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Painful swallowing

Show Alternative Names
Swallowing - pain or burning
Odynophagia
Burning feeling when swallowing, dysphagia

Painful swallowing is any pain or discomfort while swallowing. You may feel it high in the neck or lower down behind the breastbone. Most often, the pain feels like a strong sensation of squeezing or burning. Painful swallowing may be a symptom of a serious disorder.

Considerations

Swallowing involves many nerves and muscles in the mouth, throat area, and food pipe (esophagus). Part of swallowing is voluntary. This means you are aware of controlling the action. However, much of swallowing is involuntary once it starts.

Swallowing - Animation

The structures involved with the process of swallowing include the tongue, teeth, epiglottis, and esophagus. The teeth are used to grind and chop up food into tiny pieces, while the glands in the mouth moisten the food with saliva. In the first stage of swallowing, the tongue pushes the food into the throat. In the second stage of swallowing, an important small flap of tissue called the epiglottis, folds over the voice box (larynx) at the entrance to the windpipe (trachea), preventing food from going down the wrong way. In the final stage, the esophagus contracts and moves food toward the stomach.

Problems at any point in the swallowing process (including chewing, moving food to the back of the mouth, or moving it to the stomach) can result in painful swallowing.

Swallowing problems can cause symptoms such as:

  • Chest pain
  • Feeling of food stuck in the throat
  • Heaviness or pressure in the neck or upper chest while eating

Causes

Swallowing problems may be due to infections, such as:

Swallowing problems may be due to a problem with the esophagus, such as:

Other causes of swallowing problems include:

  • Mouth or throat ulcers
  • Something stuck in the throat (for example, fish or chicken bones)
  • Tooth infection or abscess

Home Care

Some tips that may help you to ease swallowing pain at home include:

  • Eat slowly and chew your food well.
  • Eat pureed foods or liquids if solid foods are hard to swallow.
  • Avoid very cold or very hot foods if they make your symptoms worse.

If someone is choking, immediately perform the Heimlich maneuver.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Contact your health care provider if you have painful swallowing and:

  • Blood in your stools or your stools appear black or tarry
  • Shortness of breath or lightheadedness
  • Weight loss

Tell your provider about any other symptoms that occur with the painful swallowing, including:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Heartburn
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sour taste in the mouth
  • Wheezing

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

Your provider will examine you and ask about your medical history and symptoms, including:

  • Do you have pain when swallowing solids, liquids, or both?
  • Is the pain constant or does it come and go?
  • Is the pain getting worse?
  • Do you have difficulty swallowing?
  • Do you have a sore throat?
  • Does it feel like there is a lump in your throat?
  • Have you inhaled or swallowed any irritating substances?
  • What other symptoms do you have?
  • What other health problems do you have?
  • What medicines do you take?

The following tests may be done:

Review Date: 8/7/2023

Reviewed By

Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

References

Allen CT, Nussenbaum B, Merati AL. Acute and chronic laryngopharyngitis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 61.

DeVault KR. Symptoms of esophageal disease. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 13.

Pandolfino JE, Kahrilas PJ. Esophageal neuromuscular function and motility disorders. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 44.

Wilcox CM. Gastrointestinal consequences of infection with human immunodeficiency virus. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 35.

Disclaimer

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Swallowing - Animation

This side view of the head highlights structures involved with swallowing. That includes the tongue, teeth, epiglottis, and esophagus.

The teeth grind and chop food into tiny pieces while the glands in the mouth moisten it with saliva.

Then the tongue pushes the moistened food, or bolus, to the back of the throat and down into the esophagus, which leads to the stomach.

Let's watch the swallowing process again.

First, the tongue pushes the food into the throat.

Next, the epiglottis, a small but important flap of tissue, folds over the voice box at the top of the windpipe. This keeps food from going down the wrong way.

Finally, the esophagus contracts and moves food toward the stomach.

Burp! Excuse me.

 

Swallowing - Animation

This side view of the head highlights structures involved with swallowing. That includes the tongue, teeth, epiglottis, and esophagus.

The teeth grind and chop food into tiny pieces while the glands in the mouth moisten it with saliva.

Then the tongue pushes the moistened food, or bolus, to the back of the throat and down into the esophagus, which leads to the stomach.

Let's watch the swallowing process again.

First, the tongue pushes the food into the throat.

Next, the epiglottis, a small but important flap of tissue, folds over the voice box at the top of the windpipe. This keeps food from going down the wrong way.

Finally, the esophagus contracts and moves food toward the stomach.

Burp! Excuse me.

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
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