Diarrhea and Chest Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Relief

Diarrhea and chest ache do not typically occur collectively. So when you’re having each on the similar time, you is perhaps questioning what the heck could possibly be happening.

Most gastrointestinal (GI) issues do not make your chest harm, and most issues associated to your chest or lungs do not provide you with diarrhea. However there are just a few situations the place the 2 signs may overlap, says Supriya Rao, MD, a gastroenterologist at Tufts Medication in Boston, Massachusetts.

Study what is perhaps occurring once you’re coping with each on the similar time, and what it is best to do about it.

Causes of chest ache and diarrhea

Some potential causes of diarrhea and chest ache that occur collectively embrace:

1. Anxiousness

Digestive points and chest ache that hit collectively may stem from anxiousness, says Dr. Rao. It isn’t unusual to expertise tightness or discomfort in your chest from heart palpitations once you’re anxious. On the similar time, you may really feel queasy or get some belly cramping that may end up in diarrhea, per the Mayo Clinic. You may additionally really feel stressed or drained fatigue and expertise a headache, tense muscular tissues, shakiness, sweating, or hassle concentrating.

2. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Whereas there’s not a lot newer analysis behind this, one March 2007 research within the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology discovered about 80 % of individuals with IBS get chest ache together with different typical signs like diarrhea, constipation, ache, fuel, and bloating.

“Typically folks with IBS may have chest ache as a result of the nerve endings of their esophagus [the tube that connects the throat to the stomach] are hypersensitive,” provides Dr. Rao.

3. Whipple illness, in uncommon circumstances

It is extraordinarily uncommon, however generally chest ache and diarrhea might be brought on by Whipple illness—a bacterial an infection that impacts a number of organ programs together with the GI tract and the cardiovascular system, says Dr. Rao.

The commonest signs of Whipple illness embrace watery diarrhea, belly ache, fever, and weight reduction. If the an infection invades the guts muscle (which occurs in round 50 to 75 % of individuals), it could actually result in irritation that causes coronary heart ache, in response to the National Library of Medicine.

The micro organism that trigger Whipple illness aren’t nicely understood, per the Mayo Clinic, however the illness seems to be most probably to have an effect on farmers and different individuals who work outdoors and infrequently come into contact with sewage or wastewater.

Can diarrhea and chest ache ever imply a coronary heart assault?

In all probability not, in response to Dr. Rao. That stated, the crushing chest ache brought on by a coronary heart assault can typically hit with different GI signs, together with heartburn-like ache, nausea, or vomiting, per the Mayo Clinic.

Different indicators of a coronary heart assault (alongside chest ache) embrace the next, per the Mayo Clinic:

• Ache that radiates towards the shoulder, arm, or jaw
• Shortness of breath
• Coronary heart palpitations
• Lightheadedness
• Feeling anxious or sweaty

Typically it may be onerous to inform the distinction between chest ache from a coronary heart assault and chest ache brought on by heartburn or GERD, in response to the American Heart Association (AHA), as a result of each can radiate towards your shoulder or jaw. However there are just a few key variations:

• Heartburn is extra prone to trigger chest ache after consuming, particularly when you’re mendacity down, whereas a coronary heart assault can occur any time and in any place.
• Heartburn may provide you with a bitter style in your mouth (brought on by regurgitated meals). A coronary heart assault will not.
• Heartburn will often eases up once you take an antacid. Coronary heart assault ache would not go away.

If you happen to’re undecided what’s inflicting your chest ache, and it is extreme and comes with different signs like fainting, vomiting, or shortness of breath, name your physician and go to the emergency room to play it protected.

Different causes of diarrhea

Diarrhea (with out chest ache) is a trademark symptom of many alternative GI issues. Frequent causes of diarrhea embrace the next, in response to the Cleveland Clinic:

• An infection: Abdomen bugs, which often final for a day or two, could cause gastrointestinal discomfort and signs like belly ache and diarrhea, cramping, nausea or vomiting, fatigue, and a fever.
• Meals poisoning: Ingesting dangerous toxins or micro organism in meals or drinks could cause a GI an infection that may give you diarrhea.
• Drugs: Antibiotics, antacids with magnesium, and sure most cancers medication may give you diarrhea.
• Meals sensitivity or intolerance: In case your diarrhea tends to strike after consuming a sure meals, like dairy or wheat, you can have a sensitivity or intolerance.
• Inflammatory bowel illness (IBD): Power situations like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s illness can inflame the liner of your GI tract and trigger diarrhea and different signs.

