Glossitis of the tongue in iron deficiency anemia has been described as diffuse or patchy atrophy with tenderness or burning. One cause of iron deficiency anemia is sideropenic dysphagia (Plummer–Vinson or Paterson–Brown–Kelly syndrome) which is also characterized by esophageal webbing and dysphagia. Pernicious anemia is usually caused by autoimmune destruction of gastric parietal cells. Parietal cells secrete intrinsic factor which is required for the absorption of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency results in megaloblastic anemia and may present as glossitis. The appearance of the tongue in vitamin B12 deficiency is described as "beefy" or "fiery red and sore". There may be
Social construction of the body Social construction of the body The social construction of the body is a hypothesis that affirms that the relationship between the body and the socio-cultural context occurs in both senses, and that society and culture influence the formation of its members to some extent. The body has become a social construction, in whose delimitation have participated multiple disciplines. Thus, medicine and religion can be mentioned as the agents that have traditionally influenced, together with the rules of urbanity and educational institutions. These four agents have been building a model, which every individual has as reference. According to Bryan S. Turner,