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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
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
Hello and Welcome to our Pain Management Forum.
First of all, I'm delighted you have a DX (diagnosis) and that cold water relieves your ES (Esophageal Spasms). Thanks so much for sharing.
I have ES too. Cold water does not relieve my spasm, in fact it makes them worse. I require the standard treatment, Nitroglycerin and Valium. The Nitro provides a relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and produces dilation of the blood vessels. Before I was DX and the combination of those two medications was given, nothing helped. ES would sometimes last most of the day - until becoming so severe it'd send me to ER.
I have tried cold water which only made the spasms worse. I took everything I could think of and tried multiple liquids (once including ice cold beer) - nothing eased those spams.
Your experience and mine proves that we are all different - what's effective for one is not necessarily effective for another.
Please everyone with these SX seek medical evaluation just as Kathy did.
Peace,
~Tuck
First of all, I'm delighted you have a DX (diagnosis) and that cold water relieves your ES (Esophageal Spasms). Thanks so much for sharing.
I have ES too. Cold water does not relieve my spasm, in fact it makes them worse. I require the standard treatment, Nitroglycerin and Valium. The Nitro provides a relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and produces dilation of the blood vessels. Before I was DX and the combination of those two medications was given, nothing helped. ES would sometimes last most of the day - until becoming so severe it'd send me to ER.
I have tried cold water which only made the spasms worse. I took everything I could think of and tried multiple liquids (once including ice cold beer) - nothing eased those spams.
Your experience and mine proves that we are all different - what's effective for one is not necessarily effective for another.
Please everyone with these SX seek medical evaluation just as Kathy did.
Peace,
~Tuck
I am 76 years old and had my first experience with this pain when I was in my 30's. That first pain episode was in the middle of my upper back. I was otherwise very healthy. My primary care physician diagnosed it as esophageal spasms and prescribed a muscle relaxant/pain killer, which worked after several minutes in alleviating the pain. Nowadays it only happens 3 or 4 times a year and the pain is mostly in the middle of my chest, sometimes radiating to my jaw. I eventually discovered on my own, that one or 2 big swallows of cold water relieved the pain immediately - much faster than the medication. My belief has been that the cold water interrupts the spasm in the esophagus that is causing the pain.
I should have clarified that the above Article in not the Article in it's entirety. It was much too long and not all parts were relevant to this discussion.
Sorry I didn't make that more clear.
~Tuck
Sorry I didn't make that more clear.
~Tuck
I've copied and pasted this from an article by Dr. John A. Amaro, Dr. Debra Richel. I thought it might be a good addition to this very old but popular thread. The article is much longer than what what I have posted here. I tried to take just a few highlights from the article.
Begin Copy
"DEHYDRATION AND HEART ATTACK"
"If you think it can't happen to you, think twice!!!!!
One of the most critical problems of heart disease is "disbelief". Many victims cannot accept the fact that the symptoms encountered are really serious and far too often, just believe that they will 'just go away'.
Even though the symptoms may be intense for one person, another may experience only mild discomfort. Know the signs,
· Moderate or severe indigestion
· Severe or uncomfortable pressure in the center of the chest.
·Pain in the shoulders, neck or arms.
· Weakness or excessive fatigue.
·Heart palpitation.
·Cold sweat, paleness, anxiety...........
One particular heart condition which is seldom discussed yet is responsible for thousands of lives each year in America alone, is Cardiovascular Shock, sometimes known as Cardiovascular Insult but perhaps more popularly known by the name of its primary cause of 'Dehydration'
Dehydration is not a unique condition, but it is a situation that is often ignored especially at the subclinical stage which is just enough dehydration to be a potential problem but not enough to cause severe symptoms. Most often a person will upon feeling thirst, simply drink enough to satisfy the thirst but not necessarily enough to safeguard normal physiology." End Copy
I hope this has been helpful.
Peace,
~Tuck
Begin Copy
"DEHYDRATION AND HEART ATTACK"
"If you think it can't happen to you, think twice!!!!!
One of the most critical problems of heart disease is "disbelief". Many victims cannot accept the fact that the symptoms encountered are really serious and far too often, just believe that they will 'just go away'.
Even though the symptoms may be intense for one person, another may experience only mild discomfort. Know the signs,
· Moderate or severe indigestion
· Severe or uncomfortable pressure in the center of the chest.
·Pain in the shoulders, neck or arms.
· Weakness or excessive fatigue.
·Heart palpitation.
·Cold sweat, paleness, anxiety...........
