Introduction
Laryngeal pain can occur after frequent or very strong vomiting. This often leads to a strong, burning pain in the larynx, which is accompanied by difficulty swallowing and hoarseness. The cause is the ascending stomach acid which gets into the larynx and leads to burns there.
In severe cases, the burns can lead to life-threatening swelling of the laryngeal mucosa, which may even result in suffocation. Single occurrences of laryngeal pain after vomiting are associated with a high degree of suffering for the person affected, but are not in themselves a disease. However, if repeated throat pain and hoarseness occur after vomiting, an ENT physician should be consulted to rule out serious complications such as cancer of the throat.
Causes
Laryngeal pain can occur in cases of strong and repeated vomiting and can cause great suffering to the person affected. The cause of this is the acid that rises from the stomach during vomiting, which first attacks mainly the oesophagus and teeth. However, due to its anatomical proximity to the esophagus, acid can also enter the larynx, which then attacks the laryngeal mucosa.
Since the laryngeal mucosa has no protective mechanisms against the acid, a chemical burn occurs in the larynx, which causes severe pain. The acid also damages adjacent structures such as nerves and vocal folds, which can lead to hoarseness and difficulty swallowing. If the burn is very severe, the inflammatory reaction can cause swelling of the laryngeal mucosa and obstruction of the larynx, resulting in shortness of breath and obstruction of the airways.
During vomiting, a lot of fluid and saliva is also lost. This causes the mucous membranes to dry out even more, which can increase the pain. One-off laryngeal pain after vomiting is not dangerous, as the body has its own repair mechanisms and can restore the damaged mucous membrane.
However, if regular throat pain occurs with repeated vomiting, the chronic damage to the laryngeal mucosa can lead to precancerosis (precancerous stage), which is associated with an increased risk of throat cancer. Common causes of chronic and very strong vomiting are eating disorders, such as bulimia (bulimia nervosa), or alcohol-induced vomiting in the context of alcohol dependency. Recurring throat pain and hoarseness after vomiting should be treated with caution and should be clarified by a doctor.
