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Having Chest Pain, Indigestion And Stomach Gas. Is This Heart Related Problem?
Question: Hi. I have been having chest pains on and off for about 6-8 weeks, generally around the left front and side of my chest and sometimes in my left arm. The pain is not severe and the pain does not radiate in my jaw or down my arm. I often have a churning or muscle spasm sensation under the line of my chest on the left hand side half way between the centre of my chest and my left nipple as I said along the line/crease of my stomach/chest. All these symptoms have been coupled with a large amount of indigestion and stomach gas. A couple of weeks ago I spoke to my doctor over the telephone who prescribed me some medication for what he said he thought was my stomach producing to much acid. These seems to have reduced the symptoms and the gas, however this afternoon I started getting the spasm/churning sensation again which seems to last for 2-3 seconds and around 4-5 spasms at a time and then stop for a few minutes and start again, most often when I am sat down/lying down, this went on for about half an hour then stopped again and a few hours later started back up again. Do you think this is heart related or could this be more related to spasm of the oesophagus or stomach acid?
Hello,
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
Firstly I would like to appreciate you for the ice way in which you have described your problems.
There could be three possibilities for you:
1) Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
2) Cardiac Angina
3) Oesophageal spasm.
Of these three possibilities, the first one GERD is the most likely and the other two are very unlikely.
GERD is a condition where in the acid produced in stomach moves through the esophagus and some time upto the throat. This causes sever spasmodic pain and some times you may even stop breathing to reduce the pain. It comes and goes like waves on the beach.
Ranitidine , rabeprazole and dompreidon are good drugs meant for this kind of illness. If it doesn't resolve you can undergo a endoscopy of the esophagus. That will confirm the reasons. There are certai surgical procedures as well but you may not require them.
Coming to the next two possibilities, cardiac cause can never becompletely ruled although you can wait until you take the above medications and see over 2 weeks. In free time you can get an Stress test (TMT test) which will identify if you have any cardiac pain possibility.
The other cause esophageal spasm is very rare and should not be considered until the above two have been resolved. There are certain sophisticated tests for spasm but then you may not require them.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you can close the discussion and rate the answer accordingly.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
Firstly I would like to appreciate you for the ice way in which you have described your problems.
There could be three possibilities for you:
1) Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
2) Cardiac Angina
3) Oesophageal spasm.
Of these three possibilities, the first one GERD is the most likely and the other two are very unlikely.
GERD is a condition where in the acid produced in stomach moves through the esophagus and some time upto the throat. This causes sever spasmodic pain and some times you may even stop breathing to reduce the pain. It comes and goes like waves on the beach.
Ranitidine , rabeprazole and dompreidon are good drugs meant for this kind of illness. If it doesn't resolve you can undergo a endoscopy of the esophagus. That will confirm the reasons. There are certai surgical procedures as well but you may not require them.
Coming to the next two possibilities, cardiac cause can never becompletely ruled although you can wait until you take the above medications and see over 2 weeks. In free time you can get an Stress test (TMT test) which will identify if you have any cardiac pain possibility.
The other cause esophageal spasm is very rare and should not be considered until the above two have been resolved. There are certain sophisticated tests for spasm but then you may not require them.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you can close the discussion and rate the answer accordingly.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your reply. Is it most likely that GERD will cause the churning, muscle spasm feeling as I don't have a huge amount of acid in my throat and the pain is not severe.
Having researched angina previous it does not seem to be this type of pain as it is more specific pains and does not radiate. It also generally lasts longer but less severe than angina.
I had an ECG around a year ago which was fine and have normal colesteral levels.
Thank you for your help.
Having researched angina previous it does not seem to be this type of pain as it is more specific pains and does not radiate. It also generally lasts longer but less severe than angina.
I had an ECG around a year ago which was fine and have normal colesteral levels.
Thank you for your help.
Hello
Yes GERD is the most likely diagnosis. Even though you may not be having acid in your throat it still is the most likely diagnosis.
Do visit your physician who can start you on some good ant acids.
Thanks and regards
Dr XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Yes GERD is the most likely diagnosis. Even though you may not be having acid in your throat it still is the most likely diagnosis.
Do visit your physician who can start you on some good ant acids.
Thanks and regards
Dr XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Is it possible to have gerd with pain in the arm & shoulder & sometimes middle of back but not severe pain and not radiating out?
Is the location I mentioned the right location for gerd or could it be the heart causing these spasms/churning?
I have had palpitations before and they felt like they were higher up and more to the left than this?
Thanks for your advice.
Is the location I mentioned the right location for gerd or could it be the heart causing these spasms/churning?
I have had palpitations before and they felt like they were higher up and more to the left than this?
Thanks for your advice.
Hello,
Thanks for your specific questions.
Yes it is possible to gave GERD causing pain in arms and shoulders and middle of the back as well.
The location you have mentioned earlier can be very much be related to GERD.
Palpitations occur in GERD as well and can occur at the place you have stated.
IN fact in a study, the best of the cardiologists couldn't differentiate the cardiac and non-cardiac chest pains just on the basis of examination. It was concluded that both of the pains resemble too much and its only with investigations , age of the patient and response to the medications that one can say what the pain is.
Thanks and regards.
Dr. Srikanth Reddy MD
Thanks for your specific questions.
Yes it is possible to gave GERD causing pain in arms and shoulders and middle of the back as well.
The location you have mentioned earlier can be very much be related to GERD.
Palpitations occur in GERD as well and can occur at the place you have stated.
IN fact in a study, the best of the cardiologists couldn't differentiate the cardiac and non-cardiac chest pains just on the basis of examination. It was concluded that both of the pains resemble too much and its only with investigations , age of the patient and response to the medications that one can say what the pain is.
Thanks and regards.
Dr. Srikanth Reddy MD
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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