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Gas Pain or Heart Pain? Why They Feel the Same and How to Tell
I am making this video again with a lot of pain. I made it before too, but I have to make it again and again. I do not understand why people wait, thinking it is gas pain. I have explained the differences between heart pain and gas pain many times. Even so, just recently a man suffered with pain for three days and came only after three days, at a very end stage, with a heart problem.
Coming like this means that however hard we work to set them right, sudden cardiac arrest becomes a big problem. If you go to the hospital immediately when a heart problem comes, the chance of a big problem is low. But the more you delay, the bigger the problem. One man came within an hour of pain; we immediately placed a stent and he is fine. But when someone comes after three days of pain, however successful the procedure, the heart's pumping does not recover. Whatever we do after that, it does not normalise. That is the problem.
So if you just assume it is gas pain, it can become dangerous. When you get gas pain, first check the heart once. Thinking heart pain is gas is dangerous, but thinking gas pain is heart pain is never a problem; they will just do a small ECG and look. Let us once again see completely how to tell which is gas pain and which is heart pain.
Why gas pain and heart pain feel the same
There is an autonomic nervous system in the body, arranged by spinal segments. From the T5 to T9 spinal segments, both the gastric autonomic nerves and the heart's autonomic nerves go. That is why this is called referred pain. Although the heart is actually on the left side, the discomfort comes in the centre. Gas too, although the stomach or gastritis is here, comes in the centre. Both refer like this, and with discomfort in the centre, it is hard for many people to know which is gas and which is heart. Even doctors get confused.
In fact, doctors get confused first. When doctors have gas pain, they take tablets themselves. Doctors are at much higher risk from heart attacks because they self-diagnose. That is one major problem.
Many people think pain in the chest is frightening, but pain here in the upper abdomen is no problem. If pain comes here in the upper abdomen, it can also be heart-related pain. We must notice that.
The most important difference
If you are unable to walk, we must understand that it is related to the heart. If four steps make this burning worse, and stopping makes the burning go down, it is definitely the heart. Whatever anyone says, do not believe anything else. If the burning increases when walking, we must consider it the heart's.
Heart pain can feel like being gripped, like pain, crushing, or burning. Unfortunately there are these four: tightly gripped, squeezing type of pain, or even burning. It comes in a way you cannot point to one spot with a finger; heart pain comes over the whole area. Gas also comes like that, unfortunately. That is why people get confused, and lives are being lost in that confusion.
Signs that it may be your heart
- Pain that increases on walking is always heart-related.
- If the pain goes to your throat, pulls at your jaws, or comes to your left arm, do not think it is gas; it may be the heart.
- If you have had gas pain for many days and now the same kind of pain lasts longer, a different type of pain comes, or it does not reduce with tablets, think about the heart immediately. Even if it is the same pain as before but lasting longer, do not dismiss it as gas.
- You took an antacid and even half an hour later it is not reducing, when earlier it used to reduce: understand that it is heart-related.
- It has come in a new way: earlier it came only here, now it comes up to here. Even then, know it is the heart's.
Symptoms that can come with either
Vomiting, sweating, palpitations and dizziness can come in both. The major point is: heart-related pain increases on walking, and it does not reduce when gas tablets are taken. If it is like that, first go and get an ECG.
Many people say, “I took a tablet and got some relief.” Not 100% relief, but some relief comes. “The doctor said if it reduces with a tablet it is okay.” It is not like that. If earlier it went away 100%, now too it should go away 100%. That is important.
Another: if it increases on walking or when emotionally stressed, consider it heart-related. If there is extreme sweating, consider that it is the heart's.
If you have risk factors
Another very important point: if you have risk factors, meaning sugar, BP, you smoke, or you had a heart problem before, or you are obese, you are not sleeping, or you are under stress, then definitely do not think it is gas. Think it is the heart. That is very important.
Remember these
Get complex stent and bypass procedures done at our Pulse Heart Center. You will be safe.
I am telling you once more; listen very carefully and do not forget. This is a video that saves lives; share it with everyone.
- Heart pain can come like burning. Not all burning is gas.
- If you think it is burning, drink Eno and sit quietly, especially if you have many risk factors, it is very dangerous. If you have diabetes, do not neglect it at all. If people with diabetes newly have burning, go to the doctor immediately; this can become dangerous.
- If it increases on walking, it is the heart's, nothing else. You may think anything, but if it increases on walking, it is not gas; it is the heart.
- If it goes to the throat, jaws or shoulders, or to both sides, it is the heart's. If heavy sweating is coming, it can be the heart's.
If you can save even one patient this way, if you tell someone who thinks they have gastritis to go to a heart doctor once, and they have a heart attack and are treated and saved, you have saved a life.
Recently I saw a meme: a friend says, “I'm getting gas,” and his friend says, “Nothing will happen, drink Eno, drink Eno.” Later, when the first friend dies, he goes there and acts like, “It wasn't me, I didn't say anything.” Friends like this are a little dangerous.
Anytime, it is safer to think it is the heart than to think it is gas. Get an ECG once and check. After they say all is well, you can go to a gastroenterologist, take tablets for gas, do anything. But many prominent people, and doctors too, have died thinking heart pain was gas pain. So if heart pain comes in the chest like gas or burning, first get the heart tested.
In his words: the key point
It is always safer to think it is the heart than to think it is gas. Get an ECG first; after the heart is cleared, treat the gas.
Frequently asked questions
Why do gas pain and heart pain feel the same?
Dr. Mukharjee explains that the nerves of the stomach and the heart come from the same spinal segments (T5 to T9), so both cause referred pain in the centre of the chest or upper abdomen.
How do I know chest burning is from the heart?
If it increases on walking or with emotional stress, spreads to the throat, jaw, shoulders or left arm, comes with heavy sweating, is new or different, or does not go away 100% with an antacid, treat it as the heart.
I have diabetes and new chest burning. What should I do?
Do not neglect it. People with diabetes who newly have burning should go to the doctor immediately and get an ECG.
Why does delay matter?
A patient who comes within an hour can do well with an immediate stent; after three days of pain, even a successful procedure may not bring the heart's pumping back.
— Dr. M. S. S. Mukharjee
Senior Interventional Cardiologist
Pulse Heart Super Speciality Hospital, Miyapur, Hyderabad
This article is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for individualised medical advice. Talk to your own doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.