Chest Pain

I suffer from acid reflux and take Nexium.  Sometimes I get some pretty severe episodes of gas discomfort and sometimes there is strong, shooting pain on the left side of my chest.  I have gone to the emergency room a couple times over the last 10 years and I have been told it was not my heart.  I work out regularly, can jog 30 minutes on the treadmill and walk for miles.  Generally in good shape.  50 years old.

Why do I get this pain on my left side of chest?  That is where it most often occurs if it is a strong pain and not just some general burping related discomfort.

[CCF HeartMD5]

It is not clear from your description what may be causing your chest pain. It sounds as if you have a good exercise tolerance. Your chest pain is not exertional, which suggests that it is not heart related. The fact that your ER visits have not identified any cardiac problem is also reassuring, Your chest discomfort may be related to acid reflux. Your doctor will be able to assess how your chest discomfort responds to Nexium. If your doctor is concerned about a cardiac cause of your chest discomfort, a stress test may be helpful to assess your risk of having coronary artery disease.