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What Causes Intermittent Pain In The Chest?
Question: Hey Doctor, I have been having medium chest pains periodically for the past week. I woke up this morning around 3am with my chest pounding like crazy. I drunk some water and went back to sleep. I woke up with the same pain in my chest. Can this be a result of stress Ive been experiencing for a couple of months or maybe something else?
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to different causes:
- anxiety
- gastro-esophageal reflux
- inflammation.
I would exclude any cardiac disorders, because your symptoms are not typical of cardiac disease. So relax and don't worry about it!
Anyway, I would recommend performing some tests if the problem persists:
- a resting ECG
- a chest X ray study
- a complete blood count for anemia
- inflammation tests (PCR, sedimentation rate)
- thyroid hormone levels.
I would also recommend trying to use an antiacid or PPI (omeprazole, lansoprazole). If your symptoms are relieved by these drugs, it would be indicative of gastro-esophageal reflux or gastritis. You should know that anxiety can also trigger these gastric disorders, because it increases the production of the gastric acid. In such case using an antiacid for a short period of time coupled with some modifications in your diet (avoid spicy food, soda, etc) would help.
Another advice, I would give is to try alprazolam 0.25mg. It helps relieve anxiety.
If your symptoms are relieved by alprazolam, it would indicate that anxiety plays an important role in all this clinical scenario.
Anyway, no one of the above mentioned disorders is anything concerning.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to different causes:
- anxiety
- gastro-esophageal reflux
- inflammation.
I would exclude any cardiac disorders, because your symptoms are not typical of cardiac disease. So relax and don't worry about it!
Anyway, I would recommend performing some tests if the problem persists:
- a resting ECG
- a chest X ray study
- a complete blood count for anemia
- inflammation tests (PCR, sedimentation rate)
- thyroid hormone levels.
I would also recommend trying to use an antiacid or PPI (omeprazole, lansoprazole). If your symptoms are relieved by these drugs, it would be indicative of gastro-esophageal reflux or gastritis. You should know that anxiety can also trigger these gastric disorders, because it increases the production of the gastric acid. In such case using an antiacid for a short period of time coupled with some modifications in your diet (avoid spicy food, soda, etc) would help.
Another advice, I would give is to try alprazolam 0.25mg. It helps relieve anxiety.
If your symptoms are relieved by alprazolam, it would indicate that anxiety plays an important role in all this clinical scenario.
Anyway, no one of the above mentioned disorders is anything concerning.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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