
I Have A Mild Stabbing Pain When I Swallow. Please

Pain Location:
The pain is felt somewhere in my back, between my shoulder blades, somewhat to the right side.
Pain type:
The pain occurs 1-2 seconds after I initiate the swallowing process. It feels like a mild radiating and stabbing pain. I feel it more with solid food, and less with liquids or saliva. I also feel the pain when I burp.
Pain timeline:
Today is the 7th day with the pain. I haven't seen any increase of the pain since it started seven days ago. I am not sure if the pain has decrased though.
Other stymptoms:
No other symptoms, no fever, no difficulty swallowing, no liquids coming up, no acid feeling. Only the odynophagia.
To be noted:
10 days ago I did have a stiff neck that I couldn't move to the right. The stiffness started two days after a bad neck strain while rock climbing. The strain happens when I was trying to lift my body with my right arm and the shoulder was touching my right ear (a very difficult position) and there my neck got tightened and it was very painful to lower my arm to its normal position for those few seconds. Also, 7 days ago I also had an anger burst in which I stretched so bad and grinding my teeth.
Do you think the neck strain incidents could be related somehow with the painful swallowing? Maybe some muscular or nerve damages? Do you have previous experience with patients with these symptoms?

Pain Location:
The pain is felt somewhere in my back, between my shoulder blades, somewhat to the right side.
Pain type:
The pain occurs 1-2 seconds after I initiate the swallowing process. It feels like a mild radiating and stabbing pain. I feel it more with solid food, and less with liquids or saliva. I also feel the pain when I burp.
Pain timeline:
Today is the 7th day with the pain. I haven't seen any increase of the pain since it started seven days ago. I am not sure if the pain has decrased though.
Other stymptoms:
No other symptoms, no fever, no difficulty swallowing, no liquids coming up, no acid feeling. Only the odynophagia.
To be noted:
10 days ago I did have a stiff neck that I couldn't move to the right. The stiffness started two days after a bad neck strain while rock climbing. The strain happens when I was trying to lift my body with my right arm and the shoulder was touching my right ear (a very difficult position) and there my neck got tightened and it was very painful to lower my arm to its normal position for those few seconds. Also, 7 days ago I also had an anger burst in which I stretched so bad and grinding my teeth.
Do you think the neck strain incidents could be related somehow with the painful swallowing? Maybe some muscular or nerve damages? Do you have previous experience with patients with these symptoms?
Answer
Detailed Answer:
Hi there
Thanks for the query.
Do you still have the neck stiffness?
Do you have any shooting pain from your neck to your arms your back?
Usually cervical spasm due to improper positioning or a pinched nerve can cause pain in the shoulder blades region as you have indicated and also neck stiffness, although it would not explain the odynophagia particularly.
Since you have difficulty in swallowing solid food with pain it could be an area of inflammation or stricture in the oesophagus.
This can sometimes cause pain radiating to the back.
I have rarely meet patients with odynophagia due to cervical spine problems.
It would be advisable to get an ENT opinion to rule out oesophageal inflammation or motility problems.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Aashish Raghu

Answer
Detailed Answer:
Hi there
Thanks for the query.
Do you still have the neck stiffness?
Do you have any shooting pain from your neck to your arms your back?
Usually cervical spasm due to improper positioning or a pinched nerve can cause pain in the shoulder blades region as you have indicated and also neck stiffness, although it would not explain the odynophagia particularly.
Since you have difficulty in swallowing solid food with pain it could be an area of inflammation or stricture in the oesophagus.
This can sometimes cause pain radiating to the back.
I have rarely meet patients with odynophagia due to cervical spine problems.
It would be advisable to get an ENT opinion to rule out oesophageal inflammation or motility problems.
I hope I have answered your query.
I will be available to answer your follow up queries.
Regards,
Aashish Raghu


Answering your questions:
- Do you still have the neck stiffness?
Answer: No, I don't have the neck stiffness anymore. I had it for two days. I did do the climbing sport again the next day the neck stiffness went away. After that, the swallowing pain started.
- Do you have any shooting pain from your neck to your arms your back?
Answer: No, I only had the neck stiffness.

Answering your questions:
- Do you still have the neck stiffness?
Answer: No, I don't have the neck stiffness anymore. I had it for two days. I did do the climbing sport again the next day the neck stiffness went away. After that, the swallowing pain started.
- Do you have any shooting pain from your neck to your arms your back?
Answer: No, I only had the neck stiffness.
Answer
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your reply
It's most likely that the odynophagia isn't related to your neck or spine issues in that case.
I suggest an ENT opinion for a better understanding to your problem which could be oesophagus related.

Answer
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your reply
It's most likely that the odynophagia isn't related to your neck or spine issues in that case.
I suggest an ENT opinion for a better understanding to your problem which could be oesophagus related.

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