Sore throat when swallowing? could be a symptom of odynophagia!

Odynophagia is a disorder that causes the throat to feel sore when swallowing. This condition is caused by many things ranging from sore throat, allergies, acid reflux disease to respiratory tract infections.

In addition, the cause of a sore throat when swallowing can also come from a disturbance in the tonsils, salivary glands, or esophagus, which is part of the upper digestive tract. Pain in the throat does not only occur when you swallow food, but also when you speak or open your mouth.

Odynophagia may go away on its own, but it can last a long time if the cause is a chronic health problem. The intensity of the pain that is caused also varies, depending on what is the cause.

The difference between odynophagia and dysphagia

Often times odynophagia is confused with dysphagia, even though they are two different conditions. A person with dysphagia will find it difficult to swallow food, for example, after swallowing, the food rises up again or the food seems stuck in the throat.

Meanwhile, when someone experiences odynophagia they can still swallow food and drink as usual, it's just accompanied by pain.

Both can occur at different times or simultaneously. Therefore, a person can experience difficulty swallowing which is also accompanied by pain in the throat.

Dysphagia can occur on a daily basis over a long period of time. This is what causes the effects of dysphagia to be more serious. Dysphagia can cause coughing and choking when swallowing.

What are the signs and symptoms of odynophagia?

Odynophagia causes a sensation of pain, stinging, and a lump in the throat making it difficult to swallow. However, this swallowing disorder can also cause discomfort that is felt in the mouth and throat when you eat food or drink.

The discomfort caused by odynophagia can prevent you from wanting to eat or drink. Therefore, it is likely that someone who experiences swallowing pain is more at risk of experiencing dehydration or being underweight.

Symptoms of odynophagia can vary depending on the underlying condition. When the cause of a sore throat to swallow is an infection, symptoms can include fever, fatigue, aches, and aches in the muscles and joints.

In general, signs or symptoms of odynophagia include:

• Burning or burning sensation in the throat
• Pain in the area of ​​the mouth, throat or esophagus when swallowing
• The pain gets worse when you swallow food
• Parts of the throat, such as the tonsils, look red and swollen
• Mild to high fever
• Ear pain
• The neck is swollen, painful or stiff
• Cough
• Excess saliva production
• Sleep disorders such as snoring or snoring
• White or yellow spots on the tonsils
• Hoarseness
• Heartburn and nausea

When should you see a doctor for painful swallowing?

If you start to feel uncomfortable due to pain when swallowing, you should immediately consult a doctor. Moreover, if you also experience the following symptoms:

• Difficulty opening your mouth
• Sore throat that gets worse
• Difficulty breathing
• Coughing up blood
• Joint pain
• There is a lump on the neck
• Skin rash appears
• Hoarseness for more than two weeks
• Symptoms last for a week or more

If left untreated, odynophagia and the health problems that cause it can lead to complications. Dehydration and the impact of lack of food intake can lead to malnutrition and anemia.

Causes sore throat when swallowing

Pain when swallowing is usually a symptom of a throat problem, infectious disease, or allergic reaction.

There are many causes of difficulty swallowing, ranging from minor disorders to more serious illnesses. The severity of the symptoms and the length of time they last determine how dangerous the cause of odynophagia is.

The University Hospital Freiburg study describes some of the common conditions and diseases that cause sore throat symptoms when swallowing:

• Respiratory tract infection which includes diseases such as colds, flu, pneumonia, COVID-19, and diphtheria.
• Sores or boils, especially in the mouth, throat, or esophagus. This can be caused by physical trauma and injuries from surgery.
• Candida infection that is, a yeast infection of the mouth will spread to your throat and esophagus.
• Viral and bacterial infections which causes sore throat due to sore throat (pharyngitis), inflammation of the vocal cords (laryngitis), inflammation of the epiglottic valve (epiglottitis), and inflammation of the tonsils (tonsillitis).
• Consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs can irritate the mouth, throat, and esophagus, eventually causing painful swallowing.
• Gastric acid reflux (GERD) which occurs when stomach acid rises into the esophagus, causing inflammation (esophagitis).
• Esophageal cancer is a tumor that develops in the esophagus (esophagus) to become cancerous and can cause pain when swallowing.
• Weak immune system - especially in people with HIV / AIDS and those currently undergoing radiotherapy or other cancer treatments.
• Peritonsil abscess which is a complication of inflammation of the tonsils that causes pus to form in the tonsils.
• Side effects of HIV drugs in cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation can also cause sore throat when swallowing.
• Drinking drinks that are too hot or cold over a long period of time can affect the mucus lining in the esophagus.

Overcoming sore throat when swallowing

Odynophagia is caused by many things, so there are several ways to treat it. Here are a few things you can do:

• Treat the distraction that is causing the pain. Most cases of odynophagia are caused by infection and GERD. Well, antacid drugs can overcome this condition.
• Take inflammation medicine to relieve odynophagia due to inflammation around the throat. Antibiotic treatment is needed if the inflammation is caused by a bacterial infection.
• Avoid irritants which can attack the digestive tract such as cigarette smoke and alcohol.
• Eat foods that are soft in texture such as porridge, soup, and others when the throat hurts when swallowing.
• Chew food longer, until it is easy to swallow.
• Do not drink or eat in excess of temperature, for example, too hot or too cold.
• Use temporary pain relievers like a throat spray (cooling spray).
• Operation it may be necessary in more serious cases such as chronic tonsillitis, damage to the vocal cords, and esophageal cancer.

In more serious cases, such as odynophagia caused by chronic disease, you need other treatments such as using a feeding tube so that the body can still get nutritional intake.

Without an obvious cause such as a chronic disease, sore throat when swallowing that appears suddenly and lasts a long time requires a doctor's examination to determine the cause. Immediately consult and do medication when the pain makes it difficult for you to eat and breathe.