Which swallowing disorder is characterized by difficult, painful swallowing, with localization based on the phase inhibited by disease?

• A. Dysphagia
• B. Regurgitation
• C. Odynophagia
• D. Aphagia

Answer: (A)

Dysphagia is the term used for difficulty swallowing. When the swallow is hard to initiate or to propel through the esophagus, patients describe trouble with swallowing, which is the hallmark of this disorder. Painful swallowing is called odynophagia, which points more specifically to mucosal injury or inflammation of the esophagus. The phrase “difficult, painful swallowing” can occur together, but the condition that names the swallowing problem is dysphagia. Knowing the phase affected (oropharyngeal vs esophageal) helps narrow causes: odynophagia suggests esophageal mucosal disease, regurgitation describes backflow rather than the act of swallowing, and aphagia is an inability to swallow. So describing the core issue as dysphagia best fits the idea of a swallowing difficulty.