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Having Chest Pain. Used Pain Relieving Cream. Having Acidity And Gas Problem. Suggest
Question: I am facing chest pain since last 8 months. I have consult doc who told me that its due to muscular pain and gave me tablets and pain relief cream. At that time ECG was normal. But it did not help me. The pain is increasing day by day. At present i am having acidity and gas problem. Should I go for citi scan or x-ray to detect the real cause of the same. Kindly suggest.
Dear Mr XXXXXX
Thanks for your query to us.
A pain chest can have many causes and most important among them is cardiac pain. Each one of the causes has different features/ examination findings and will require different investigations. Instead of suggesting you to go for a particular test like x-ray or CT scan, I would like you to see your physician (internal medicine expert or a cardiologist) and he will advise you investigations depending upon the history and clinical findings. that is the best way of approaching the problem, rather than getting a large number of un-indicated investigations and getting frustrated (What if both x-ray chest / CT scan comes out to be normal ?). I ll tell you the basics about the various important causes of chest pain (especially cardiac) that will help you in understanding the problem and discussing with your doctor.
1. A cardiac pain will come up with exercise/running/using stairs/ emotional stress and will be in mid chest or involve whole of the chest, will last for more than 2 minutes and will be relieved by rest.
2. A gastric pain may also be in mid chest but will be more after ~ 2 hours of meals/ empty stomach , may increase on lying down, will not be associated with exertion and may be relieved by antacids.
3. Pain pertaining to lungs will be associated with cough/ expectoration/shortness of breath/fever.
4. Pain associated with muscles or soft tissue can be elicited by touch or pressure and will be elicited by a particular movement or posture.
5. Pain arising from nerves will be increase on coughing / straining can be electrical or burning sensation and may be provoked by certain postures.
I would be glad to discuss more if you can describe your pain more, especially its location, duration of episodes, association with meals/ exertion/running/cough/ fever. How it can be provoked and relieved? What was response to cream and pain killers? Please mention your Medical illnesses/ habit of smoking /alcohol/ dietary habits/ appetite/Exercise routine/ anything else in view of above facts.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder XXXXXXX
Thanks for your query to us.
A pain chest can have many causes and most important among them is cardiac pain. Each one of the causes has different features/ examination findings and will require different investigations. Instead of suggesting you to go for a particular test like x-ray or CT scan, I would like you to see your physician (internal medicine expert or a cardiologist) and he will advise you investigations depending upon the history and clinical findings. that is the best way of approaching the problem, rather than getting a large number of un-indicated investigations and getting frustrated (What if both x-ray chest / CT scan comes out to be normal ?). I ll tell you the basics about the various important causes of chest pain (especially cardiac) that will help you in understanding the problem and discussing with your doctor.
1. A cardiac pain will come up with exercise/running/using stairs/ emotional stress and will be in mid chest or involve whole of the chest, will last for more than 2 minutes and will be relieved by rest.
2. A gastric pain may also be in mid chest but will be more after ~ 2 hours of meals/ empty stomach , may increase on lying down, will not be associated with exertion and may be relieved by antacids.
3. Pain pertaining to lungs will be associated with cough/ expectoration/shortness of breath/fever.
4. Pain associated with muscles or soft tissue can be elicited by touch or pressure and will be elicited by a particular movement or posture.
5. Pain arising from nerves will be increase on coughing / straining can be electrical or burning sensation and may be provoked by certain postures.
I would be glad to discuss more if you can describe your pain more, especially its location, duration of episodes, association with meals/ exertion/running/cough/ fever. How it can be provoked and relieved? What was response to cream and pain killers? Please mention your Medical illnesses/ habit of smoking /alcohol/ dietary habits/ appetite/Exercise routine/ anything else in view of above facts.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder XXXXXXX
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
The pain is just near heart and not on the full chest. Only at one particular point.
I do not do stress work as I work in call centre.
I have not faced any cough and fever problem may be for last 2 -3 yrs. Never visited any doctor before.
I was having smoking habit for past 10 yrs. 2 - 3 Cigarate a day. I have quite smoking from last 3 months.
Regarding alcohol I drink beer or one quarter rum at week end or mostly with in time period of 15 days ( 10 yrs habit). Not more than that.
I took the pain killer tabs for 2 weeks ( 8 months back ) and applied Volini cream but it did not gave me any relief.
Today also I apply Volini cream it gives burn sensation and feel better but only for that perticular time.
The pain does not remain the whole day. For 1 - 2 hrs a day or sometimes 1 hrs after a time gap of 3 to 4 hrs but not at any perticular time. Sometimes along with the breath it itches in the chest near heart.
