Contents:
- Medical Video: Overcoming Painful Swallowing: David's Story
- What is odynophagia?
- What are the symptoms of odynophagia?
- What causes pain when swallowing?
- So, what is the right treatment for this condition?
- Consumption of medicines
- Operation
- Pay attention to the food and drinks you consume
Medical Video: Overcoming Painful Swallowing: David's Story
Have you ever experienced pain when swallowing food or drinks? This condition is known as odynophagia. In cases that are not too severe, this pain usually resolves on its own. However, in some conditions, this can be caused by a health problem.
What is odynophagia?
Odynophagia is a medical term that describes pain when swallowing. This swallowing disorder can occur in the mouth, throat, or esophagus when swallowing food, drinks, and saliva. Pain when swallowing is often associated with various health conditions so that the treatment given depends on the cause.
Often odynophagia is equated with dysphagia, when in fact both are different conditions. Dysphagia is a condition when a person has difficulty swallowing. As with odynophagia, dysphagia is also associated with various causes and treatment depends on the underlying health problem. It looks almost the same, in some cases both can occur together due to the same cause, can also occur separately.
What are the symptoms of odynophagia?
The characteristics of odynophagia can occur in the short and long term. These characteristics or symptoms include:
- Heat like burning, mild to severe pain that pierces in the area of the mouth, throat, or esophagus when swallowing.
- The pain gets worse when swallowing dry food, although in some cases liquid and solid foods can also cause the same pain.
- Food intake is reduced, causing weight loss.
- Fluid intake is reduced, causing the body to lack fluids (dehydration).
However, when odynophagia is caused by an infection, the signs that appear are such as fever, pain and pain, fatigue, and a feeling of unhealthiness that generally occurs.
What causes pain when swallowing?
Odynophagia is sometimes caused by mild conditions, such as flu. If this happens, the pain when swallowing will usually disappear by itself over time. When the flu has healed, usually the pain when swallowing will also disappear.
In addition, odynophagia can also be caused by other medical conditions, namely:
- Inflammatory infections - an infection that causes inflammation of the mouth, throat, or esophagus caused by tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils), pharyngitis, laryngitis and esophagitis.
- Gastric Acid Reflux (GERD) - occurs when stomach acid rises into the esophagus, causing prolonged pain.
- Ulcers or ulcers - especially in the area of the mouth, throat, or esophagus. This can be caused by physical trauma, surgical injuries, untreated GERD disease, and long-term use of inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.
- Candida infection - Fungal infections of the mouth will spread to your throat and esophagus.
- Esophageal cancer - tumors that develop in the esophagus to become cancer can cause pain when swallowing. The causes vary, from smoking, alcohol abuse, to stomach pain that does not heal. Someone who is attacked by this disease will feel pain in the chest or back when swallowing.
- Weakened immune system - especially in people with HIV / AIDS and those who are undergoing radiotherapy or other cancer treatments.
- Consumption of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs can irritate the mouth, throat, and esophagus, which eventually causes pain when swallowing.
- Drink beverages that are too hot or cold in a long time it can affect the mucous layer in the esophagus.
So, what is the right treatment for this condition?
The treatment plan for odynophagia depends on the cause of each. Consult your doctor for the best information according to your condition.
Consumption of medicines
Some pain when swallowing can be treated with medication, depending on the condition. For example anti-inflammatory drugs for people with inflammatory pain and painkillers.
Operation
In cases caused by esophageal cancer, doctors can recommend surgery to remove cancer cells if possible.
Pay attention to the food and drinks you consume
It's best to avoid consuming alcohol and tobacco first because these substances can irritate your throat and esophagus. Don't forget to eat soft food and chew food for longer so it doesn't hurt too much when swallowing.
