Diarrhea and Chest Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Relief

Diarrhea and chest ache do not typically occur collectively. So in the event you’re having each on the identical time, you is perhaps questioning what the heck might be occurring.

Most gastrointestinal (GI) issues do not make your chest harm, and most issues associated to your chest or lungs do not offer you diarrhea. However there are a couple of cases the place the 2 signs would possibly overlap, says Supriya Rao, MD, a gastroenterologist at Tufts Drugs in Boston, Massachusetts.

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

Causes of chest ache and diarrhea

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

1. Anxiousness

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

2. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Whereas there’s not a lot newer analysis behind this, one March 2007 examine 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, gasoline, and bloating.

“Generally individuals with IBS can even 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 instances

It is extraordinarily uncommon, however typically chest ache and diarrhea may be attributable to Whipple illness—a bacterial an infection that impacts a number of organ methods together with the GI tract and the cardiovascular system, says Dr. Rao.

The most typical signs of Whipple illness embody 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 might result in irritation that causes coronary heart ache, in line with the National Library of Medicine.

The micro organism that trigger Whipple illness aren’t effectively understood, per the Mayo Clinic, however the illness seems to be almost certainly to have an effect on farmers and different individuals who work exterior and sometimes come into contact with sewage or wastewater.

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

Most likely not, in line with Dr. Rao. That mentioned, the crushing chest ache attributable to 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) embody 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

Generally it may be exhausting to inform the distinction between chest ache from a coronary heart assault and chest ache attributable to heartburn or GERD, in line with the American Heart Association (AHA), as a result of each can radiate towards your shoulder or jaw. However there are a couple of key variations:

• Heartburn is extra more likely to trigger chest ache after consuming, particularly in the event you’re mendacity down, whereas a coronary heart assault can occur any time and in any place.
• Heartburn can even offer you a bitter style in your mouth (attributable to regurgitated meals). A coronary heart assault will not.
• Heartburn will normally eases up while you take an antacid. Coronary heart assault ache would not go away.

When you’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. Widespread causes of diarrhea embody the next, in line with the Cleveland Clinic:

• An infection: Abdomen bugs, which normally 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.
• Medicines: Antibiotics, antacids with magnesium, and sure most cancers medicine 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 would 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 explanation for diarrhea is COVID-19. For some individuals, 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 also be a symptom of COVID-19, it tends to flare up most as soon as you’ve got already had the virus—also referred to as “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 may be critical, so it is essential to let your physician know when pink flags pop up. Widespread causes of chest ache embody 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 attributable to lowered blood circulation to the guts
• Pericarditis, or coronary heart irritation attributable to 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. Generally it may be exhausting to inform whether or not you are coping with one thing harmful (like a coronary heart assault) or comparatively minor (like nervousness or heartburn). The one method to know for certain is to get it checked out ASAP.

Remedy for diarrhea and chest ache

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

When you’re coping with nervousness, for example, speak remedy and/or medicines (like anti-anxiety meds or antidepressants) may help you handle your temper, per the Cleveland Clinic. That, in flip, ought to assist get your chest ache and GI points beneath management.

Abdomen upset and chest ache from IBS might be tamed with life-style and weight loss program adjustments, like reducing out set off meals or working with a therapist to deal with life stressors. Low doses of antidepressant medicines—like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and tricyclic antidepressants—may help, too. “They work effectively 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 have to see a health care provider and take an extended course of antibiotics.

When to see a health care provider

Whereas delicate chest ache that comes and goes it is normally a critical concern, chest ache that’s extreme, sharp, or persistent might be critical 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 rapid medical consideration.

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

FAQ

Are you able to get diarrhea after consuming alcohol?

Booze can undoubtedly offer you diarrhea, particularly while you drink lots, 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 free and watery.

When you get diarrhea after drinking alcohol, be sure to drink loads of water, replenish your electrolytes with drinks like Pedialyte, and think about decreasing the quantity of alcohol you drink (or reducing it out fully) 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 critical coronary heart situation, there are meals you possibly can eat that can assist shield each your intestine and coronary heart in the long run. Normally, heart-healthy foods like entire grains, beans, fruits and veggies, and nuts and seeds are additionally good in your intestine, says Dr. Rao.

Following a Mediterranean-style weight loss program may help you get your fill. Specialists have lengthy identified that it might cut back the danger for coronary heart illness, whereas rising analysis exhibits that the weight loss program additionally helps wholesome intestine micro organism that play a key position in decreasing intestine irritation, per a Might 2023 report in Nutrients.

What are one of the best meals to eat when you could have 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 in the event you’ve had diarrhea, as a result of they will assist you keep hydrated and replenish misplaced electrolytes.