Painful swallowing is relatively typical. People of all ages may experience it. This symptom has numerous possible causes. Difficulty swallowing in addition to pain is normally a symptom of an infection or an allergy. See your doctor if the pain is severe or if it hinders consuming, drinking, or breathing.
Common Causes why Hurts to Swallow on Right or Left Side of Throat
The most common causes of painful swallowing are:
- the acute rhinitis
- the flu
- chronic cough
- throat infection
- heartburn
- tonsillitis
Other possible causes of painful swallowing consist of:
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck
- a throat injury
- an ear infection
- swallowing large tablets
- poorly swallowing jagged food, such as chips or crackers
In unusual cases, painful swallowing can show specific types of cancer, such as esophageal cancer.
What are possible complications?
Conditions that cause throat hurts to swallow can lead to complications such as:
- chest infections
- getting worse bacterial or viral infections
- a loss of taste, which may be temporary or long-term
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck, which may make it tough to turn your head or to lean your head back
Other Symptoms That May Happen if You Have an Infection
You might experience the following symptoms in addition to painful swallowing if you have an infection:
- a fever
- chills
- a headache
- a dry cough
- sweating
- red, irritated tonsils
When to Call Your Doctor
Call your child’s pediatrician if they experience the following symptoms in addition to painful swallowing:
- difficulty breathing
- hurts to swallow on left side
- hurts to swallow on right side
- an unusual or significant quantity of drooling
- a visibly swollen throat
Go to the health center immediately if you’re an adult and experience the following symptoms:
- problem opening your mouth
- issues swallowing
- extreme throat pain that gets worse
- problem breathing
Schedule a consultation with your doctor if your painful swallowing occurs in addition to any of the following:
- blood when you cough
- symptoms that last one week or longer
- a hoarse voice that lasts longer than two weeks
- joint pain
- a swelling in your neck
- a rash
Constantly call your doctor if you’re experiencing other symptoms that worry you.
Diagnosing the Cause of Painful Swallowing
When visiting your doctor, make certain to discuss every symptom you’re experiencing. You must also tell them if any symptoms are new or worsening. Describing all your symptoms will help your doctor identify the root cause of your pain.
If a health examination isn’t really adequate to identify a diagnosis, your doctor may buy specific tests, such as the following:
- A blood test called a complete blood count measures the amount of various types of blood cells in your body. The results can help your doctor determine whether your body is eradicating an infection triggered by a virus or bacteria.
- MRI and CT scans can produce detailed images of your throat, enabling your doctor to look for any problems. These imaging tests may likewise be used to discover the existence of growths in the throat.
- A throat swab culture includes taking a sample of mucus from the back of your throat. This test can check for the existence of specific kinds of organisms in the throat that could cause an infection.
- A sputum culture consists of acquiring a sample of sputum, or phlegm, and screening it for the existence of particular organisms. This simple, painless test can help your doctor figure out whether an infection is causing your painful swallowing.
Barium swallow test
A barium swallow test includes a series of X-rays of your esophagus. You get the X-rays after you swallow a special liquid containing a safe element called barium. Barium temporarily coats your esophagus and shows up on an X-ray, permitting your doctor to trace the path of your food. The barium swallow test can reveal your doctor whether food is taking a trip from your mouth to your stomach properly.
Treatment for Hurts to Swallow on Right or Left Side of Throat
Treatment for painful swallowing can vary depending upon the cause of the pain. Your doctor will likely recommend antibiotics to relieve infections of the throat, tonsils, or esophagus. Your doctor may offer you a mouthwash that can numb your throat while you take oral antibiotics. This numbing agent helps to block any pain you may feel when swallowing the tablet. For severe pain, a throat spray can help numb the pain. Your doctor may likewise prescribe anti-inflammatory medications to minimize inflammation in the esophagus, throat, or tonsils.
If you frequently experience painful swallowing due to repeating tonsillitis or if your tonsillitis does not respond to medication, your doctor may suggest surgery to eliminate your tonsils. This surgery is called a tonsillectomy. It’s an outpatient procedure, which implies you can go home the very same day as the surgery. You and your doctor can discuss your dangers and determine whether a tonsillectomy is proper for your condition.
Home Remedies for Hurts to Swallow on Left Side of Throat
Over-the-counter (OTC) antacids may eliminate swelling in the esophagus due to acid reflux. However, your doctor will recommend medications that are particularly developed to provide relief from symptoms if you have chronic heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Taking OTC antacids sometimes isn’t sufficient to relieve the symptoms of GERD.
Other treatments you can try at home include the following:
- Drink lots of fluids. Aside from keeping you hydrated, drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day also soothes and moistens your throat.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of water, and then gargle it in the back of your throat. This assists to ease swelling and pain.
- Drink warmer liquids, such as warmer water or tea mixed with honey, to ease swelling and hurts in the throat.
- Avoid substances that are known to irritate your throat. These consist of irritants, chemicals, and cigarette smoke.
Breathe in wet air
A humidifier is a device that converts water to moisture that gradually fills the air. A humidifier enhances the humidity in a room. Breathing in this wet air can relieve throat inflammation and offer relief from a sore throat. Taking a hot shower also has a comparable result.
Attempt organic lozenges and teas
Though they haven’t been clinically shown to reduce sore throats, natural lozenges and teas can minimize throat pain. Examples include sage, licorice root, and honeysuckle flower. You might able to discover these at your regional pharmacy or natural food store.
What you can do now
Try OTC medication and home remedies to ease your pain. You might have an infection or temporary disease that you can treat efficiently in your home. Nevertheless, you need to call your doctor if your pain ends up being more severe or if your pain does not go away within three days. You ought to also contact your doctor if you’re experiencing any other symptoms that concern you.
Wash your hands frequently and to prevent sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses with other individuals to prevent spreading out any possible infection. Staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest are also vital for guaranteeing your recovery.
Recently (not for the first time) I went to the doctor about a “throat infection” (but the previous time was ages ago). Lately I’ve been coughing a lot more than typical, I seem to have a continuous tickle that never ever slows down, and some periodic wheezing. My throat, in my opinion, looks red on one side – however not the tonsil, simply the area around it – I have no idea what that part’s called – I suppose just part of the soft taste buds. I have a slightly sore throat, but the itch is much even worse than the pain – if anything the pain’s a minor ache, but not continual, and I have a hoarse voice.
But the scariest thing is food has started getting stuck part way down – constantly the very same side.
When it occurs, I can neither swallow the stuck bit nor cough it up, although I can feel it there. If I drink lots and lots of water, it seems to eventually go, and I expect I should have swallowed it, however frequently there’s still a feeling of something there for some time later on – potentially because it has really scratched the passages, and I can feel the pain rather than an actual obstruction.