Saturday, March 23, 2024

Can Ulcers Cause Chest Pain And Shortness Of Breath

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For Pulmonary Embolism And Heart Attack

Behind the Mystery of Sarcoidosis: A Rare Disease That Can Cause Shortness of Breath, Chest Pain

Youll receive blood thinning medication and clot dissolvers for a pulmonary embolism, although your doctor may recommend surgery to remove a life-threatening clot.

Clot-busting medications are also first-line treatments for a heart attack. These medications can dissolve a clot and restore blood flow to your heart.

Healthier lifestyle choices help prevent some causes of chest and abdominal pain.

Some ways include:

  • Reducing stress:Relieving some stress in your life could potentially alleviate extreme anxiety and panic disorders.
  • Knowing your limits: Dont be afraid to say no and practice stress management techniques such as deep breathing or meditation to control your feelings and emotions.
  • Eating slower: Eating slower, eating smaller meals, and avoiding certain types of food may prevent symptoms of:
  • reflux disease
  • gastritis
  • esophagitis
  • Regular exercise: Losing weight and eating a healthy diet can also prevent heart disease, as well as reduce the risk of gallstones. Physical activity can even prevent blood clots that travel to the lungs.
  • Following doctors orders: If you have a history of pulmonary embolism, taking blood thinners, wearing compression stockings, and keeping your legs elevated at night could prevent future clots.
  • Some chest and abdominal pain can be mild and resolve within minutes or hours, either on their own or with over-the-counter medication.

    Discomfort caused by certain conditions might not require a doctor, such as:

    • gas

    Outlook For Peptic Ulcers

    With proper treatment, most peptic ulcers heal. However, you may not heal if you stop taking your medication early or continue to use tobacco, alcohol, and nonsteroidal pain relievers during treatment. Your doctor will schedule a follow-up appointment after your initial treatment to evaluate your recovery.

    Some ulcers, called refractory ulcers, dont heal with treatment. If your ulcer doesnt heal with the initial treatment, this can indicate:

    • an excessive production of stomach acid
    • presence of bacteria other than H. pylori in the stomach
    • another disease, such as stomach cancer or Crohns disease

    Your doctor may offer a different method of treatment or run additional tests to rule out stomach cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases.

    Treating A Tight Chest

    Your doctor will conduct tests to determine the cause of your chest tightness. If the tests for a heart attack come back negative, your symptoms may be caused by anxiety.

    You should discuss your symptoms with your doctor to determine when to seek immediate medical attention if you experience chest tightness again. It may be possible to link your chest tightness to other symptoms thatll help you identify anxiety versus a cardiac event.

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    Common Causes Of Chest Pain

    Most chest pain is not heart-related and isn’t a sign of a life-threatening problem. Some common causes of chest pain are outlined below.

    This information should give you an idea of whether these conditions may be causing your chest pain, but you should always seek medical advice to make sure you get a proper diagnosis.

    Asthma Gerd And Breathlessness

    What is Drug Induced Pulmonary Disease

    Many patients with asthma report heartburn and shortness of breath, as well as regurgitation and dysphagia . This may be, in part, due to the pressure incurred by wheezing and coughing, which can be strong enough to push stomach acid up into the esophagus.

    No matter the cause, the link between GERD and asthma is now obvious. Thats why doctors are now on the lookout for GERD in asthmatic patients, especially if:

    • they developed asthma in adulthood.
    • episodes appear after eating, exercising, or lying down right after a meal.
    • their condition continues to worsen despite treatment.

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    What Kind Of Doctor Treats Peptic Ulcers

    • If you suspect you may have a peptic ulcer, you may first be diagnosed by your family practitioner or internist.
    • Children or teenagers may see a pediatrician.
    • For further treatment you will likely be referred to a gastroenterologist, a specialist in disorders of the digestive tract.
    • If you have an emergency such as vomiting or severe abdominal pain you will be seen by an emergency medicine specialist in an emergency room.
    • In the rare case where surgery is needed, you may see a general surgeon.

    When To Get Help For Chest Pain

    You should call 999 for an ambulance immediately if you develop sudden severe chest pain, particularly if:

    If the discomfort is only minor or has resolved, it may be more appropriate to either:

    • speak to your GP
    • call the service

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    Typical And Not So Common Symptoms Of Heart Attack

    Intense pressurepain and shortness of breath often indicates heart attack or a heart problem such as angina . You can have a kind of early warning about heart problems several days or even several weeks before you actually have a heart attack. Maybe you will get out of breath more easily when you are going up and down stairs, or you will break out in a sweat on a cool day even with little exertion. You might have a passing sensation as if someone reached into your chest and squeezed your heart.

    If you have these potential early warning signs of a heart attack, don’t wait until you keel over in pain to see a doctor. There are many things your doctor can to prevent a heart attack: blood pressure control, high-dose statins , and nitroglycerin pills to open your arteries . If you are diabetic, keeping your blood sugar levels under control can help prevent heart attack .

