Which of the following describes a condition where patients feel pain while swallowing?

Odynophagia specifically refers to the experience of pain during swallowing. This symptom can arise from various underlying issues, such as infections, inflammation, or structural abnormalities in the esophagus or throat. It is a direct sensory response whereby patients experience discomfort or pain when food or liquids pass through the esophagus.

In contrast, orthopnea relates to shortness of breath that occurs when lying flat, typically associated with conditions like heart failure. Keloids are raised scars that form after an injury, while lymphadenopathy denotes the enlargement of lymph nodes, which may indicate an infection or other medical conditions but does not specifically relate to the act of swallowing. Therefore, odynophagia is the only term that accurately describes the pain experienced during swallowing.