feeling of something stuck in middle chest and pain in left chest and back

[WishEverybodyHealthy]

I am a 36 years-old Female with 1 child, married, and have been very healthy until July 6, 2005.  On that day I took the water ride in a theme park, which let you fall in very high speed and then stopped suddenly. I took the ride with my bag (midium-size) carried in front of me.  During the ride, I felt as if everything inside my chest got lifted up, heart was very unconfortable -- I did not have any heart problem before.  At the time of being stopped, I got hit on my chest and stomach by my bag.  After the ride, I felt like everything in my chest was still lifted, not going back, and throat was grasped, tightness in my chest, and minor chest pain at left side.  I start to feel shortness of breath even walking on a levelled road.  Things got worse since then.  I felt geneally fatigue in the next several days, and one night, a tearing pain inside my left chest during sleeping.  The pain persisted and my GI system then got affected greatly.  I started to feel uncomfortable/pain in my stomach, along with the chest pain, and tightness, tried to vomit several times but couldn't, dizzy, lightheaded, lost of appitite totally.  I went to my Dr. and he took a chest X-ray, it came back normal, but I did notice that the left side diaphragm was about 1cm higher comapred to two other X-ray films that I took in February.  I felt very bitter in my mouth even during daytime, especially when I woke up in the morning.  Dr. gave me Zantac to try, but did not help.  I was so sick that I could not go to work--want to sleep all day.  Took stress test and blood test (CBC, thriod, liver function, etc), they all came back normal.  Even drinking water will upset my stomach (I do not take any caffeine), I feel my belly is getting bigger, and lot of gas inside.  Took abdominal ultrasound, it came back normal as well.  Dr. switched me to Protonix, and it seemed to help my stomach ache, but not the chest pain, tightness, and the feeling of something stuck in middle of my chest is still there.  My appitite got a little bit better, but still cannot be compared to before. I never had any GI symptoms before.  My resting Heartbeat dropped from 81 to 68, BP dropped 118/78 to 96/60.
I did some research, and wondering maybe I
1) developed hiatal hernia when falling on that water ride and got hit by bag?
2) diaphragm got injured somehow during the ride and after got hit by the bag? The location of my chest pain (just below left breat, and same level in the back) seems to indicate diaphragm.
3) possible heart/blood vessel damages?

I know that Upper GI can be used to detect hiatal hernia, especially large ones.  Since all the symptoms started after the injury, can I ask my doctor to comptelely check up my chest using MRI, in which case, both Hietal Hernia or other Hernia, or even any injury to the diaphragm will be found out -- I heard CT is no good for examining the diaphragm.

I love this forum and would like ask for your guys help.  Any suggestions/comments are apreciated

[bigr98]

A related discussion, Heart Question was started.

[uscodell]

*Help with understanding Chiropractic*
I also agree with the person advocating the use of chiropractic care to help with your problem.  From what you have written, it sounds like this is the first experience you have had with chiropractors.  As you say, you are probably experiencing a cascade of problems with their origins with the water park ride.  Subluxations in the mid-thoracic area of the spine can lead to problems with the digestive system.  The sudden stopping of the ride probably caused an excessive compression on the spinal column, leading to a subluxation around T5 (the 5th thoracic vertebrae).  I know that a subluxation at T5 has originated extreme heartburn in my own experience.  Finding a chiropractor you are comfortable with is important, since this won't be someone you only go to when you have heatlh problems such as this.  You should also experience results from your chiropractic treatments.  I've been to chiropractors that didn't have very good technique, which resulted in my not going back because of a lack of results from the adjustments or lack of adjustments period.  I have since found a "good" chiropractor with whom I can feel the results.  Don't sign up for "20 treatments at a lower price" type contracts with whomever you find.  You should begin to feel results within 3-5 adjustments(hopefully sooner), but in case you don't, you won't want to be tied down to 17 more visits @ a "low price per visit."  Like the person before said, most medical physicans won't refer you to a chiropractor for treatment without you explicitly asking for it.  This is usually because of a "rift" that originated in the early 20th century between chiropractors and the American Medical Association.  For the longest time, and still today, many chiropractors have been treated as pseudodoctors by the medical community.  While chiropractic was once practiced w/o a significant research base(leading to much of the discreditation), this is hardly the case today.  While I've never heard of a hiatal hernia adjustment(possibly because I've never had a hiatal hernia), I hope you find someone that gives you relief from your symptoms.  Another directory of chiropractors can be found at www.ACAtoday.com (American Chiropractic Association) alond with articles and info on chiropractic.

[astros18]

I must tell you that you may not need to have your hiatel hernia adjusted. Your treatment may resolve all your issues for you. If you felt comfortable with any of the chiropractors your friends had good results with, I encourage you to give them a try. I use Nature's Sunshine products, Digestive food enzymes and Intestinal Soothe and Build. Keep me updated.

[WishEverybodyHealthy]

Thank you for your suggestions.  Can you provide some names for stomach soother?  I do want to try both digestive enzyme and stomach soother.

