Are you recently complaining of gas chest pain and are constantly worried about it? Can it be a heart attack or anything life threatening? Fret not! We got you covered up on some common causes of gas chest pain that you might be experiencing right now. It is extremely important to be able to differentiate a normal gas chest pain and pains caused by the heart such as heart attack as it can be life threatening and requires urgent medical intervention from dr. Continue reading the article to know more about common causes of gas chest pain.
Gas chest pain is often complained as having chest tightness or discomfort which makes you have breathing difficulties. Sometimes, the pain can be described as burning or stabbing pain around your chest associated with symptoms like bloating sensation, burping, loss of appetite, excess flatulence, and nausea. Here are several common causes of gas chest pain;
- Heartburn
This is commonly caused by indigestion in your stomach causing the food contents with some volume of gastric juice to leak from your stomach up to your esophagus. It is commonly associated with water brushing (metallic sensation in your mouth due to the acid). This can be easily treated conservatively by taking light and little amounts of food. Body posture after eating also plays an important role in digesting your food fast. Try not lying down or sleeping right after or at least 2 hours postprandial.
- Food intolerance
This condition happens when you are intolerant to a particular gluten intolerance or lactose intolerance. This is simply explained by your body lacking a specific type of enzyme which is responsible for breaking down the food which eventually causes gas buildup in your stomach and radiates to your chest. Simply avoid food products which you are intolerant to or start consuming alternative mock products which are safe for your digestive system.
- Excess consumption of carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks like coke, pepsi, soda or even sparkling water may cause build up of gas in your stomach if it is taken in excess amounts. This can eventually cause chest pain and discomfort described as gas pain in your lungs. Avoid consuming excess carbonated drinks as it is not healthy for your body as well.
- Consuming too much of fiber
Vegetables are rich in fibre which is generally difficult to digest. This is because humans lack the particular enzyme which aids in digestion of fibre causing them to stay longer in your gut compared to other classes of food. Fibers are basically digested by some friendly bacteria in our gut which eventually releases gas and causes buildup. Try to avoid consuming too much fiber if you notice you are having this problem lately.
How to differentiate gas pain and heart attack?
It is extremely vital to differentiate between these two as the latter one is hazardous and can cause deaths within minutes to hours. You might be having a heart attack if you have risk factors like previous attacks, smoking history and other underlying medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension and high blood cholesterol.
Heart attack can be presented similarly like gas pain over your chest but it is more like a pricking or dull aching in nature. This is often accompanied with other symptoms like profuse sweating and nausea. The chest discomfort also usually radiates to your left arm and jaw due to similar dermatome innervation.
If you have typical chest pains like above, get an emergency treatment from a nearby clinic or hospital as every minute is counted in conditions like such. Immediate treatment may save your life and prevent further complications and progression of disease.