Chest pain when swallowing is a common gastroenterological symptom, since in all cases it indicates the development of a certain pathological process that affects an organ of the gastrointestinal tract such as the esophagus. The most common cause of this symptom is spasm of the esophagus, but specialists from the gastroenterological field identify much more provocative factors that are pathological in origin.
Etiology
It has already been indicated above that chest pain when swallowing is provoked by disorders of the esophagus. As a result, we can say that the following diseases of this human organ become provoking factors:
- Esophageal spasm, which can be segmental and diffuse. In the first case, the pathology of smooth muscle activity is noted throughout its entire length. The second situation is characterized by too strong contraction of the musculature of the organ in a particular area. This means that food at some point will not be able to spread further.
- Damage to the mucous layer of the esophagus by an inflammatory or erosive process.
- Hernia of the diaphragm of the esophagus.
- Dyskinesia of the organ. What other causes of chest pain in the middle can be?
It:
- Achalasia of the cardia.
- Scar formation on the sphincter.
- GERD.
- Esophageal ulceration.
- Perforation of the wall of this organ.
- The formation of cancer, rarely benign.
- Injury to the body of a foreign object that got into it.
- The course of the peptic form of esophagitis. The causes of chest pain in the middle should be determined by the doctor.
- Spontaneous organ rupture - this can happen against the background of sphincter dysfunction, provoked by central nervous system diseases or severe alcohol intoxication or the restraint of the urge to vomit.
- Thermal or chemical burns of the mucous membrane of the esophagus.
Pathogenesis
The pathogenesis of the appearance of chest pain during swallowing is based on the fact that a lump of food moves along the esophagus due to the specific coordination of the movements of the organ tube. If such an automatic process for the human body is violated for one of the reasons mentioned above, the products will pass with certain difficulties or accumulate in any part of the esophagus. In turn, this will cause stretching and due to its appearance of pain.
In the event that such a deviation is a consequence of a certain pathology, it will not be enough to drink water to stop the violation. In addition, in some situations, this can make the pain more intense.
Symptomatology
Overwhelming chest pain when swallowing is the first clinical symptom that indicates the development of a particular disease.
The specificity of this symptom lies in the focus - soreness in the sternum is very often perceived as a symptom of vascular and heart pathologies. At the same time, patients turn to a cardiologist for help, and also undergo the necessary diagnostic measures. A completely different disease progresses in the body at this time.
Additional clinical picture
The most common symptoms of esophageal spasm, which complement the clinical picture of the fact that the patient is painful to swallow, are:
- Heartburn and belching.
- Discomfort and burning in the area behind the sternum.
- Irradiation of pain in the area between the shoulder blades and the heart. Much less common is the spread of discomfort to the upper limbs and back, ears and jaw.
- If a person swallows food ingredients, the dysphagia is associated only with solid food, however, as the situation worsens, even fluid does not pass through the esophagus tube, which can cause depletion.
- Sore throat and cough.
- The main symptom acquires a permanent character, significantly amplifies during eating.
- Pathological redness of the face.
- Excessive salivation and flatulence.
- Paroxysmal vomiting and nausea.
- In vomit, the presence of pathological impurities, for example, blood, can sometimes be noted.
- Stool disorder - patients especially often complain of constipation, in rare cases, diarrhea or alternation of such manifestations.
- Prolonged fever.
- Temperature rise.
- Discomfort in the epigastrium.
- Aversion to food - this very often happens in relation to dairy products, meat and fatty dishes.
- Shortness of breath - along with heart pains, forces patients to consult a cardiologist, not a gastroenterologist.
The symptoms listed above do not mean at all that the clinical picture will be characterized only by such manifestations. Depending on the etiology factor, some of them may be secondary.
For chest pain when swallowing, which doctor should I go to?
When a person felt pain during swallowing, this is a characteristic gastroenterological symptom.
Pain occurs due to spasm of the esophagus. A lump of food moves through the organ due to a certain coordination of the movements of the esophagus tube. If a process violation occurs, the product will pass with certain difficulties or accumulate in one of the departments of the body. In turn, this will cause it to stretch, and the result will be the appearance of a pain syndrome.
Certain ulcerative pains can radiate to the sternum, and often even emergency doctors take a person with suspected heart attack, but in fact he has an ulcer.
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus (esophagitis) gives burning pains and symptoms of spasm of the esophagus to the chest area. A distinguishing feature here may be a history of chronic gastritis, that is, familiar and long-standing pains that have become more pronounced, intense, they are usually associated with food. It can be pain immediately after eating, when hydrochloric acid enters the inflamed stomach, resulting in burning pains.
In which cases an x-ray of the esophagus and stomach is prescribed, many are interested. Let's figure it out.
Diagnostic Methods
To determine the causes that caused pain behind the sternum, a whole range of diagnostic measures is required. Thus, a comprehensive examination includes:
- acquaintance with the history of human disease;
- collecting the patient’s history for a lifetime;
- thorough physical examination;
- diagnostic endoscopic procedures;
- a detailed survey of the patient - to determine the severity of the main symptom and the presence of additional manifestations;
- CT and ultrasound;
- general analysis of urine and blood;
- esophagotonokimografiya and sounding;
- microscopic examination of feces;
- X-ray of the esophagus and stomach with and without contrast medium;
- fluoroscopy and manometry;
- daily pH meter and biopsy;
- gastroscopy and esophagoscopy.
Only after studying the results of the diagnostic procedures, the specialist will draw up an individual tactics for treating the disease, which caused the appearance of pain in the chest when swallowing.
Treatment
Although there are many predisposing factors, the treatment of chest pain when swallowing can be stopped by the following main methods:
- drug use - it can be sedatives, painkillers, antacids, calcium antagonists, restorative medicines and medicines aimed at eliminating additional symptoms;
- compliance with a sparing menu - assigned to absolutely all patients with gastrointestinal diseases;
- physiotherapeutic procedures, including drug electrophoresis;
- excision of benign or malignant neoplasms;
- expansion of the esophagus through bougienage;
- chemotherapy;
- the use of traditional medicine methods is possible under the strict supervision of the attending physician.
The question of the application of a specific therapeutic technique in any case is decided individually with each patient.
So, it’s difficult for a person to swallow food. What is the forecast?
Prevention
To prevent pain during swallowing, including during meals, specific preventive measures have not been created. Nevertheless, patients are advised to follow a few general simple rules. These include:
- maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle;
- drawing up a balanced, correct and enriched with all the necessary substances diet for the body;
- avoidance of physical and emotional overwork;
- the use of only such drugs that are prescribed by the attending physician, while the duration of treatment and the daily norm are strictly observed;
- if possible, avoid trauma to the esophagus with foreign objects or from the outside;
- several times a year, you need to undergo a full examination for prevention in a medical institution, be sure to visit a gastroenterologist.
Forecast
The result of chest pain during swallowing depends on the disease that triggered them. But since they are a specific symptom that makes the patient go to the doctor, treatment is often started on time, which allows you to get positive predictions. However, one must remember that any etiological factor has its own complications.
We examined what to do with chest pain when swallowing.