    If you are at the point of experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack, the sweating, chest pain, and shortness of breath usually increase, and there may also be pain radiating to the left arm or neck. When there isn’t a feeling of crushing or burning pain, there may be a feeling of fullness in the chest. There can be nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and confusion. Shortness of breath may be severe after physical exertion, but improve after a few minutes rest.

    Peptic Ulcer Disease Vs Angina

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    Usually, it’s not particularly difficult for a healthcare provider to distinguish chest pain caused by peptic ulcer disease from angina caused by coronary artery disease . The characteristics of the two types of pain are usually quite different.

    Peptic ulcer pain is not induced by exercise and relieved by rest . The gnawing pain accompanied by bloating and nausea is quite different from that of typical angina.

    Nonetheless, because angina itself can have a noncardiac presentation, it may become important to do confirmatory tests to pin down the diagnosis.

    Endoscopy is the favored method of diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease, especially in people who have evidence of bleeding or have had severe symptoms.

    Testing for the presence of Helicobacter pylori may also be helpful. X-rays of the upper digestive system may also be recommended.

    If your healthcare provider is concerned about the possibility of CAD, a stress test may be helpful in distinguishing between these two problems.

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    Causes Of Chest Pain And Shortness Of Breath

    Many different health conditions are on the list of causes of chest pain and shortness of breath. Shortness of breath treatment has to be based on a medical diagnosis. You can’t diagnose yourself from information you get on the Internet. But here are some of the possible diagnoses you can expect.

    What Tests Diagnose A Peptic Ulcer

    To confirm a person has an ulcer a diagnostic imaging test will usually be ordered. The two most widely used tests are:

    • Upper GI series : This is a type of X-ray. The patient is given a chalky liquid to drink that increases the contrast on the X-ray, making certain features easier to see. Because this liquid contains barium, this test is sometimes called a barium swallow.
    • Endoscopy : An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera at the end. The patient is given a mild sedative, and then the tube is passed through the mouth into the stomach. The doctor can see the lining of the stomach to diagnose a peptic ulcer. Tiny samples of the tissue will be taken , which are examined under a microscope.

    If a diagnostic imaging test reveals an ulcer, the patient will most likely have a test to see if H pylori bacteria are present.

    • It is important to be certain about this, because treatment of the H pylori is likely to heal the ulcer.
    • Ulcers caused by H pylori are treated differently than ulcers caused by medications.

    Three types of tests are available to detect H pylori.

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    Can An Ulcer Cause Chest Pain

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    Epidemiology And Risk Factors

    Causes of Chest Pain and Shortness of Breath ...

    Perforated duodenal ulcers typically occur in patients with known peptic ulcer disease . PUD in the United States is most commonly due to Helicobacter pylori or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. The estimated rate of perforation or bleeding in patients with known peptic ulcer disease is 1-2% per year. Duodenal ulcers are associated with 60% of perforations due to peptic ulcer disease. In contrast, antral and gastric body ulcers each account for 20% of perforated ulcers. NSAID use is associated with up to one-half of perforated ulcers . Smoking, age over 65, and a history of complicated ulcer disease are also associated with a higher risk of ulcer perforation.

    Our patient’s only risk factor for a duodenal ulcer was his frequent use of NSAIDs for his arthritis. According to the Food and Drug Administration, NSAIDs are associated with a 1-4% risk per year of significant gastrointestinal events, accounting for 3,000 deaths per year, and the risk of complications is related to the daily dose of NSAIDs ingested . NSAIDs have excellent utility in providing analgesia for a variety of conditions, but they are known to cause injury to the gastric and duodenal mucosa, leading to ulcer formation, bleeding, and possible perforation. These medications are taken daily in the US by approximately 3 million people, and approximately 10% of people on daily NSAIDs will have an acute ulcer .

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    Shortness Of Breath And Tightness In Chest: All Possible Causes

    The feeling of pressure in the chest combined with shortness of breath is a very common symptomatology. As it is nothing specific, there are many conditions that can present these two symptoms at a time, making it very difficult to detect what condition you may have without the corresponding medical evaluation.

    In most cases it is simply one of the first symptoms of anxiety or indigestion, however, there are other more dangerous diseases that can hide behind these symptoms and should not be overlooked.

    In this oneHOWTO article you will find the answer to the possible causes of shortness of breath and tightness in chest by covering all the reasons why you may be feeling this sensation.

  • Symptoms associated with chest heaviness and shortness of breath
  • Treatment For Chest Pain

    The treatment for chest pains depends on the severity of the pain and the condition that caused it in the first place. There are invasive and non-invasive procedures to treat chest pains. Usually, a combination of both invasive and non-invasive procedures is best. Some of the non-invasive procedures include medication.

    Some invasive procedures include surgery. Additionally, cardiac catheterisation and repair of the arteries may also help. There are other treatments to treat the other causes of chest pains. For example, anti-acids, time anxiety medication and lung reinflation may help treat chest pain.

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    What Treatments Are There For Ulcers

    Your treatment will depend on the cause of your ulcer. For example, if our tests indicate that an infection caused by helicobacter pylori is what created your ulcer, well give you antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria.

