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1554262 tn?1374240001

Severe Chest pain relieved by cold water

I hope I got the right Forum for this...

I'm a 51 year old male and for the past 16 months I have had a strange pain happen to me at random times.  I call it a "severe flash pain" for lack of a better description. It is located in my chest behind the sternum and slightly to the right (not the heart side).  The pain area radiates about the size of a softball and happens very fast with no or little warning.  I have even been raised from sleep with this pain.  I get it at work, at home, pretty much any time of day.  I can’t seem to nail down what triggers the pain like meal time, too much stress, fatty foods, etc. The weird part is this: I get myself to cold water as fast as I can and drink it quickly.  Almost as fast as the pain arrived…it goes away.  The pain is severe and the rush to find cold water is in panic mode to be sure.  I even had to get a cup out of the trash once since there were none around during an attack!  I don’t think it’s a heart issue but I just don’t know.  I do drink coffee in the mornings, don’t exercise much as I should, but I don’t know if that’s it.

DeBug
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547368 tn?1440541785
Thanks for your input. I'm sorry that you too suffer with this strange, often undiagnosed condition. I too find this thread interesting. It's taken on a life of it's own. It says something.

You're following the right path with your medical provider. If you've read this link you'll know that I believe there is an answer - there is a reason that ppl develop this symptom.

For those that search - they seems to find a variety of diagnoses. Some ppl never find a DX (diagnosis) - however it's my contention that either something was missed - or more tests should have been done. I went a few years without a DX. Finally one astute Internal Medicine Doc provided me with one. No more fear or cold water for me.

It's my guess that for most this condition originates in the GI track - or structures closely related to it.  

Ice water will often make Cardiac SX (symptoms) more pronounced. Some studies report a link between very cold drinks and heart attacks

I encourage everyone to r/o (rule out) the possibility that this has a cardiac origin - even though I have serious doubts. Why risk your life? Our SX, (even though all seem to relieved by cold water) may not all even be the same. I - or you may forget to add a SX  - or I may interrupt my body's SX differently that someone else interrupts theirs. We're different.

I'll be very, very interested and am excited to hear your final DX. I'm delighted that you found this thread and that you are sharing your experience and journey.

I wish you well and will watch for further updates.

Take Care,
~Tuck






Helpful - 0
1 Comments
esophageal spasms is what I believe they are.  Drinking water relaxes the spasms immediately.  
Avatar universal
Well, this is somewhat good news.  I am yet another sufferer of this strange illness. I started experiencing this about six weeks ago, the first time was at 4am. So you can imagine, pain in my center leftish part of my chest, never felt anything like it in my life, I am 54 and not in great shape so I am jumping out of bed, first thing I did was grab some water and it went away, took about 45 seconds total between waking and going away. Unlike you smart people, I did not conclude that the water made it stop.  3 days later I get this again, this time the pain goes to my neck and jaw, and felt like a toothache but everything started in my chest.  Once again, I went to the kitchen and grabbed some water it goes away, and I am left with this anxiety and weird feeling like "What just happened?" Then it happened a couple times more.  I decided doctor time!  I still didn't figure out water stopped it, (but always seemed to find some water and it goes away in about 30-45 seconds because of that activity. So I get my heart checked, get x-rays and I get to have a scope check on my throat as well pretty soon.  Since my doctor visit, I found that drinking the water was what made this go away.  I was driving home for lunch and had an attack of this and realized it was not going away.  I hurried to a service station, actually took cuts, and go to buy a water and chugged it before I could pay for it! (People probably thought I was insane) The pain went away instantly.  So I get to go back to my doctor pretty soon, and I am going to give them this link, because most of what everyone is saying sounds just like mine.  Starts somewhere in my lower chest, then moves into my center chest hurts real bad, radiates to random places, somewhat pulsating at times.  It happens standing, sitting, sleeping, full, empty, very random.  I will let you know if they figure anything out.
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I have the exact same symptoms. However I am 26 and have had them since I was 14... I thought my body was rotting from the inside. My doctor seems to thinks it's muscular... but I know it isnt.
I have the exact same symptoms. However I am 26 and have had them since I was 14... I thought my body was rotting from the inside. My doctor seems to thinks it's muscular... but I know it isnt.
547368 tn?1440541785
Thanks for sharing your story and diagnosis. I'm delighted you were able to find a resolution to this frustrating condition.

I do believe that, like you and I - many of these ppl have a condition that has been over looked. It may not be what you are I have - but in most instances something is going one.

