Top 10 Causes of Trouble Swallowing

Trouble swallowing is a symptom that can affect both men and women for a large range of reasons. The MediFind Medical Team has summarized 10 potential causes for extreme fatigue below in order from most to least likely based on our data. Learn more about how MediFind works here. You can also enter your symptoms into MediFind’s Symptom Checker to receive more customized results.

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Also called GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease is a form of acid reflux that involve leaking of stomach contents back into the esophagus because the lower esophageal sphincter does not properly close. Besides trouble swallowing, this can cause heartburn, nausea, food regurgitation, or sore throat. A gastroenterologist will prescribe some proton pump inhibitors or H2 blockers but GERD is truly cured with lifestyle changes, particularly with losing weight. There is also a surgical intervention for GERD that does not improve. Find a gastroenterologist near you here.

Esophageal Stenosis and Webs

If the membranous esophageal tissue folds and partially obstructs the esophagus, this can present as trouble swallowing with solid foods. Patients may also experience the sensation of choking, trouble swallowing liquids, and weight loss due to difficulty eating. A gastroenterologist has to weigh the risk to benefit before committing to treatment, as treatment can be dangerous. They use an endoscopic dilation to increase the throat opening but this can be a dangerous procedure if the patient has esophagitis, diverticula, or bullous disease. Find a gastroenterologist near you here.

Esophageal Neoplasms

When cancerous growths occur along the esophagus, they can partially obstruct it and lead to trouble swallowing. Esophageal cancer is very uncommon but can develop because of smoking, drinking, or long-term acid reflux disease. Other symptoms include regurgitation of food, chest pain, heartburn, or vomiting blood. A gastroenterologist will first perform a biopsy to test the esophageal tissue for cancer. They will then perform minimally invasive surgery alongside radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both. Find a gastroenterologist near you here.

Myasthenia Gravis

Trouble swallowing as a symptom can occur if the nerves that control the esophagus are unable to communicate. These are called neuromuscular disorders, like myasthenia gravis, and are the result of the body’s own immune system attacking healthy nerve cells. Other symptoms can include difficulty breathing, chewing, or speaking, facial paralysis, fatigue, or double vision to name a few. There is no cure for myasthenia gravis but a neurologist will recommend lifestyle changes along with prescribing neostigmine or pyridostigmine to treat the nervous miscommunication. Find a neurologist near you here.

Autonomic Failure

The autonomic nervous system controls “automatic” organ processes such as the heart, blood pressure, respiration, and digestion. When there is a failure of that system, individual or multiple organ systems may suffer. Trouble swallowing may be one of many signs for a particular autonomic process failing but a telltale sign generally involves a drop in blood pressure. This serious condition requires immediate medical intervention. A neurologist will focus on treating the symptoms and keeping the patient’s body working. Find a neurologist near you here.

Systemic Sclerosis

Scarring of the esophagus caused by systemic sclerosis introduces abnormalities to the lining that can make it difficult to swallow, particularly when the lower esophageal sphincter loses its ability to expand. Other symptoms that may develop involve further fibrosis, or scarring, of additional organ systems like the lungs. Eventually, systemic sclerosis can advance to the heart and affect its ability to keep rhythm. There is no known cure for systemic sclerosis but a rheumatologist will prescribe immunosuppressants for lung disease and antifibrotic agents to limit the spread. Find a rheumatologist near you here.

Achalasia

The esophagus uses the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter to swallow food. If that relaxation is not possible or it does not happen perfectly, the patient may experience trouble swallowing. Movement of food down the esophagus, called peristalsis, can also be impaired, which makes the symptom worse. Although it is largely inherited or caused because of cancer, a parasitic infection in Central and South America called Chagas disease also results in it. A gastroenterologist will prescribe regular Botox injections to relax the sphincter muscles. In severe cases, they may perform a myotomy, cutting the lower sphincter muscle, in order to make it easier to swallow. Find a gastroenterologist near you here.

Esophageal Perforation

In patients that experience prolonged periods of vomiting, consume bones, or undergo some sort of esophageal procedure, the esophageal lining can weaken and a hole can form. A hole in the esophagus, called a perforation, leads to many symptoms such as trouble swallowing, fever, low blood pressure, esophageal pain, vomiting, or trouble breathing. Esophageal perforations can heal on their own but in some cases are life threatening. A gastroenterologist will perform endoscopy to identify the perforation before performing a minimally invasive surgery to seal it. Find a gastroenterologist near you here.

Benign Esophageal Stricture

A stricture refers to the narrowing of a tube and is a medical strategy to obstruct flow of fluids. However, when this happens naturally in the esophagus, it can cause trouble swallowing. A benign esophageal stricture implies that the source is not cancerous but rather from some other cause, generally acid reflux or injury from endoscopic treatment. Besides trouble swallowing, patients also experience pain while swallowing and regurgitation of food. A gastroenterologist will perform esophageal dilation, which involves expanding the stricture to allow food to travel down the esophagus. Find a gastroenterologist near you here.

Huntington’s Disease

In patients with the genetic defect, Huntington’s disease results in gradual degeneration of brain tissue. Some patients experience the degeneration as children or in their mid-30s. Since this is a neurological disorder, many of the symptoms involve movement-based disorders but can include trouble swallowing. There is no known cure for Huntington’s but a neurologist can slow the symptoms using dopamine blockers and drugs like amantadine or tetrabenazine. Find a neurologist near you here.

These results are based on the most likely conditions for a 20 to 40 year-old patient that is living in the United States. Our data shows that 96% of the time, this symptom is related to one of the 10 most likely causes. Location and age can also contribute to different results. Use our Symptom Checker to add your information and get your custom results.

Trouble swallowing as a symptom appears to affect adults more than children. As these adults age, it also becomes more likely to develop gastrointestinal issues, which appears to compound the issue in the elderly. Huntington’s can be restricted to children in its early-onset form.

There are no major differences among men and women with regards to their incidence of developing trouble swallowing as a symptom.