Contents:
- Medical Video: What Causes Chest Pain When It's Not Your Heart
- Causes of chest pain when eating
- 1. Gastric acid
- 2. Inflammation of the esophagus
- 3. Akalasia
- 4. Esophageal cancer
- 5. Asthma
- Could it be a heart attack?
Medical Video: What Causes Chest Pain When It's Not Your Heart
If you are reading this article, chances are that you have experienced chest pain when eating, drinking, or swallowing. Chest pain usually occurs in the middle of the chest, just above your stomach or stomach. Some people also complain of pain in their back. This condition can affect anyone regardless of gender or certain age range. Many people immediately fear that chest pain is caused by a disturbance in the heart. In fact, there are various other reasons why the chest can hurt, especially when you swallow food or drink. To find out various possible causes, see the explanation below.
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Causes of chest pain when eating
If pain arises when you swallow food, the biggest possibility is a disturbance in your esophagus. The esophagus, also known as the esophagus, connects your throat to the stomach. Disorders of these organs can cause pain that burns the chest. Find out more about the various causes of chest pain when eating the following.
1. Gastric acid
This disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, is quite common. When you eat, food will enter the stomach through the esophagus. So that food in the stomach does not rise again, the esophagus will close itself with muscle fibers. If muscle fibers do not close the stomach perfectly, the contents of the stomach will rise again towards the esophagus after being swallowed and this is what causes chest pain when eating. One of the causes of muscle fibers that do not close perfectly is the excess stomach acid.
2. Inflammation of the esophagus
This disease is caused by irritation or inflammation of the esophagus. The causes also vary, ranging from viruses and bacteria to the side effects of drugs. In some cases, inflammation of the esophagus can also be caused by stomach acid disease. Note that you experience chest pain during meals accompanied by sore throats, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headaches, and fever. If the pain doesn't go away and you can't even take a sip of water at all, you should immediately go to the nearest health facility.
3. Akalasia
The muscles in the esophagus should contract and relax according to digestive activity. If the esophageal muscles do not relax to allow the ingested food to enter the stomach, food will become stuck in the esophagus and cause extreme pain. This is what happens when you suffer from achalasia disease. Usually this disease is characterized by symptoms such as sound breath, nausea, vomiting, and coughing.
4. Esophageal cancer
In the early stages, the symptoms of esophagus do not yet appear. However, over time chest pain when eating will appear more often and more painful. This is because your esophagus will continue to narrow. In the later stages, even drinking is very difficult. To help food enter through the esophagus, the body produces more saliva so that esophageal cancer patients usually complain of excessive saliva production. Other symptoms include coughing that doesn't heal, bone pain, vomiting, hiccups, and esophageal bleeding.
5. Asthma
Gastric acid is closely related to asthma. This is because the respiratory system (mouth, nose, lungs, and throat) are interconnected or located close to the esophagus. People who suffer from gastric acid have a high chance of suffering from asthma, and vice versa. So, in some cases chest pain when swallowing will be followed by shortness of breath or even an asthma attack.
When there is too much stomach acid in the body, the nerves at the end of the esophagus that come into contact with the pharynx (throat) will also be affected. As a result, the brain also captures this signal and instructs the lungs to produce more mucus in the respiratory tract. Finally, the mucus blocks the flow of oxygen to the lungs and causes an asthma attack.
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Could it be a heart attack?
Sometimes chest pain when eating is often misinterpreted as angina or a heart attack. To distinguish between them, pay attention to the symptoms you experience. The pain from a heart attack will usually spread to the left arm and shoulder, neck, and even the jaw. Heart attacks can also occur at any time, even when you are not eating or drinking something.
READ ALSO: 6 Symptoms of a Heart Attack in Women
Meanwhile, chest pain when eating is usually triggered when you eat spicy, fatty or hard food. Chest pain due to esophageal problems can also arise if you change positions which cause movement in the stomach contents, such as lying down or bending. You will also feel an acid sensation in your mouth. However, if the pain is unbearable and you are not sure what caused it, immediately contact the nearest health facility or go to the emergency department.
