When gas can't pass down south, it can definitely travel north and get trapped, according to gastroenterologist Dr. Christine Lee. When it's trapped in your upper abdomen, the doctor said backed up intestinal gas can cause intense chest pain. And that in fact, some people may wonder if they're having a heart attack and not just needing to fart.
"On the long and winding road that is your digestive system, there are only two spots where gas can get out. When it sneaks out of the southern port, we call it a fart. When it heads up north, that's a burp or a belch. It's all part of the digestive process, and it generally proceeds without much fuss. But that's not always the case. Sometimes, that gas gets trapped; and if, for whatever reason, you haven't been able to pass it from below, it can travel north and end up as chest discomfort," said Lee.
The gastroenterologist specialist at Cleveland Clinic said every person's experience of pain can be different which makes it hard to say with certainty how gas pain might feel to you.
While chest pain can signal a real emergency, there are ways to tell the difference, as well as options for finding relief.
Common signs of gas accumulation in your chest might include a feeling of pressure or tightness on either the left or the right side of your chest; sharp, jabbing pain in your chest or upper abdomen; swelling or bloating in your abdomen; and voluntary or involuntary farting and/or belching.
Lee said most times, gas pains occur in response to something a person ate or drank - carbonated drinks, like beer or soda; foods they are sensitive to like dairy products or gluten; foods that are high in fiber, including fiber supplements; and due to excessive amounts of swallowed air, which might have happened while they ate, smoked, talked, chewed gum, drank through a straw or sucked on hard candies.
Gas pains could also occur because of medications including statins, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and some laxatives; artificial sweeteners; and food poisoning, especially if the gas pain is accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Other potential causes of gas pains include medical conditions like gall bladder disease, acid reflux, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, Celiac disease, delayed stomach emptying (gastroparesis), SIBO (small bowel bacterial overgrowth) and obstruction or blockage of the digestive tract, which might be caused by conditions such as colorectal, ovarian or stomach cancers.
"Most times, chest pains caused by gas from something you ate or drank occur post eating or drinking, and burping or farting bring immediate relief. A heart attack, on the other hand, is a lot more serious. But, again, because everyone experiences pain differently, it can be very hard to tell the difference between the two.
While heart attack signs can vary widely - from crushing pain to no pain at all - Lee said some of the early warning signs of a heart attack include pressure or tightness in the chest; pain in the arm, jaw, neck or back; cold sweats; heartburn or indigestion; shortness of breath; nausea or vomiting; unusual fatigue; or exertional in nature
The doctor said caution must prevail whenever a person experiences chest pain.
"I can give you the textbook description of a heart attack but, unfortunately, that's not always the norm," said Lee. "Some people have no pain with a heart attack. Others, say ... might just feel a tingling in their left arm. So, if a cardiology textbook can't explain chest pain for everyone, there is no way to explain gas pain for everyone, because what feels like gas pain to one person might feel like a heart attack to another."
The most direct way to relieve trapped gas is to let it out, by way of burping or farting.
To encourage the gas to move on the doctor recommends gentle exercise, including walking or yoga which she said can relax your gut and help move the gas through your digestive system. Pooping (or having a bowel movement) can help dispel intestinal gas.
She said ginger has been shown to prevent bloating and gas. And to try eating a piece of candied ginger, drinking a cup of ginger tea or even drinking warm water with a sprinkling of powdered ginger on top. She also suggests applying a heating pad or hot water bottle to the tummy to help relax your gut or trying a gentle self-massage.
If your healthcare provider agrees, Lee encourages trying an over-the-counter remedy containing simethicone. which is found in several popular stomach medications; and avoiding medications that slow down your gut (like narcotics, pain medications and some allergy medications).
To reduce the chances of excess gas buildup and future bouts of gas pain, she encourages people to reduce the amount of hard-to-digest foods in their diet, which she said might mean reducing portion sizes or limiting how often you eat things like beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, onions, garlic, dairy products and foods containing artificial sweeteners. As well as reducing the number of carbonated beverages, including carbonated water, soda and beer.
People who know they can't tolerate foods containing lactose or gluten, should try to eliminate them from their diet. Minimize air swallowed by avoiding the use of drinking straws, eliminating smoking, limiting chewing gum and reducing how much you talk while you eat. And review medications with your doctor if you think they may be contributing to your gas.
Lee encourages people to stay hydrated and move their bowels regularly to limit the buildup of gas-producing bacteria; exercise regularly and avoid prolonged sitting to keep the digestive tract moving smoothly.
"Prevention is always easier than treatment," said Lee.
Whether your chest pain is a sign of heart disease, the result of colorectal cancer or just because you ate too much broccoli, the doctor recommends a prompt conversation with your healthcare provider.
"I'm very conservative, but the sooner you get a diagnosis for what's causing your pain, the more options you have. The earlier the diagnosis, the easier it is to treat, or even to cure, the problem. But if you wait too long, you might no longer be able to cure it - you might just have to concentrate on not letting things get worse," said Lee.
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