Odynophagia is pain when swallowing.[1][2] The pain may be felt in the mouth or throat and can occur with or without difficulty swallowing.[3] The pain may be described as an ache, burning sensation, or occasionally a stabbing pain that radiates to the back.[4] Odynophagia often results in inadvertent weight loss. The term is from odyno- 'pain' and phagō 'to eat'.
| Odynophagia | |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | |
| Specialty | Gastroenterology |
Causes
editOdynophagia may have environmental or behavioral causes, such as:
- Very hot or cold food and drinks (termed cryodynophagia when associated with cold drinks, classically in the setting of cryoglobulinaemia).
- Taking certain medications
- Using drugs, tobacco, or alcohol[3]
- Trauma or injury to the mouth, throat, or tongue[5]
It can also be caused by certain medical conditions, such as:
- Ulcers
- Abscesses
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Inflammation or infection of the mouth, tongue, or throat (esophagitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, epiglottitis)[6]
- Oral or throat cancer[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "odynophagia". The American Heritage Science Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ "Medical Definition of Odynophagia". MedicineNet. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ a b Schiff, Bradley A. (January 2016). "Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders: Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ Allan B. Wolfson, ed. (2005). Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine (4th ed.). pp. 307–8. ISBN 0-7817-5125-X.
- ^ Scully, Crispian (2008). "Chapter 14: Soreness and ulcers". Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine: The Basis of Diagnosis and Treatment (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. pp. 131–139. ISBN 978-0-443-06818-8.
- ^ Mayo Clinic Staff (8 August 2016). "Epiglottitis Symptoms". Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ "Search results for: Odynophagia". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
External links
edit
Quotations related to Odynophagia at Wikiquote
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