10 Incredible Home Remedies for Swallowing Problems You Should Know

10 Incredible Home Remedies for Swallowing Problems You Should Know

Many muscles and nerves in the mouth, throat and esophagus are involved in swallowing. Many people experience pain when swallowing at least once in their life. The medical term for painful swallowing is odynophagia.

The cause of swallowing pain can often be determined based on the specific symptoms.

Depending on the cause, this can be sharp or dull pain in the jaw, throat, chest, or esophagus. The pain can also affect only one side of the throat and change with deep breathing.

In this article we will take a closer look at the causes and symptoms of difficulty swallowing. We also look at how to relieve the pain.

Causes of pain when swallowing

Various diseases and conditions that cause infections, inflammation, and blockages in the throat, mouth, or esophagus can cause difficulty swallowing.

Depending on the cause, additional symptoms often occur. The following causes can lead to painful swallowing:

Streptococci

Streptococci, epiglottis and esophagitis are possible causes of pain when swallowing.

Throat infections are one of the most common causes of pain when swallowing. These include streptococci, an infection with streptococcal bacteria.

People with strep throat may also notice the following

• geschwollene, empfindliche Lymphknoten auf einer oder beiden Seiten des Halses
• Schmerzen im Gaumen
• rote Flecken auf dem Gaumensegel
• Fieber
• weiße Flecken auf den Mandeln

Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is an infection and inflammation of the tonsils, two lymph nodes in the back of the throat. Tonsillitis is a common cause of painful swallowing.

Tonsillitis is a contagious disease. Viral or bacterial infections, including strep throat, can cause tonsillitis.

If the pain when swallowing is due to tonsillitis, it can also manifest itself:

• geschwollene Mandeln
• weiße oder gelbe Flecken auf den Mandeln
• Schlechter Atem
• schmerzhafter Kiefer oder Hals
• Fieber

Epiglottis inflammation

Epiglottitis is a throat infection that causes inflammation of the epiglottis, i.e. h. the valve at the back of the throat that prevents food from entering the windpipe.

In addition to pain when swallowing, the typical symptoms of epiglottis include:

• Schluckbeschwerden, bekannt als Dysphagie
• hohes Fieber
• sabbern
• eine Vorliebe für nach vorne gebeugtes Sitzen

A yeast infection

Yeast infections in the mouth, throat, or esophagus can also cause difficulty swallowing. Yeast is a type of fungus that can grow uncontrollably when conditions in the body change in a way that encourages yeast growth.

A bacteria called Candida is a common cause of yeast infections.

Other symptoms can include:

• Verlust des Geschmacks
• weiße Flecken auf der Zunge
• Rötung in den Mundwinkeln

Esophagitis

The esophagus, also called the esophagus, is the tube that carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach. Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus.

The most common cause of esophagitis is gastric reflux disease, in which stomach acid flows back into the esophagus.

Certain medications and allergic reactions can also cause esophagitis.

In addition to painful swallowing, esophagitis can cause the following symptoms:

• Schmerzen in der Brust
• Magenschmerzen
• eine heisere Stimme
• Husten
• Sodbrennen
• Übelkeit
• Reizung des Rachens

diagnosis

A doctor may do a blood test to diagnose pain when swallowing.

An accurate diagnosis is crucial for treating swallowing pain. The doctor may recommend various tests to make a diagnosis. After taking a medical history and a physical examination, the doctor may perform the following diagnostic tests:

Throat swab

During a throat test, the doctor takes a sample of mucus from the throat using a cotton swab. He examines this mucus to see if it contains organisms that could cause an infection.
Blood tests. Blood tests, including white blood cell counts, help the doctor determine whether an infection is present.

Barium swallow examination

A barium swallow exam is a special type of x-ray of the esophagus. Before taking the x-ray, the doctor will ask the person to drink a liquid containing barium. The barium provides information about the route of food from the mouth to the stomach.

CT scan

The doctor can use computer tomography (CT) to create images of the throat. These help the doctor identify abnormalities such as: B. To detect tumors in the throat or esophagus that could cause difficulty swallowing.

Treatment

Treatment for pain when swallowing generally depends on the cause.

For certain types of infections, medications are the standard treatment. Doctors typically recommend antifungals to treat yeast infections and antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, including strep throat.

If tonsillitis recurs or does not respond to medication, the doctor may recommend removing the tonsils (tonsillectomy).

home remedies

The following home remedies can provide short-term relief from swallowing problems:

Taking anti-inflammatory drugs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce swelling and inflammation in the mouth, throat, and esophagus, making swallowing easier and less painful.

Use of throat sprays

Throat sprays can numb the throat and make swallowing easier and less painful. They are available without a prescription and online.

Gargle with salt water

Salt water can reduce inflammation and make swallowing less painful. Mix 250 ml of warm water with 1 teaspoon of salt and gargle this solution several times a day.

Warm drinks

Warm drinks, e.g. B. Herbal tea, can help relieve the pain. Make sure the liquid is not too hot, otherwise it can burn your throat.

Take a hot shower

The steam from a hot shower can help reduce the inflammation that causes painful swallowing.

Avoid alcohol and tobacco

The substances contained in alcohol and tobacco can irritate the soft tissues in the mouth, throat and esophagus.

When to see a doctor

Painful swallowing often goes away within a few days, especially if it occurs due to a cold. However, in some cases, professional medical attention is required to determine the cause and provide treatment.

You should see a doctor in the following cases:

• die Ursache der Schluckschmerzen ist unbekannt
• die Schmerzen dauern schon länger als eine Woche an oder werden schlimmer
• im hinteren Teil des Rachens befinden sich weiße Flecken

It's also important to recognize when painful swallowing may be a sign of a medical emergency. A person should see a doctor immediately if pain while swallowing also occurs:

• Anschwellen des Rachens
• Atembeschwerden
• Probleme beim Öffnen des Mundes
• ungewöhnlicher Speichelfluss

Although the pain when swallowing can be uncomfortable, it is usually only temporary. Depending on the cause, difficulty swallowing often disappears within a few days.

For example, if the pain is due to a cold, it usually disappears within a week.

If a bacterial or fungal infection is the cause of the pain, treatment is usually successful. In the meantime, those affected can use home remedies to relieve symptoms and reduce discomfort.

The following articles may also help you as they look at the same topic from a different light:

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