Odinophagy is the name for the pain felt when swallowing food. This ailment may occur on its own or be a symptom of a disease developing in our body. When is odynophagia dangerous? How to deal with it? We invite you to read, during which we will present the most common causes of odynophagia and its detailed symptoms.
Odinophagia – What is it?
Odinophagia is pain you feel when you swallow. Most often, odynophagia is a symptom accompanying the development of various disease states. These include, first of all, inflammation in the area of the mouth, salivary glands, gums, larynx, trachea, pharynx, esophagus or stomach. Each of them can cause odynophagy. Mechanical injuries that disrupt the structure and tissues of the upper respiratory tract or neoplastic diseases can also cause this symptom. In the above cases, the occurrence of odynophagia is a consequence of disease entities occurring in various places in the body. For this reason, odynophagy can be divided into two general subtypes depending on the site of the disease causing it: oesophageal and extra oesophageal odynophagia.
Odinophagia – what diseases can it be a proof of?
In addition, regular pains when swallowing may be a sign of the following health problems:
- Dysphagia, also known as dysphagia. It occurs when it is difficult for the food to pass into the stomach and its intake is painful. Dysphagia can be divided into several subtypes. Among them are: oropharyngeal dysphagia (in the case of problems with the coordination of the oropharyngeal phase), mechanical dysphagia (when an organic obstacle appears in the mouth, throat or esophagus, making it difficult to swallow), functional dysphagia (occurs in states of excessive nervous stimulation, without a clear basis organic nature). Dysphagia may appear as a consequence of mechanical injuries, diseases of the nervous system, Parkinson’s disease, Wilson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, tumors, goiter, Zenker diverticulum or Schatzki’s ring. The most common symptoms of dysphagia are sore throat, a tingling or burning sensation in the chest area, retching, coughing, and a feeling of choking.
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is another disease that causes odynophagia. During it, the food contents in the stomach pass to the higher parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Reflux disease often occurs in the following periods: postpartum, after esophageal surgery, herpes infections. This condition may be due to impaired function of the lower esophageal sphincter, but in many cases the cause of GERD is unknown. Its most common symptoms include: esophageal pain, belching, heartburn, vomiting, and lack of appetite.
- Inflammation around the throat can also cause odynophagia. During them, there is a feeling of intense pain when swallowing. The most common causes of inflammation are viral infections or bacteria such as streptococcus. Throat inflammation is accompanied by other symptoms typical of a severe cold or angina: headache, muscle and joint pain, general fatigue, increased body temperature and intense sore throat when swallowing.
- Esophageal stricture is another possible cause of odynophagia and general swallowing problems. Esophageal stricture may be the result of malformations (congenital stricture of the esophagus) or trauma or inflammation, which leaves the esophagus with scarred strictures (acquired stricture). A narrowing of the esophagus results in pain around the sternum when swallowing, a feeling of tightness in the chest, general problems with swallowing, and drooling.
- Esophageal Achalasia is another symptom of odynophagia. During it, the motor function of the esophagus is disturbed, and the work of individual esophageal sphincters is not coordinated. As a result, symptoms such as heartburn, easy choking, pain in the chest area, and cough may appear.
- Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a rare, tropical parasitic disease. It is caused by the American trypanosome, a protozoan transmitted by, inter alia, bugs. It is most common in South and Central America. The developing Chagas disease can be divided into four stages, during which problems with the proper functioning of the esophagus occur. In the first stage, the shape of the esophagus is not deformed yet, but there is a slight delay in emptying the food from the esophagus. In the second stage, the esophagus widens and its motor and esophageal sphincters are disturbed. In the third stage, the widening of the esophagus increases and the contents of the esophagus begin to accumulate. In the last, fourth stage, the esophagus continues to widen and additionally lengthens. Chagas disease results in hiccups, coughing, wasting of the body, movement of food from the stomach into the upper digestive tract, and odynophagy.