Why Is It Hard to Swallow? Understanding Dysphagia and Painful Swallowing

If you literally bite off more than you can chew, it may feel like a challenge to swallow everything. Or if you’re talking or laughing just as you take a gulp of water, it can sneak down the “wrong pipe.” There’s nothing unusual about these occurrences. Certainly nothing that would send you to the doctor.

Regularly finding it challenging, or even painful, to swallow solids or liquids can represent a more serious medical issue.

What Is Dysphagia? Common Symptoms of Swallowing Difficulties

Difficulty swallowing falls under a general medical term known as dysphagia. It can be caused by a wide range of issues, but it applies to anything that causes you to think: “Something is up with my swallowing.” Among the symptoms:

• You feel like you have food stuck in your throat or chest.
• It takes extra effort – multiple swallows – to get your food down.
• You cough or sputter while trying to swallow liquids.
• You experience pain in your throat while swallowing. Technically, this is known as odynophagia.
• You notice unexpected weight loss.

Experiencing dysphagia can be a jarring experience. Like breathing, swallowing is one of those bodily functions you don’t really think about – until you have difficulty doing it.

What Causes Difficulty Swallowing? (Physical vs. Psychological)

You may not put much thought into your swallowing, but your body puts a great deal of effort into this seemingly simple function. A breakdown anywhere along that “assembly line” can change the ease in eating.

In some instances, dysphagia may be a psychological problem rather than a physical one. You might, for example, have a serious choking episode while eating or drinking. This could cause you to develop anxiety and fear about swallowing, even though there may not be a physical problem. It could take months to move past the trauma of the original choking event and understand that it was just an unfortunate one-time thing.

There are also many potential physical issues that can affect your alimentary tract. This includes all the organs through which your food travels, such as your mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and intestines. Among the potential culprits:

• Neurological disorders: Diseases like Parkinson’s commonly create changes in throat strength and the coordination needed for swallowing. Dysphagia is often an early symptom of such neurodegenerative conditions.
• Cancer therapy: Treatments for head, neck and thoracic cancers can lead to swallowing problems. Radiation therapy, for example, can cause functional changes in the throat, esophagus, mouth and lungs.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Stomach acid that backs up into the esophagus can create tissue changes and narrowing of the lower portion of the organ.

When To See a Doctor for Dysphagia and Swallowing Issues

With many medical conditions, there can be value in waiting for a bit to see if your body recovers on its own. For example, if you are getting over a cold and have a sore throat, it’s not unusual for your swallowing to feel a little off.

But if you are otherwise healthy and are dealing with swallowing issues, it is never too soon to bring the issue to the attention of your doctor and start down the path to identifying a cause.

But when it comes to swallowing issues, it’s never too soon to bring the issue to the attention of your doctor.

Keep in mind that with so many potential causes of dysphagia, it may take some time to get an accurate diagnosis. Getting a handle on the root cause often requires the work of a multidisciplinary team covering the systems included in your alimentary tract.

Once a cause is identified, treatment for dysphagia can take many forms. Some cases can be solved through procedures that address a narrowing or abnormality. Other surgeries may also be recommended to improve your safety in swallowing. In some instances, there may be no way to entirely resolve the underlying issue. Working with a swallowing therapist can improve swallowing and lead to strategies to reduce the impact of your dysphagia.

This content is not AI generated.