What's wrong with having a brief left chest pain when swallowing something?
Dec 05, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Tian Hongbo
Introduction
Pain in the left chest upon swallowing may be related to eating habits, reflux esophagitis, intercostal neuralgia, or similar conditions. When eating, frequently swallowing large amounts of food without thorough chewing can cause discomfort in the left chest during swallowing. It is recommended to chew food thoroughly before swallowing and to eat smaller meals more frequently.
Left-sided chest pain upon swallowing may be related to eating habits, reflux esophagitis, intercostal neuralgia, or other conditions.
1. Eating habits: Frequently swallowing large amounts of food without thorough chewing during meals can cause discomfort in the left chest when swallowing. It is recommended to chew food thoroughly before swallowing and to eat small, frequent meals.
2. Reflux esophagitis: In patients with reflux esophagitis, bile and gastric acid flow backward from the stomach into the esophagus and throat, causing brief left-sided chest pain when swallowing. Under a doctor's guidance, medications such as omeprazole enteric-coated capsules and mosapride citrate tablets may be taken orally for treatment.
3. Intercostal neuralgia: Intercostal neuralgia damages the intercostal nerves, leading to chest pain that worsens during swallowing. Under medical supervision, oral medications such as aspirin enteric-coated tablets, ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, and similar drugs may be used for treatment.
In addition to the above causes, pleurisy could also be responsible and requires prompt treatment. Patients should maintain a light diet and consume easily digestible foods such as soy milk and rice porridge.
