2023-10-18 02:21:53
In most cases, swallowing difficulties are caused by a cold or viral infection. Depending on the cause, there are different ways of treating it.
It scratches and burns in the throat, it hurts to swallow and the whole throat feels thick. If swallowing difficulties occur, it is very unpleasant for those affected. But in most cases, pain when swallowing is harmless and just a sign of a cold. You can read here what causes difficulty swallowing, when you should go to a doctor if you have the symptoms, and what options there are to get rid of the pain.
Pain when swallowing: causes and symptoms
A person swallows around 2,000 times a day. In the vast majority of cases, this happens completely unconsciously – unless the process is associated with pain. Classic symptoms are:
Scratchy throat Pain on one side or both sides Tightness Feeling of a lump in the throat Frequent but harmless swallowing Pain in the esophagus when food goes into the stomach
Since swallowing is a complex neuromuscularly mediated process involving, among other things, 26 pairs of muscles, there are different causes of pain when swallowing.
The most common reasons for pain when swallowing are viral infections. These include throat infections such as inflammation of the throat (pharyngitis), tonsillitis (tonsillitis, angina tonsillaris, tonsillopharyngitis) and inflammation of the larynx (laryngitis). A flu-like effect or illnesses caused by viruses such as influenza or rhinoviruses can also lead to difficulty swallowing. Bacterial infections are less likely to be responsible.
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The causes of pain when swallowing can also include environmental influences such as smoking, and allergies can also cause difficulty swallowing. Difficulty swallowing occurs more frequently in winter because various viral infections are common during this season and the air in the room is drier due to heating. This year the wave of colds is also stronger than in previous years.
According to that Robert Koch Institute (RKI) A sore throat when swallowing can also be a sign of a coronavirus infection. The pain can also last long after the illness. If you have further symptoms of a corona infection, you should take a rapid corona test.
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Rarely, the following diseases can also cause pain when swallowing:
Narrowing of the esophagus, for example due to a tumor, dysfunction of the gastric sphincter (with heartburn), an enlarged thyroid, neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, genetic defects that lead to inadequate development of the throat muscles, and mental illnesses
Problems swallowing: Swallowing disorder
If you have difficulty swallowing, you can swallow normally – apart from pain. If this is not the case, it is referred to as a swallowing disorder, medically also known as dysphagia. Since numerous organs in different places are involved in swallowing, dysphagia can have many causes. The swallowing disorder can occur in the mouth and throat or in the esophagus area.
According to the German Interdisciplinary Society for Dysphagia, around five million people in this country are affected by a swallowing disorder. A doctor or speech therapist must decide whether dysphagia is present and how it can be treated. Possible treatments include head posture, muscle exercises, speech therapy training or medication and surgery. The medical lexicon MSD Manual also emphasizes that swallowing disorders should not be confused with the feeling of a “lump in the throat”, which only causes the feeling of an impaired swallowing process.
Home remedies for pain when swallowing: what you can do
Before using medication to combat swallowing difficulties, it is worth trying home remedies.
Drink a lot: Anyone who is sick should drink a lot. The throat should be kept moist with at least two liters of fluid per day. This supports the mucous membrane in cleaning itself and defending itself against pathogens. This works best with still water or tea. In addition to hydration, herbal tea has a soothing and calming effect on an irritated throat. Sage, lime, chamomile, mallow, elderberry, ribwort plantain and marshmallow are considered particularly effective. A hot lemon also relieves inflammation and also provides the vital vitamin C.
Gargle: A salt solution has an antibacterial effect and helps to ward off pathogens in the mouth and throat. To do this, dissolve about half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Tip: You can also gargle with the tea, which relieves the pain.
Neck wrap: Cooling neck wraps also work if you have a sore throat. To do this, place a cloth soaked in lukewarm or cool water on your neck and wrap a dry cloth over it. By cooling, the wraps help reduce swelling in the neck. After about 15 minutes, the wrap can be reapplied.
Pain when swallowing: medications and medical treatment
If you are sick for a long time and do not get any relief from home remedies, you can first try over-the-counter medication. There are different preparations – depending on the specific symptoms. For this you should seek advice directly from the pharmacy.
If the pain when swallowing lasts for a long time and occurs in combination with other symptoms of the disease – such as fever, severe cough, shortness of breath, headache or skin rash – it is strongly advisable to visit a doctor’s office. After an examination, the doctor then decides how the symptoms should be treated. Patients with severe symptoms of tonsillitis can be started with a broad-spectrum antibiotic (e.g. amoxicillin/clavulanic acid), writes the medical lexicon MSD Manual.
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