I wonder how many have had Esophageal pH Monitoring? This is a thin plastic catheter (about a sixteenth of an inch in diameter) that is passed through one nostril, down the back of the throat, and into the esophagus - about two inches above the esophageal sphincter. The tip of the catheter contains a sensor that senses acid. The pH probe send a signal to the recorder usually worn on your belt or waistband.

It's not a comfortable test - but it tells a lot about what is happening in the area for a 24 hour period. It's a great diagnostic tool and can only be placed by a Gastroenterologist.

Again thanks for sharing.

~Tuck
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Avatar universal
OMG, I am so sorry, you support our theory! I misread your post and cannot apologise enough. Thank you! Blushing here!
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1 Comments
Have the same problem, since there was a pain near the chest area i thought i had heart problem, But i was sent to hospital for different reason, but that time i had different chest pain, so i took an blood test and chest x ray as well but was totally healthy, But i had this problem for about 6 to 8 years, im 23 now, and had x ray on 22, So i will tell everything that i had experience.

in my case,
There is an chest pain,
then builds up on your throat then to right jaw. but normal i ends up from chest pain after drinking water.

I do really think drinking water do help. but sometimes even water doesnt last long and comes back to me. then i had to consume pain reliever. But i know taking pain reliever often isnt good for you so i try to end it with water.

So i occasionally get chest pain then throat ... its not a pain but tightness? or feeling of bubbles and gas coming up? something like that and sore jaw or back tooth. then your hand and feet gets cold then feel like to throw up a bit. this is far i went, but usally end from water.

I think its 2 reason.
1. Acid Reflux
2. Stress
3.sitting down toooo much

I reason i think its acid reflux is because if you read to symptom its pretty simillar with this.

Stress, I always feel this pain when i feel stressed or do work.

Sitting down tooo mcuh, i really to sit down for most of my day, working sitting down, playing sitting down, eat tv sitting down.


So for all of you, try to fix your diet that doesnt trigger acid reflux and reduce stress through something u think it will help, and exercise at less 45 min to 1hr. so u are fit, and stand up not sit down after eating for 1 hr, and try to eat light at night time, also dont do any visual games before sleeping.

Thats all, and while im writing this, i have chest pain so i cant write too long sorry, but hope this activities helps, im doing it from today.

Health is the Best Guys
Avatar universal
Hello,
I hope that you did not read my previous post as me being a supporter of nicotine to relieve the symptoms listed on this post? I just re-read my post and even though it was an adendum to my previous post, I think I made myself clear that I was suggesting that nicotine was a relaxant, like a lot of "over the counter" drugs and should be avoided by anyone with 'our' symptoms! I want to make it very clear, MUSCLE RELAXANTS might be adding to this problem, including NICOTINE. By the way, I also think that smoking is just asking for trouble in the first place?
Aus
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Avatar universal
Hi, I have watched the list growing larger with this awful problem and the difficulties of finding the cause. I started to suffer from this 9 years ago, the first attack was 4 days after major surgery for spinal fusion, I was rushed back into hospital as they thought it was a blood clot, thankfully it wasn't and was sent home with pain killers. I thought it was a one off but it kept coming back so they checked to see if it was related to the surgery possible damage to nerves but all was fine. So to cut a long story short and 9 years later. I moved to the UAE to work three years ago. I had a few attacks grabbed the water and everything was OK,  then suddenly they increased  to every day.I was very lucky that I was given the name of this gastroenterologist. He carried out very test possible he stated that everything was fine except my stomach showed signs of acid damage tissue, he took samples to rule out H pyrio bug this was negative, so then asked did I get heart burn which I did occasionally. So he carried some further tests this showed that during the night I was getting severe silent reflux which I slept through so didn't  know. It was after this that I had the attacks. From this he explained that I needed to try different combinations of Ppi to see which were effective with a herbal solution which is produced by the human body called melatonin. This is produced in the brain and controls your sleep patterns, but also it's Produced in you gut and helps protect your mucosa lining. He explained that as you get older the melatonin reduces that's why older people seem to sleep less and in you gut it can stop altogether. I am 56 so he put me on a Ppi at night along with 3 mg of melatonin. The results were that after one year the attacks have stopped, also what melation in does is relax the muscle around your esophagus sphincter and stops the acid entering your food pipe. Now I'm not saying this is the answer for everyone but it's worth checking out with your doctor to check the melatonin level in your gut, also check out this melatonin on Google some very interesting facts. Now I do not take Ppi just occasionally  melatonin I have no silent reflux my endoscopy showe'd that the lining was in tact no signs of reflux damage at all and that my levels of melatonin  was constantly stable this will be monitored now every 12 months. Like I say and empathise  this worked for me not saying it's a miracle cure, but I found a great doctor in the UAE who tested every possible angle to get to this. Good luck.
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