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Swallowing involves many muscles and nerves in the mouth, throat, and food pipe. Many people will experience pain when swallowing at to the lowest degree in one case in their lives. The medical term for painful swallowing is odynophagia.

Information technology is ofttimes possible to place the cause of pain when swallowing past looking at the specific symptoms.

Depending on the cause, these may include sharp or irksome pain in the jaw, pharynx, chest, or nutrient pipe. The hurting may merely affect i side of the throat and can modify when a person breathes deeply.

In this commodity, we accept a closer expect at the causes and symptoms of painful swallowing. We also look at how to relieve the pain.

Several illnesses and conditions that lead to infection, inflammation, and obstruction of the throat, mouth, or food pipe can crusade discomfort swallowing.

Depending on the cause, additional symptoms are often present. The post-obit causes tin can lead to painful swallowing:

Strep throat

Woman drinking water and having pain when swallowing
Strep pharynx, epiglottitis, and esophagitis are some possible causes of hurting when swallowing.

Throat infections are one of the most mutual causes of pain when swallowing. These include strep throat, which is an infection with Streptococcal bacteria.

People with strep throat may also discover:

  • swollen, tender lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck
  • pain in the soft palate
  • ruby spots on the soft palate
  • fever
  • white patches on the tonsils

Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is an infection and inflammation of the tonsils, which are 2 lymph nodes at the back of the pharynx. Tonsillitis is a common crusade of painful swallowing.

Tonsillitis is a contagious condition. Viruses or bacterial infections, including strep throat, can cause tonsillitis.

If the pain when swallowing is due to tonsillitis, people may as well detect:

  • swollen tonsils
  • white or yellow spots on the tonsils
  • bad breath
  • tender jaw or cervix
  • fever

Epiglottitis

Epiglottitis is a pharynx infection that causes inflammation of the epiglottis, which is the flap in the back of the throat that prevents food from going down the windpipe.

In addition to pain when swallowing, typical symptoms of epiglottitis include:

  • difficulty swallowing, known as dysphagia
  • a loftier fever
  • drooling
  • a preference for sitting leaning forward

A yeast infection

Yeast infections in the oral cavity, throat, or food pipe can also atomic number 82 to discomfort swallowing. Yeast is a type of fungus that tin grow out of command if the conditions inside the body change in a way that promotes yeast growth.

A bacteria called Candida is a mutual cause of yeast infections.

Additional symptoms might include:

  • loss of taste
  • white patches on the natural language
  • redness in the corners of the mouth

Esophagitis

The food pipe, also called the esophagus, is the pipe that carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach. Esophagitis is inflammation of the esophagus.

The most common cause of esophagitis is gastric reflux disease, which is a condition that allows stomach acrid to flow back up the food pipe.

Certain medications and allergic reactions tin can also cause esophagitis.

Esophagitis can cause the post-obit symptoms alongside painful swallowing:

  • chest pain
  • stomach pain
  • a hoarse voice
  • coughing
  • heartburn
  • nausea

Throat injury

Although less common than other causes, an injury to the pharynx can also atomic number 82 to pain when swallowing.

Eating or drinking something that is also hot can burn the inside of the pharynx or food pipe. People can likewise scratch or cutting the dorsum of their throat when eating a cracker or chip that has a sharp edge.

Depending on the location and extent of the injury, in that location may merely be pain on one side of the pharynx or farther downwards in the nutrient piping.

differential blood test paperwork from lab being filled out by gloved hand next to blood sample vials
A doctor may use a blood exam to diagnose hurting when swallowing.

An accurate diagnosis is vital to treat pain when swallowing. Doctors may recommend various tests to make a diagnosis. Later on reviewing a person's medical history and carrying out a physical exam, they may perform the following diagnostic tests:

  • Throat culture. During a throat culture, the dr. removes a sample of mucus from the pharynx with a cotton swab. They test this mucus to determine whether or not information technology contains any organisms that might be causing an infection.
  • Claret tests. Blood tests, including a white blood cell count, help the dr. determine if an infection is present.
  • Barium swallow. A barium swallow is a special type of X-ray of the nutrient pipe. Before taking the Ten-ray, the doctor will ask the individual to drink a liquid containing barium. The barium volition reveal the pathway that the nutrient takes from the oral cavity to the tum.
  • CT scan. Doctors use CT scans to create images of the throat. These aid the doc identify any abnormalities, such as tumors, in the throat or food piping that might cause painful swallowing.

Handling for hurting when swallowing generally depends on the cause.

Medication is the standard treatment for certain types of infection. Doctors unremarkably recommend antifungal medications to treat yeast infections and antibiotics to care for bacterial infections, including strep throat.

When people have recurring tonsillitis, or it does not reply well to medication, a doctor may recommend removing the tonsils in a procedure chosen a tonsillectomy.

lady drinking hot drink
Sipping warm drinks can provide curt-term relief.

People tin can employ the following home remedies for brusque-term relief from painful swallowing:

  • Taking anti-inflammatories. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) tin can reduce swelling and inflammation in the rima oris, throat, and nutrient pipe, making information technology easier and less painful to consume.
  • Taking antacids. Over-the-counter (OTC) antacids are effective for reducing pain that results from acid reflux.
  • Using throat sprays. Throat sprays can numb the throat and make swallowing easier and less painful. These are bachelor OTC or online.
  • Gargling with salt water. Common salt water may decrease inflammation and brand swallowing less painful. Mix viii ounces (oz) of warm h2o with 1 teaspoon (tsp) of common salt and gargle this solution several times a day.
  • Sipping warm drinks. Warm drinks, such every bit herbal tea, may help decrease pain. Avert making the liquid also hot, or it tin can burn the throat.
  • Taking a hot shower. The steam from a hot shower may assistance to decrease any inflammation responsible for painful swallowing.
  • Avoiding alcohol and tobacco. Substances in alcohol and tobacco can irritate the soft tissue of the oral cavity, throat, and food pipe.

Painful swallowing often resolves in a few days, especially if it occurs due to a cold. However, in some cases, professional medical help is necessary to make up one's mind the cause and provide handling.

It is best to consider seeing a doctor if the following circumstances apply:

  • the crusade of pain when swallowing is unknown
  • the pain has lasted more than a week or is getting worse
  • in that location is a patch of white spots in the back of the pharynx

Information technology is as well of import to recognize when painful swallowing can be a sign of a medical emergency. A person should seek firsthand medical care if pain when swallowing occurs alongside:

  • swelling of the throat
  • difficulty breathing
  • problems opening the mouth
  • unusual drooling

Although information technology can be uncomfortable, hurting when swallowing is typically only temporary. Depending on the cause, painful swallowing often goes away in a few days.

For example, if the pain is due to a common cold, information technology usually resolves inside a week.

If a bacterial or fungal infection is causing the hurting, treatment is usually successful. In the meantime, people can use home remedies to manage their symptoms and reduce discomfort.

Shop FOR HOME REMEDIES

All of the products in this article are available in pharmacies and online.

  • ibuprofen
  • antacids
  • throat sprays

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