Last week I went to my village for Jatra and tried to climb mountain as the temple is at the top of a big mountain. I was not able to move a single step after climbing 100 mts. The pain started along with each heart beat, each breath. And this is the first time in my life I have faced such a problem. At may point during the climb I thought that I will die as I was not able to stand on my feet, started feeling unconsious, unable to breath. From last week the pain has not stopped yet.
Though I was having smoking habit but I didnt not face such problem which climbing mountain previously.
I consume only home meal no outside meal. That to mainly vegetables and on week ends non veg.
Previous I was not having any acidity problem but due to night shift it started 4 years back. For past 4 - 5 years I work in night shift for 15 days a month. Many a times I take zintec or aciloc tablet if the chest burns a lot due to acidity.
I want to consult the right doctor who can cure me rather than going on changing doctors and wasting money on medical check-ups.
I do not have any other medical history besides this. My weight is 65 kg and and I am 5.5 fts tall. No exercise habit due to 10 -12 hrs working schedule.
I do not do stress work as I work in call centre.
I have not faced any cough and fever problem may be for last 2 -3 yrs. Never visited any doctor before.
I was having smoking habit for past 10 yrs. 2 - 3 Cigarate a day. I have quite smoking from last 3 months.
Regarding alcohol I drink beer or one quarter rum at week end or mostly with in time period of 15 days ( 10 yrs habit). Not more than that.
I took the pain killer tabs for 2 weeks ( 8 months back ) and applied Volini cream but it did not gave me any relief.
Today also I apply Volini cream it gives burn sensation and feel better but only for that perticular time.
The pain does not remain the whole day. For 1 - 2 hrs a day or sometimes 1 hrs after a time gap of 3 to 4 hrs but not at any perticular time. Sometimes along with the breath it itches in the chest near heart.
Last week I went to my village for Jatra and tried to climb mountain as the temple is at the top of a big mountain. I was not able to move a single step after climbing 100 mts. The pain started along with each heart beat, each breath. And this is the first time in my life I have faced such a problem. At may point during the climb I thought that I will die as I was not able to stand on my feet, started feeling unconsious, unable to breath. From last week the pain has not stopped yet.
Though I was having smoking habit but I didnt not face such problem which climbing mountain previously.
I consume only home meal no outside meal. That to mainly vegetables and on week ends non veg.
Previous I was not having any acidity problem but due to night shift it started 4 years back. For past 4 - 5 years I work in night shift for 15 days a month. Many a times I take zintec or aciloc tablet if the chest burns a lot due to acidity.
I want to consult the right doctor who can cure me rather than going on changing doctors and wasting money on medical check-ups.
I do not have any other medical history besides this. My weight is 65 kg and and I am 5.5 fts tall. No exercise habit due to 10 -12 hrs working schedule.
Dear Sir
Thanks for the details provided.
1. The nature of pain described by you that; it is at one point on left side of chest, no definite association with exertion, association with breathing and even at time of exertion (going uphill) it was not continuous, but coming with each breath points to a local cause rather than a cardiac cause.
2. You have problems of acidity and gastric upset.
I would like you to see a good internist (Medicine specialist or MD Medicine) to get yourself examined and proceed accordingly. If after your examination, he feels that you should see a cardiologist, go for it.
Along with this I would like to give you certain general advice.
A. Quit smoking altogether.
B. Do not take alcohol till your problem is resolved as alcohol itself can cause gastric upset.
C. Do try to exercise or brisk walk. Slowly build it up to 45 minutes a day, in consultation with your doctor, and if you feel any chest pain/ chest heaviness or shortness of breath during walk/exercise, visit your cardiologist.
D. Take your meals at regular time. Do not go to bed immediately after meals.
E. Take a towel, dip it in warm water (having common salt) and do fomentation at that local point. do this for ~15 minutes twice a day.
Hope this helps. Feel free to write if there is any other query.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder Singh
Thanks for the details provided.
1. The nature of pain described by you that; it is at one point on left side of chest, no definite association with exertion, association with breathing and even at time of exertion (going uphill) it was not continuous, but coming with each breath points to a local cause rather than a cardiac cause.
2. You have problems of acidity and gastric upset.
I would like you to see a good internist (Medicine specialist or MD Medicine) to get yourself examined and proceed accordingly. If after your examination, he feels that you should see a cardiologist, go for it.
Along with this I would like to give you certain general advice.
A. Quit smoking altogether.
B. Do not take alcohol till your problem is resolved as alcohol itself can cause gastric upset.
C. Do try to exercise or brisk walk. Slowly build it up to 45 minutes a day, in consultation with your doctor, and if you feel any chest pain/ chest heaviness or shortness of breath during walk/exercise, visit your cardiologist.
D. Take your meals at regular time. Do not go to bed immediately after meals.
E. Take a towel, dip it in warm water (having common salt) and do fomentation at that local point. do this for ~15 minutes twice a day.
Hope this helps. Feel free to write if there is any other query.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder Singh
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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