By the way, I have contacted several chiropractic doctors that my friends went to, but none of them does Hiatal Hernia adjustment.  I'll keep looking.

Thanks again for your help.  Appreciate that.

[astros18]

The best way as I stated before, to find a good chiropractor in your area is by referrals. Do any of your friends or family know anyone. You can always start with the yellow pages as well. You really need to find one close to home because your treatment will probably start out being 3 times a week. My previous post also suggested checking out the David Singer web site. I believe he has a referral directory for the country. You can also try taking some digestive food enzymes along with a stomach soother. You can find these at a health store such as GNC. Hiatel hernias are very common amongst women. You probably had one prior to your bumpy ride but was asymptomatic. Again, I encourage you to try and find a chiropractor you trust and start treatment. I think you will be pleasantly surprised how much better you feel.

[WishEverybodyHealthy]

Thanks everybody for your comments.  I have updates:
I brought my CT scan to another Radiologist to review, and he told me that I have a small Hiatal Hernia, and also thickening of stomach wall, very close to GE junction.  He was surprised that the original report indicated normal for everything.  

I totally believe his reading, because I can feel that my chest and body is no longer the same after that tough ride -- something must have been pushed up!!

I have scheduled an upper endoscopy with my GI doctor.

However, I really need to find a good Chiropractic doctor who treats Hiatal Hernia with good reputation. I am willing to go to any state to receive the treatment - It's been misarable day ad night, and I believe the thickening of stomach wall (inflammation most likey) is related to that as well, because I had never had any GI complains before that tough ride.

I need you guys help.  If you know a Chiropractic doctor who has treated you or your friends's Hiatal Hernia successfully, please kindly let me know.  Appreciate your help!!

[mija_Az]

I recently went to a new chiropractor,upon doing his initial assesment,he mentioned that I had a hiatal hernia among other things. That evening, when I researched hiatal hernias, I knew he was right. So many of the symptoms were familisr to me and I know they have been present for most of my life. I went to the Chiropractor this morning and asked him what treatments were available for my hernia besides surgery, it was what seemed to be the medical way of resolving it. He said that he could pull it down and that might be enough to give me relief. I was relieved that there might be a way, besides surgery, to treat the hernia. He then proceeded to do the procedure, if you have had any chiropractic care, you know that there can, at times, be  times some discomfort when getting an adjustment,this is no different. While it is to early for me to tell if there has been any improvement I am cautiously optimistic, I have always had favorable results from my chiropractic treatments in the past.

[astros18]

I have to say I am puzzled that the first chiropractor you saw didn't examine your spine. There is a definite correlation between spinal subluxations in the thoracic spine and gastro problems. A chiropractor can even adjust your hiatel hernia by pulling it down. You can literally feel it give. One thing I do is stand with my back against a wall. Take the palm of your right hand and run it along the inner ribcage on the left side of your stomach area starting at the top just under your breast, then switch sides. Sometimes this helps. If you go to David Singer web site, you should be able to find a good chiropractor referral for your area. Digestive food enzymes may help as well. Keep me informed.

[WishEverybodyHealthy]

Hi I am back to report the progress and also want to thank you all for your comments and help.  

I saw three Internal Medicine doctors, and every one gave me a different view, I was a little confused by that.  The first doctor told me that it might be Hiatal Hernia that was developed when I was having that slide ride and then got hit on chest.  She suggested me to do an endoscopy or UpperGI series;  The second doctor said that's impossible, maybe only plane crash will have a chance to push stomach up, he suggested me to go see a bone doctor; the third doctor just ordered a Chest CT for me.

I also went to a Chiropractic doctor, he examined my stomach and abdominal area, and he liked the Hiatal Hernia theory.  I am a little puzzled that he did not even exam my back/spine area.  I saw a lot of places saying that spine problems can cause GI symptoms too.  This doctor is very nice person, but I guess I'll have to find one who supports the idea that GI and spine problems connect to each other.

I went with the Chest CT approach, because I think if I have bone problem, it will show up, and the third doctor also told me that Hiatal Hernia should be detected on CT scan as well.

Well I had my Chest CT done yesterday, and the report just came out today.  I did not see the report, but communicated with the third doctor on the phone.  He told me it was a normal scan for my age (don't know what that's supposed to mean) but anyway I asked him about the hiatal hernia/stomach problem, he said the radiologist did not mention that on the report so he assumes I don't have that condition.  But all my vital organs and bones do not have any problem.  

These days, my sysmptoms are still pain inside left chest diaphragm area and the feeling of something stuck inside my chest, food is not easy to go down smoothly, which sometimes makes me want to throw up. Very stange taste in my mouth (bitter taste?) No appitite at all and keep losing weight.

I also talked to another chiropractic doctor via email (he is located far away).  He told me it is possible that during the rough ride my rib cage got shifted against spine.  

