There are days when we are afraid to eat because of the pain we feel when we swallow. Even if we take a sip of water, our throat feels like it is being stabbed, right? There are several reasons for this painful swallowing, or in medical terms, `Painful Swallowing`. Some of them are very simple, but some of them we need to be a little careful about. You can feel this pain inside your mouth, throat, esophagus, or even in the middle of your chest. Let's see what are the common causes that affect this.
Common causes: Colds, flu, and sinus infections
Often, a sore throat when swallowing can be the first sign that you're developing an illness like a cold or the flu. This sore throat can start about a day before other symptoms, such as a runny
nose and cough, appear.
- If you have a cold , all you need to do is drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest. It will get better in a few days.
- If you have the flu , it's a little more severe than a cold. If your body aches and you feel extremely tired, be sure to see your doctor .
- If you have a sinus infection , the mucus that flows from your nose into your throat can cause your throat to become sore and sore from constant clearing . This pain may persist until the infection clears.
Throat infections - let's differentiate and identify them
Sometimes, this pain can be caused by specific infections in the throat. Their symptoms are a little different. Check out the table below to get a better idea.
| Name of the infection | Main symptoms | What to do? |
|---|
| Strep Throat | This is a bacterial infection. It's characterized by a sudden onset of severe sore throat, fever, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Most importantly, there's no cough. | See a doctor immediately. You may need to have a rapid strep test or throat culture done and take antibiotics. |
| Mono | This is a highly contagious disease caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. In addition to a sore throat, it can also cause fever, headache, swollen tonsils, body aches, and extreme fatigue. | This is diagnosed through a blood test. You need to get plenty of rest. Follow your doctor's instructions to ensure there are no complications. |
| Thrush | This is a yeast infection. Symptoms include white patches in the mouth, loss of taste, a lumpy feeling in the mouth, and cracked corners of the lips. People with diabetes, HIV, and those taking certain steroids are at higher risk. | See a doctor and get antifungal medication. |
| Herpes virus (Herpes Simplex Virus) | The first type of this virus (Type 1) causes blister-like sores inside the mouth (and sometimes on the lips) that can hurt when swallowing. | These sores will heal in a few days. But if this is your first time, see a doctor. Avoid eating acidic foods (lemon, oranges). |
| Cytomegalovirus (CMV) | This is a member of the same family of viruses that cause herpes and mono (Cytomegalovirus). Symptoms may include fatigue, body aches, fever, nausea, and vomiting. | This can be serious for someone with a weakened immune system (e.g. HIV, pregnant women). So see a doctor immediately . |
Pain caused by medication or food ingestion
Imagine you took a cold medicine, but only drank a little water, and then you fell asleep. You may feel like you have a sore throat the next day. Some medications, especially some antibiotics (
Doxycycline, Tetracycline ) , potassium pills, and pain relievers (NSAIDs), can get stuck in the throat/food pipe and injure
it . This can also happen if you swallow a piece of food that is sharp or thorny.
Important tip: When taking a pill, always drink at least half a glass of water . Sit upright for at least 10 minutes after taking the pill. If you are taking a medicine that is known to be harmful to the throat, drink a glass of water and do not lie down for 30 minutes.
Conditions like GERD and Crohn's disease
GERD - stomach acid coming up into the throat
Simply put, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is a condition in which stomach acid flows back up the esophagus into the throat. This can cause pain when swallowing. Other symptoms include:
If you have chest pain more than twice a week,
definitely see a doctor and talk about it.
Crohn's Disease
It usually affects the esophagus, but it can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus. Swallowing can also be painful and difficult. If you have difficulty swallowing along with symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach pain, weight loss, and loss of appetite, tell your doctor. You may also need to have an endoscopy to check for any damage to your esophagus.
Cancer and cancer treatments (don't be unnecessarily scared about this!)
First of all,
pain when swallowing is not usually a sign of cancer. So don't be alarmed by this. However, very rarely, this pain can be a symptom of throat or esophagus cancer. As a tumor grows, it can narrow the food passage and make it difficult to swallow.
If you have had this pain with swallowing for a long time, and now feel like you only need to eat small mouthfuls of liquid, please see a doctor without delay.
Also, some cancer treatments, for example, radiation or chemotherapy to the head, neck, or upper chest, can cause damage to the mouth, throat, and esophagus, causing pain when swallowing. This pain usually goes away within a few days after treatment ends.
Take-Home Message
- Pain when swallowing can be caused by anything from a simple cold to something more serious, so don't ignore it.
- If you have a sore throat along with a fever, cough, or runny nose , it's probably a common infection. Get plenty of rest.
- If you have a sudden, severe sore throat accompanied by a fever, but no cough, it could be strep throat. See a doctor immediately.
- Always drink plenty of water when taking pills, and don't lie down after taking them.
- If you have frequent heartburn, it could be a symptom of GERD. Talk to your doctor about this.
- If the pain persists, worsens day by day, or becomes so severe that it is difficult to swallow, please do not speculate and see a doctor immediately.
Painful swallowing, sore throat, odynophagia, GERD, Strep Throat
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