Why does my chest hurt when I swallow?

Since ancient times, food has been the most important thing for people. Three meals a day are the best time for the human body to replenish energy. However, some people experience chest pain when swallowing. Studies have found that this occurs due to diseases such as reflux gastritis, esophagitis, and pneumothorax. In order to better treat the disease, the cause must be determined first, and then symptomatic treatment should be given. In addition, the diet should be mainly light and liquid food, and spicy and irritating foods should be avoided.

1. Chest pain when eating or reflux gastritis

Reflux gastritis has symptoms of burning or pain behind the sternum, in addition to heartburn, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting, bleeding, anemia, etc. These can serve as auxiliary conditions for patients to judge the disease. The symptoms of reflux gastritis are more obvious when eating. So, chest pain may just be minor chest wall pain or stomach acid, but it may also be caused by certain medical conditions.

2. Chest pain when eating or esophageal inflammation

The main symptoms of esophageal inflammation are heartburn, pain and difficulty in swallowing, and pain behind the sternum. When esophagitis is severe, it can cause esophageal spasm and esophageal stenosis, a "choking" feeling when swallowing food, and even vomiting. Generally, bleeding from esophagitis is mild, but it may also cause vomiting of blood or black stools (tarry stools). There are four types of esophagitis classified according to their causes, and their symptoms are also different. It is impossible to accurately identify them based on surface symptoms. The right way is to see a doctor for examination and symptomatic treatment.

3. Chest pain when eating or pneumothorax

Pneumothorax is related to the respiratory tract and esophagus. The muscles in that part are affected when swallowing, so chest pain when eating may be a symptom of pneumothorax. There are many causes of pneumothorax, and different causes have different symptoms. Some are caused by strenuous exercise, such as weightlifting, or even excessive force during defecation. Some are caused by other diseases, such as chronic emphysema. There is also spontaneous pneumothorax in the elderly that occurs with age, etc. Therefore, this is not a simple disease, and it is quite complicated when classified in detail.