Table of Contents
- Overview
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Swallowing - pain or burning; Odynophagia; Burning feeling when swallowing
Home Care
Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly. If a person suddenly shows signs of choking and difficulty breathing, the
You may have an easier time swallowing liquids or pureed foods than solids. Avoid very cold or very hot foods if you notice that they worsen the problem.
Call your health care provider if
Call your health care provider if you have:
- Blood in your stools or your stools appear black or tarry
- Shortness of breath or lightheadedness
- Weight loss
Call if the problem continues, even if the symptoms come and go.
Tell your doctor 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
- Weight loss
- Wheezing
What to expect at your health care provider's office
The doctor will examine you and ask questions 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 the throat?
- Have you inhaled or swallowed any irritating substances?
- What other symptoms do you have?
- What other medical problems do you have?
- What medications do you take?
The following tests may be done:
-
Barium swallow and upper GI series Chest x-ray - Esophageal pH monitoring (measures acid in the esophagus)
- Esophageal manometry (measures pressure in the esophagus)
-
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) - HIV testing
- Neck x-ray
- Throat culture
Review Date: 10/20/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of
Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San
Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)

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