Do you ever feel significant chest pain?
Does it worry you?
Any type of chest pain that causes you concern or that is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, should be considered an emergency:
- Pressure, tightness and squeezing pain across the chest
- Pain radiating down the arm, shoulders, jaw, neck, and back, particularly on the left side
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness, sweating, weakness, overwhelming fatigue
- Feeling of impending doom
- Headache, blurry vision, light-headedness, feeling faint
- Gastrointestinal symptoms such as indigestion, nausea and vomiting
- Coughing and palpitations
You are much better safe than sorry.
If you experience symptoms like those above, you want to get to a hospital and rule out the possibility that you are having a heart attack.
Do not reason it away and lose valuable time.
There are many other causes of chest pain that can become worrisome, but they won’t give you sudden extreme symptoms like those of a heart attack.
Any of the following might give you chest pain:
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GERD or heartburn
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excessive belching
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hiatal hernia
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gastric ulcer
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pulled muscle
Suffice to say that if you are worried, seek the advice of your doctor.
With that said, let me also say that even if you think your chest pain is related to stress, it is still cause for concern.
Your body reacts to stress by releasing two hormones, adrenalin and cortisol.
Adrenalin gives you a quick surge of fight or flight response. While cortisol, the primary stress hormone, effects you for longer periods of time.
Cortisol is the culprit for most of the dire health crisis that are associated with prolonged stress.
Chronic stressors such as major life changes (marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a loved one, etc.) as well as psychological stress, have been linked to cardiovascular disease.
Personality factors such as anger, hostility, depression and anxiety have been related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease as well.
What Do Need To Know
About Stress Chest Pain Symptoms?
1. The stress response slows down digestion and reduces blood flow to the gastrointestinal organs.
Have you ever had chest pain after eating when you were stressed?
Your stomach actually lies under your lower left rib cage. When you feel pain coming from your stomach, you might mistake it for heart attack symptoms.
2. Cortisol causes you to store tension in your muscles.
This accumulating tension causes you to breathe shallow. Lung function correlates to health and longevity, so it is easy to see why this aspect of the stress response is so problematic.
Your chest is a “busy intersection”. Your esophagus is carrying food to your stomach. Your trachea is carrying air to and from your lungs. Your spine is delivering every message your nervous system sends out to your body. Plus all those muscles doing the work of pushing and pulling, as well as that big heart muscle that pumps blood to every cell in your body.
This busy intersection can definitely be a source of pain if you are not using an effective stress management tool to help discharge the tension.
3. Your Stress Response results in increased blood pressure and inflammation, the cause of heart disease.
If you are experiencing stress chest pain take it as a warning sign that you need to reduce your stress if possible, utilize effective stress management tools, and take steps to reduce inflammation in your body.
- Eat more fruits and veggies
Eating alkaline – anti inflammatory foods over time will really help reduce the damage caused by your stress response.
- Get active
Exercise and aerobic circulation are extremely helpful in reducing inflammation and managing the harmful affects stress.
(Aerobic circulation ->Meaning being active with plenty of oxygen.)
Swedish research points out that stress chest pain is most prevalent in middle-aged people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
If you are middle-aged and sedentary you can expect to experience stress chest pain. Take breaks and get up and move around more.
There is no substitute for activity.
Move it or lose it. Chest pain is a red flag of warning!
- Tumeric
Tumeric is one great natural anti-inflammatory!
- Vitamin C
One of the most powerful things you can do each day to self nurture is to take high dose vitamin C.
- Increase Your Oxygen
Oxygen is the ultimate anti-inflammatory!
Don’t get confused! Oxidation is BAD, OXYGENATION is GOOD!
Find out how your breathing is making you sick and what you can do about it!
Click on the link and find out about the most important book you will ever read!
Stress -> Chest Pain -> Solution
Many blessings,
Carrie Tucker, RCP
The Life Breath Coach
Heart Failure Solutions
PS– Remember everyday:
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Relax and Release tension
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Exhale Slowly
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Be active in a way that adds Joy to your life
Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter
