ku-pharynx (2).

Iqhaza enkulumweni. Ngokuvumelana nomphimbo nezintambo zezwi, ulimi lufeza indima ethile ekuphenduleni umsindo futhi luvumela ukuphuma kwemisindo ehlukahlukene (2).

Izilonda zodaka. Ingaphakathi lomlomo, futhi ikakhulukazi ulimi, kungaba indawo yokubonakala kwezilonda ze-canker, okuyizilonda ezincane. Izimbangela zazo zingaba ziningi njengokucindezelwa, ukulimala, ukuzwela kokudla, njll. Kwezinye izimo, lezi zilonda zesisu zingakhula zibe yi-aphthous stomatitis lapho zivela ziphindeka (3).

Ama-glossites. I-Glossitis yizilonda ezivuthayo ezenza ulimi lube buhlungu futhi lwenze ukuthi lubonakale lubomvu. Zingaba ngenxa yokutheleleka kohlelo lokugaya ukudla.

Ukutheleleka kwefungal. Ukutheleleka ngemvubelo yomlomo izifo ezibangelwa ukhunta. Kutholakala ngokwemvelo emlonyeni, lesi sikhunta singanda ngokuphendula izici ezihlukahlukene futhi sibangele ukutheleleka.

IGlossoplegia. Lokhu ukukhubazeka okuvame ukuthinta uhlangothi olulodwa kuphela lolimi kubangele ubunzima ekuphimiseni.

I-Tumor. Kokubili izicubu ezinobungozi (ezingelona umdlavuza) nezibi (ezinomdlavuza) zingakhula ezingxenyeni ezihlukene zolimi.

Prevention. Ukuhlanzeka komlomo kahle kungasiza ekuvimbeleni izifo ezithile zolimi.

Ukwelashwa. Ngokuya ngesifo, ukwelashwa ngama-antifungal, ama-antibiotics noma uyinki we-antiviral kungabekwa.

Ukwelapha okuhlinzwa. Ngomdlavuza wolimi, kungahlinzwa ukuze kususwe isimila.

I-Chemotherapy, i-radiotherapy. Lezi zindlela zokwelashwa zingabekelwa umdlavuza.

Ukuhlolwa komzimba. Ukuhlolwa kwesisekelo solimi kwenziwa kusetshenziswa isibuko esincane ukuze kuhlolwe isimo saso, ikakhulukazi umbala wolwelwesi lwaso lwamafinyila. Ukushaywa kolimi nakho kungenziwa.

Ukuhlolwa kwe-imaging yezokwelapha. I-x-ray, i-CT scan, noma i-MRI ingenziwa ukuqedela ukuxilongwa.

Kusashiwo nanamuhla, imephu yolimi, ebala ukunambitheka ngakunye endaweni ethile yolimi, iyinganekwane nje. Ngempela, ucwaningo, ikakhulukazi olukaVirginia Collins, luye lwafakazela ukuthi ama-buds okunambitheka akhona kuma-buds okunambitha angabona ukunambitheka okuhlukile. (5)