Does constipation cause chest pain?
Constipation is when there is an irregular movement of the bowel that occurs less than three times a week. The stool becomes lumpy, complex, and often difficult to pass, discomfort accumulating in pain and excessive straining. Moreover, constipation mostly comes with indications such as stomach pain, bloating, cramps, and nausea.
In some situations, constipation can be a reason for chest pain, most likely due to gas pain. Gas pains are widespread and can happen to anybody for different reasons, like swallowing air while eating and drinking; gas can result from consuming foods that generate gas, such as lentils, beans, and vegetables.
The stuck gas can feel like a sharp pain in an individual’s abdomen, but an individual is most likely to experience it in the chest. Chest pain caused by excessive gas can lead to pain in the left side of the chest. In most situations, an individual can experience discomfort and tightness in the chest area.
Individuals with chronic constipation or with other digestive disorders like the
IBD inflammatory bowel disease,
An inflammatory bowel disorder, also known as IBD, is the term used for two kinds of conditions (the gastrointestinal tract classifies ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s illness, also referred to as (GI).
The most common inflammatory bowel disease indications are weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding.
The common reason for IBD can be genetic; someone with a family history of inflammatory disease is more likely to develop IBD. Moreover, improper immune system responses such as due to bacteria or viruses can cause inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
IBS irritable bowel syndrome,
IBS, the irritable bowel syndrome, is a common disease that affects the large intestine.
Changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, gas, and bloating are all symptoms of IBS.movements. Moreover, cramping, abdominal pain, or bloating can indicate IBS.
The reasons for IBS can be early life stress and abnormalities in the nerves of an individual’s digestive system. If there is a bacterial overgrowth in the intestine, it can also be linked with IBS.
UC ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease are both associated with IBD.
It is advised for a patient to visit the doctor immediately if he experiences severe chest pain for an extended period.
Can constipation cause chest pain and shortness of breath?
Constipation can lead to bloating and may indirectly cause shortness of breath as bloating and abdominal pain can be a reason for an individual to take a deep breath.
When the abdominal is bloated, it can press against the diaphragm. A diaphragm is a muscle that separates the chest from the stomach. An individual’s diaphragm permits an individual to breathe, and when the movement of the diaphragm is hindered, it can cause breathing issues.
Constipation can be a reason for shortness of breath, but in some cases, shortness of breath can be an indication of lung or heart problems.
Chest pain and constipation:
In most cases, chest pain is not always associated with heart attack, mainly because of anxiety, gas, and muscle fatigue. However, an individual with a medical history of irregular blood pressure or cholesterol may experience chest pain. An individual is suggested to visit the hospital if the chest pain exceeds and the symptoms worsen.
What are the indications of constipation?
Some of the common symptoms of constipation can be:
Abdominal pain without bloating.
Experiencing less than three movements of bowel in a week.
Having stools that are dry, lumpy, and hard.
If you feel that there is something that is blocking your stools.
Unable to empty your bowel.
Bloating
Bloating is a disorder where the belly feels tight and full, primarily because of gas.
Cramps
Stomach-ache
Little or no appetite.
What are the reasons for constipation?
Individuals can experience constipation due to many reasons that include a change in an individual’s lifestyle, medical condition, or medications. Changes in the lifestyle such as consuming less fiber food, like vegetables, cereal, or fruit. Moreover, if an individual switches his eating habits like dieting, not drinking enough water, or not doing enough physical activity can also cause constipation. Furthermore, individuals with stress, travel, aging, or ignoring the need to have a bowel movement are likely to have constipation.
Medications that cause constipation are iron supplements, anti-seizure medications, calcium supplements, and pain relief medications.
How to diagnose constipation?
To find out the actual reason behind constipation, the healthcare advisor might advise an individual to perform a blood test where the consultant would examine the systemic condition like high calcium level or hypothyroidism. For further findings, the consultant can also suggest having an x-ray to examine the intestines, whether they are blocked or stool present throughout the colon. Furthermore, the health care advisor can advise for further examinations according to the patient’s conditions.
Sigmoidoscopy
In this procedure, the consultant will insert a flexible, lighted tube into an individual’s anus to examine an individual’s lower portion of the colon and rectum.
Colonoscopy
This procedure helps the healthcare advisor study the whole colon with the help of a flexible, camera-equipped tube.
Anorectal manometry.
In this procedure, the doctor would insert a narrow, flexible tube into an individual’s rectum and anus and then inflates a tiny balloon at the tip of the tube. With the help of this procedure, the healthcare advisor could measure the coordination of the muscles that an individual utilizes to move their bowel.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/constipation/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354259 retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ulcerative-colitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353326 retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360016#:~:text=Irritable%20bowel%20syndrome%20(IBS)%20is,need%20to%20manage%20long%20term. retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.cdc.gov/ibd/what-is-IBD.htm#:~:text=Inflammatory%20bowel%20disease%20(IBD)%20is,damage%20to%20the%20GI%20tract. retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/bloating-causes-and-prevention-tips#:~:text=What%20is%20bloating%3F,those%20who%20have%20had%20children. Retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.tuasaude.com/en/chest-pain/#:~:text=Excess%20gas%20is%20possibly%20the,who%20suffer%20from%20chronic%20constipation. Retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.healthline.com/health/gas-pain-in-chest#vs-heart-pain retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.healthline.com/health/abdominal-bloating-and-shortness-of-breath#other-causes retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://www.healthline.com/health/constipation-back-pain#symptoms retrieved on 22 July 2022
https://healthinsider.news/can-constipation-cause-chest-pain-clean-gut-en/?utm_source=healthinsider-google&utm_medium=organic retrieved on 22 July 2022