One other reason for diarrhea is COVID-19. For some folks, GI signs like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the primary signs they really feel as soon as they’ve contracted the virus, even earlier than typical signs like fever, fatigue, and cough, per the University of Nebraska. Whereas chest ache can be a symptom of COVID-19, it tends to flare up most as soon as you have already had the virus—also called “long COVID,” per the U.Ok.’s National Health Service.

Different causes of chest ache

Chest ache or discomfort can stem from many causes. Whereas most are minor and comparatively innocent, others might be severe, so it is essential to let your physician know when pink flags pop up. Frequent causes of chest ache embrace the next, per the Mayo Clinic:

• Anxiousness or panic assault
• Heartburn or GERD
• Sore muscular tissues or injured ribs
• Shingles
• Gallbladder or pancreas issues
• Angina, or chest ache brought on by lowered blood move to the guts
• Pericarditis, or coronary heart irritation brought on by an an infection
• Pulmonary hypertension, or hypertension within the lungs
• Pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot within the lungs
• Coronary heart assault

In case your chest ache is sharp, extreme, or persistent, name your physician and go to the closest emergency room. Typically it may be onerous to inform whether or not you are coping with one thing harmful (like a coronary heart assault) or comparatively minor (like anxiousness or heartburn). The one method to know for positive is to get it checked out ASAP.

Therapy for diarrhea and chest ache

Whether or not felt individually or collectively, chest ache and diarrhea often stem from an underlying trigger. One of the best remedy for every will rely on what’s driving your signs, says Dr. Rao.

If you happen to’re coping with anxiousness, as an illustration, speak remedy and/or drugs (like anti-anxiety meds or antidepressants) can assist you handle your temper, per the Cleveland Clinic. That, in flip, ought to assist get your chest ache and GI points underneath management.

Abdomen upset and chest ache from IBS could possibly be tamed with life-style and eating regimen modifications, like slicing out set off meals or working with a therapist to deal with life stressors. Low doses of antidepressant drugs—like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and tricyclic antidepressants—can assist, too. “They work nicely on these oversensitive nerve endings,” to assist cut back the feeling of ache in your esophagus and intestine, says Dr. Rao.

Within the very uncommon case that you simply’re coping with Whipple illness, you may must see a physician and take a protracted course of antibiotics.

When to see a physician

Whereas delicate chest ache that comes and goes it is often a severe challenge, chest ache that’s extreme, sharp, or persistent could possibly be severe and even life-threatening. In case your chest ache would not ease up after a couple of minutes and comes with different signs like shortness of breath, vomiting, or fainting, name your physician and search fast medical consideration.

Likewise, when you’re having common bouts of diarrhea or different GI signs that additionally have an effect on your chest, let your physician know. You may need an underlying situation like anxiousness or IBS that must be handled.

FAQ

Are you able to get diarrhea after ingesting alcohol?

Booze can undoubtedly provide you with diarrhea, particularly once you drink quite a bit, per the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. That is as a result of alcohol is excessive in sugar, which pulls water into your GI tract and might make your stools unfastened and watery.

If you happen to get diarrhea after drinking alcohol, be sure that to drink loads of water, replenish your electrolytes with drinks like Pedialyte, and think about lowering the quantity of alcohol you drink (or slicing it out utterly) if it provides you GI points.

Are there any meals you possibly can eat to scale back chest ache and diarrhea?

Whereas chest ache and diarrhea aren’t typically an indication of a severe coronary heart situation, there are meals you possibly can eat that can assist shield each your intestine and coronary heart in the long run. On the whole, heart-healthy foods like complete grains, beans, fruits and veggies, and nuts and seeds are additionally good in your intestine, says Dr. Rao.

Following a Mediterranean-style eating regimen can assist you get your fill. Specialists have lengthy identified that it could actually cut back the danger for coronary heart illness, whereas rising analysis reveals that the eating regimen additionally helps wholesome intestine micro organism that play a key function in lowering intestine irritation, per a Could 2023 report in Nutrients.

What are the most effective meals to eat when you’ve diarrhea?

One of the best foods for an upset stomach are mild and bland as a result of they’re simpler to digest. White toast, crackers, white rice, bananas, unsweetened applesauce, dry cereal, or baked rooster with the pores and skin off are good selections, per the Cleveland Clinic. Electrolyte drinks like Pedialyte or Gatorade are additionally good when you’ve had diarrhea, as a result of they will aid you keep hydrated and replenish misplaced electrolytes.