Odynophagia: 8 Reasons It Hurts to Swallow

Odynophagia is defined as pain in the mouth, throat, or esophagus while swallowing. Sometimes the pain is caused by something relatively harmless such as a pill going down the wrong way. However, at other times odynophagia can last several weeks or longer and may be a symptom of a more serious health condition. Please continue reading to learn about some medical conditions that can cause odynophagia.

Does odynophagia mean painful swallowing?

Yes, odynophagia means painful swallowing. The pain can be felt in your mouth, throat, or esophagus (food pipe or the tube that connects your mouth and stomach). It can occur when you swallow while eating or drinking and also when you swallow saliva. Odynophagia usually occurs due to esophageal problems but can also be a symptom of more widespread health problems in the body. It is a symptom worth investigating and should not be ignored.

Why does it hurt to swallow and hard to swallow?

The medical term for painful swallowing is odynophagia. The medical term for difficulty swallowing is dysphagia. Odynophagia and dysphagia are not the same, although they sometimes occur together. Certain medical conditions can cause odynophagia and dysphagia at the same time. Some conditions cause only difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) without any pain. Others cause painful swallowing (odynophagia) without any difficulty swallowing. It is important to be evaluated by a medical professional to identify and treat the underlying cause of your symptoms.

Why am I finding it painful to swallow?

Exposure to irritating substances such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, cleaning products, or toxic chemicals can cause a sore throat and painful swallowing.

Various health conditions can also cause painful swallowing. Some of them are easily treatable. However, odynophagia can be a symptom of a more serious health condition. Possible causes of painful swallowing include:

Strep throat

This is the most common cause of odynophagia or painful swallowing. This is a bacterial infection that causes a sore throat, a hoarse voice, and painful swallowing. Other symptoms include swollen glands in the neck, fever, headache, and body aches. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic if your throat swab and throat culture show strep throat. Additional treatment with throat sprays and over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can provide relief from symptoms.

Common cold, flu, and sinus infection

Upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold, flu, or sinus infections can cause a sore throat, which can cause painful swallowing. This is usually accompanied by symptoms such as a runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, fever, and fatigue. Treatment for these viral illnesses consists of getting plenty of rest, drinking warm liquids, and eating softer foods to avoid irritating the throat further until the infection clears.

Tooth infection

A dental abscess is an infection in the pulp (inner tissues) of a tooth. It can cause severe stabbing pain in the affected tooth, redness, swelling, sensitivity to hot and cold foods, and bad breath. In a severe case, the infection can spread, and you can develop a fever, find it difficult to open your mouth, and feel pain while swallowing.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Chronic acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD) occurs due to a backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus. This is typically brought on by eating acidic foods or spicy foods. It can cause symptoms such as a burning sensation in the upper chest, nausea, vomiting, sour taste in the mouth, a feeling of food stuck in the throat, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and pain when swallowing (odynophagia).

Both over-the-counter and prescription-strength medications are available for the treatment of GERD, including antacids (Tums, Mylanta, Rolaids), H2 blockers (Tagamet HB, Pepcid AC, Axid HR), and proton pump inhibitors (Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium).

Candida infections

Candida is a yeast (fungus) infection. Fungal infections of the mouth, throat, and esophagus with Candida are also called oral thrush or oropharyngeal candidiasis. Esophageal candidiasis is common in people who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Other risk factors for oral candidiasis include wearing dentures, health conditions like diabetes or cancer, smoking, dry mouth, and taking certain medications such as antibiotics and corticosteroids, especially inhaled steroid medicines for asthma.

Symptoms of Candida infections include redness, soreness, white patches in the mouth and throat, cracking of the corners of the mouth, a fuzzy feeling in the mouth, loss of taste, and pain when swallowing.

Treatment for mild to moderate Candida infections consists of topical antifungal medications such as miconazole, clotrimazole, or nystatin applied inside the mouth for 7-14 days. Severe infections may be treated with oral or intravenous fluconazole.

Esophagitis

People with a weakened immune system can develop esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus). For example, people living with HIV/AIDS, those with conditions like diabetes or blood cancers (leukemias or lymphomas), and people taking chemotherapy drugs or immunosuppressant medications. Viruses such as cytomegalovirus, human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus, and fungi like Candida can cause esophageal inflammation in such individuals. Symptoms of esophagitis may include difficulty with swallowing, painful swallowing, sores in the mouth, oral thrush, fever, and chills. Treatment depends on the underlying cause.

Crohn’s disease

This is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. When Crohn’s disease affects the esophagus, it can cause chest pain, dysphagia, odynophagia, vomiting, and weight loss.

Esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Symptoms usually occur when the disease is advanced and may include difficulty and pain with swallowing (dysphagia and odynophagia), chest pain or pressure, heartburn (a burning sensation in the chest), coughing, hoarseness, and unexplained weight loss. If you have persistent symptoms of painful swallowing with or without other symptoms, make an appointment to see your healthcare provider.

What tests are done for painful swallowing?

To find out what is causing painful swallowing, your healthcare provider will obtain a medical history, perform a thorough physical examination, and order blood tests and imaging studies, such as a barium swallow, if needed.

The gold standard for diagnosis of odynophagia is endoscopy. This is done with an instrument called an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera attached. It allows your doctor to directly visualize your esophagus and find out what’s going on.

What is the treatment for odynophagia?

The treatment for odynophagia depends on the underlying cause. It may consist of medications, such as antibiotics, antifungal medicines, antiviral medicines, or GERD medicines. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy may be recommended if there is a tumor.

It is important to seek a professional medical opinion if you have odynophagia (painful swallowing), as it can be a sign of something serious. If left untreated, odynophagia can lead to avoiding foods, which can lead to complications such as weight loss, dehydration, and malnutrition.

If your doctor rules out serious underlying health conditions, you may find relief from odynophagia (painful swallowing) by eating soft food and cold food and drinking cold drinks until the pain feels less intense.

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