I am not sure what step to take next.  One option is to go see a GI doctor, by performing an endoscopy to find out for real whether or not I had developed Hiatal Hernia throught the rough ride.  The other option is maybe request a CT reread to ask them to concentrate on the esophagus/stomach area, I am not sure whether CT scan can tell small Hiatal Hernia; The third option (and probably the final option that I will take at the end anyway) is continue searching for a good chiropractic doctor.  
I read on the internet that some chiropractic doctor treat Hiatal Hernia as well by mechanically pull down the stomach, but it's hard to find a good doctor who has done that.  Yesterday I tried to jump up and down (one site said this helps to get the hernia back), but it made me really painful inside my chest.  If I know of a good chiropractic doctor who can adjust my spine and also handles Hiatal Hernia, I am willing to travel to any state to fix the problem and get out of the current suffering state.

Any comments and suggestions are very welcome.  And thank again for your help!!

[Zinni_singh]

hi..im 19 years old male,one day i was with my friends at night smoking weed,i dont want to lie im a regular smoker..so that night after smoking weed i felt a severe pain in my heart for about 30mins and after that i felt breathlessness for one full day,and today after eight months when ever i think of anything exciting or emotional,i feel a slite pain in my heart and left stomach....the pain is always there and i cant sleep that well at night...i dont know whats wrong and dont want to talk to my parents about this,the pain is also at the upper back of my body,left hand,left sholder..and the pain keeps moving around..i feel like something is trapped under my bottom ribs please help..
                                  
                                   thanks zinni

[astros18]

She had no symptoms of GERD or anything until her turbulent ride down the water slide. The solution lies in treating her true problem, not by masking things with a pill.

[ckg]

you might want to also consider non-cardiac chest pain.  some of the symptoms that you are exhibiting are consistent with that diagnosis -- which is also known as atypical GERD.  treatment would usually be a Proton Pump Inhibitor therapy.

hope this helps!
ckg

[astros18]

If you feel it is necessary to see a bone doctor, go ahead. You must do what you feel is the best thing for you. I have to say that I have never been to a medical doctor who tells you your spine has been subluxated. A subluxation is when your bone moves out of place putting pressure on the nerves that lead out of your spine. A chiropractor gently puts the bone back into place using the type of adjustment he feels is best for you, freeing your nerves to work correctly. I also recommend a good trigger point massage every now and then. It may be part of your treatment at some point. My entire family sees a chiropractor once a month and we are very healthy. I have 4 children who have not had to see their medical doctor for an illness in 4 years. I believe the chiropractor keeps their immune system strong. There are many benefits to chiropractic besides pain relief. I consider them extras! Hope you feel better. Keep me posted.

[Med Help]

Before you go to a chiropractor, PLEASE follow your doctor's advice and see an Orthopedist (bone doctor) to rule out any serious problems.  While Chiropractor's can be very helpful, we urge you to follow through on your doctor's advice BEFORE beginning any kind of chiropractic treatment.

Med Help International

[astros18]

The best way to find a good chiropractor is to ask friends and family. Your medical doctor as well may know and be able to refer you. Of course there is always the internet. I recommend you find a chiropractor who makes you feel comfortable and who explains everything to you. Usually they want to take their own xrays although if you have very recent ones they may make an exception. Your first couple of visits should be a consultation followed by a quite extensive physical exam including xrays, diagnostic testing and sometimes blood work. You will then be examined by a doctor who does a neuromuscular examination. Following that you will receive a report of findings and then care if they feel they can help you. You will then begin receiving your adjustments and on your way to relief. Good luck!

[WishEverybodyHealthy]

Thank you very much for your help.  I am sure I want to go see a chiropractic doctor definitely.  I like your theory very much.
By the way, I went to see my family doctor again today, he said I might be injuried on the chest in someway and suggested me to go see a bone doctor.  I really don't think my bones (ribs)have any problem, otherwize I wouldn't be able to move around or even drive so easily.  Do you think it's worth going anyway to let the bone doc check me out?  I don't know if he is going to examine the spine as well.  Thanks!!!

[WishEverybodyHealthy]

Thanks doctor.  I am worried about small tearing/injury on diaphragm, which could be a potential ongoing problem later on; Sniff test seems to be used primarily for Diaphragmatic paralysis.  It looks like only MRI can tell the minor tearing on diaphragm, not the regular CT.  But Helical CT scanning may help.  Also I heard that Upper UI series is not reliable to find minor to mid-sized Hiatal Hernia, it is only good for farely big ones.   Besides, I am hesitate to test both Upper UI series and Chest CT together or in a short period of time - too much radiation.  In order to combine the above several tests, is MRI a better choice?  Thanks again for your help!!

[Kevin Pho, MD]

An upper GI series or upper endoscopy would be useful in ruling out several upper GI disorders, including a hiatal hernia.

If there is concern about diaphragm dysfunction, a fluroscopic sniff test would be the best test for diagnosis.  This can be arranged via a pulmonary consultation.

A chest CT can evaluate for any hematoma or trauma to the area.

As for heart disease, a stress test would make cardiac disease unlikely.  You can consider an echocardiogram to evaluate the structure of the heart.  

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
http://www.straightfromthedoc.com