    Regardless of the cause, medications that help reduce the level of acid in your stomach can help the ulcer heal. And different lifestyle changes can accelerate healing as well, such as eliminating certain foods, abstaining from alcohol, and practicing stress management.

    In severe cases, surgery may be required. Your provider at Prima Medicine will work with you to create a treatment plan for your situation.

    If you have a stomach ulcer or want to see if you do, we can help. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with Prima Medicine today.

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    Bone Or Muscle Problems

    What causes chest pain & what to do?

    If your chest is painful and tender to touch, it may be caused by a strained muscle in your chest wall. This can be surprisingly painful, but with rest the pain should ease and the muscle will heal in time.

    If you have pain, swelling and tenderness around your ribs, and the pain is made worse by lying down, breathing deeply, coughing or sneezing, you may have a condition called costochondritis.

    This is caused by inflammation in the joints between the cartilage that joins the ribs to the breastbone . The symptoms often improve after a few weeks and may be relieved by painkillers.

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    What Are The Symptoms Of A Peptic Ulcer Does It Cause Pain

    Ulcers do not always cause symptoms. Sometimes, a serious complication such as bleeding or a sudden, bad upper abdominal pain is the first sign of an ulcer.

    The most common symptom of peptic ulcers is abdominal pain.

    • The pain is usually in the upper middle part of the abdomen, above the belly button and below the breastbone.
    • The ulcer pain can feel like burning, or gnawing, and it may go through to the back.
    • Pain often comes several hours after a meal when the stomach is empty.
    • The pain is often worse at night and early morning.
    • It can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.
    • The ulcer pain may be relieved by food, antacids, or vomiting.

    Other symptoms of peptic ulcers include the following:

    • Nausea
    • Loss of appetite
    • Loss of weight

    Severe ulcers may cause bleeding in the stomach or duodenum. Bleeding is sometimes the only symptom of an ulcer. This bleeding can be fast or slow. Fast bleeding reveals itself in one of the following ways:

    • Vomiting of blood or dark material that looks something like coffee grounds: This is an emergency and warrants an immediate visit to an emergency department.
    • Blood in the stool or black, tarry, sticky-looking stools

    Slow bleeding is often more difficult to detect, because it has no dramatic symptoms.

    • The usual result is low blood cell count .
    • The symptoms of anemia are tiredness , lack of energy , weakness, rapid heartbeat , and pale skin .

    How Are Esophageal Ulcers Caused

    The main causes of esophageal ulcers are:

    Exposure to stomach acid: This causes chronic inflammation and irritation of the esophagus, allowing ulcers to develop. Stomach acid exposure most often occurs in people with other gastrointestinal conditions. These can include hiatal hernias and GERD, or gastrointestinal reflux disease, more commonly referred to, as severe heartburn.

    Medications: Certain drugs, including aspirin, ibuprofen, bisphosphonates, and some antibiotics, can cause esophagitis, or inflammation of the esophagus, and esophageal ulcers.

    Infection: Ulcers caused by infection are less common, but the fungal infection known as candida, herpes, and the human papillomavirus have all been linked to esophageal ulcers.

    Caustic injury: Esophageal ulcers may be caused by ingesting a corrosive substance. This type of injury mostly affects children, but it can also occur in adults who experience psychosis, suicidal tendencies, or who are abusing alcohol.

    Certain types of gastric surgery or foreign bodies can also cause esophageal ulcers.

    Early intervention is key to preventing complications from esophageal ulcers.

    In cases of acid reflux, treatment may include:

    • Medication, such as antacids, H-2-receptor blockers, and proton pump inhibitors .
    • Dietary and lifestyle changes, to aid digestion.
    • Surgery, for severe cases. Types of surgeries include to tighten the LES valve near the top of the stomach or to insert a magnetic device to help the LES valve function.

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    Medical Mystery: What Caused Chest Pain Shortness Of Breath In Older Man

    The patient was visibly winded, and his exam showed evidence of fluid in his lungs and legs. It appeared that he had developed congestive heart failure.

    I was looking forward to seeing one of my favorite patients last week. This 89-year-old Indian American man was added to my schedule as an urgent visit.

    He had had a pacemaker implanted at Temple Hospital just the week before and a visiting nurse was sent to check on him after his operation. The nurse had called and said the man was short of breath and seemed to be retaining fluid just four days after his pacemaker operation.

    The man came to the visit accompanied by his son, who has been more involved in his care since his wife died last year. He was visibly winded when I saw him, and his exam showed evidence of fluid in his lungs and legs. It appeared that he had developed congestive heart failure in the last few days a new problem for him.

    Several decisions needed to be made right away. One option was to have him hospitalized for an invasive test called a cardiac catheterization. This would exclude a heart attack, and help guide treatment. But because he was 89 years old, anxious to avoid another invasive test, and staying with his son who was managing his care, I elected not to put him in the hospital.

    Instead, I ordered several outpatient tests and started him on a diuretic called Lasix twice a day and a potassium supplement.

    But what caused him to become sick so soon after his new pacemaker was implanted?

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