One particular heart condition which is seldom discussed yet is responsible for thousands of lives each year in America alone, is Cardiovascular Shock, sometimes known as Cardiovascular Insult but perhaps more popularly known by the name of its primary cause of 'Dehydration'
Dehydration is not a unique condition, but it is a situation that is often ignored especially at the subclinical stage which is just enough dehydration to be a potential problem but not enough to cause severe symptoms. Most often a person will upon feeling thirst, simply drink enough to satisfy the thirst but not necessarily enough to safeguard normal physiology." End Copy
I hope this has been helpful.
Peace,
~Tuck
I sure wish I had a definitive answer for you. Anyone of your suppositions could be correct. As you can see by this very old and long thread it seems to be a problem that many ppl experience.
It's my belief that there are various causes among these people that post on this thread. As you note a few have actually become a bit upset that I would even suggest there may be an underlying cause.
I've never heard of the heart becoming dehydrated by itself - obviously dehydration effects the entire body. Cardiovascular Insult occurs when the body becomes dehydrated plunging it into a state of shock. Our body requires between 48 to 64 oz of water every day - this equates to 6 to 8 large glasses - more in warmer climates. So it is important to drink adequate amounts of water.
Dehydration results in depletion of important minerals, eighty plus to be exact and not just sodium and potassium. However in most instances we have to be severely dehydrated before we feel any chest symptoms. Obviously your cardiologist has ruled out a cardiac cause of your chest pain - it not- insist that a few diagnostic tests be run.
You don't need a gastritis or esophagitis to experience Esophageal Spams. I had neither. They can become chronic. They are usually DX (diagnosed) by a physician observing your SX (symptoms), having a good clinical picture and R/O (ruling out) other conditions. Stress can and does bring on an acute attack of Esophageal Spams (ES) - however sometimes it seems totally unprovoked. I was taking multiple RX medications for GERD when my ES first occurred - therefore ER docs were stumped, thinking unjustly so that those meds would have controlled ES. This is not true. ES is usually treated with Valium and Nitro.
I encourage you to have a complete work up by Cardiologist. It has been six years since your by-pass surgery and problems can and do reoccur.
Have you been tested for a Hiatal Hernia? This often requires extensive testing by a Gastroenterologist and not just the usual. Hiatal Hernias can and do cause chest pain/discomfort.
Have you had a thorough physical? If not that's also a good place to look for a reason for your SX. Yes adhesions can and do cause pain. Unfortunately adhesions cannot be "seen" by usual and customary testing or scans. There is a never MRI called a Cine MRI that is able to see most adhesions. Physicians rarely order the expensive scan unless they feel it is warranted and available.
I encourage you and everyone not to just be satisfied with the apparent fact that cold water relieves these SX. Look for a reason, a cause. In my opinion it's very important.
I hope something I've said has been helpful. Please keep us updated. Sharing your tests and results or any DX will help all on this old thread - and future posters.
I hope to hear from you again soon. Take good care of yourself and remember you are your own best health care advocate.
My Best,
~Tuck
It's my belief that there are various causes among these people that post on this thread. As you note a few have actually become a bit upset that I would even suggest there may be an underlying cause.
I've never heard of the heart becoming dehydrated by itself - obviously dehydration effects the entire body. Cardiovascular Insult occurs when the body becomes dehydrated plunging it into a state of shock. Our body requires between 48 to 64 oz of water every day - this equates to 6 to 8 large glasses - more in warmer climates. So it is important to drink adequate amounts of water.
Dehydration results in depletion of important minerals, eighty plus to be exact and not just sodium and potassium. However in most instances we have to be severely dehydrated before we feel any chest symptoms. Obviously your cardiologist has ruled out a cardiac cause of your chest pain - it not- insist that a few diagnostic tests be run.
You don't need a gastritis or esophagitis to experience Esophageal Spams. I had neither. They can become chronic. They are usually DX (diagnosed) by a physician observing your SX (symptoms), having a good clinical picture and R/O (ruling out) other conditions. Stress can and does bring on an acute attack of Esophageal Spams (ES) - however sometimes it seems totally unprovoked. I was taking multiple RX medications for GERD when my ES first occurred - therefore ER docs were stumped, thinking unjustly so that those meds would have controlled ES. This is not true. ES is usually treated with Valium and Nitro.
I encourage you to have a complete work up by Cardiologist. It has been six years since your by-pass surgery and problems can and do reoccur.
Have you been tested for a Hiatal Hernia? This often requires extensive testing by a Gastroenterologist and not just the usual. Hiatal Hernias can and do cause chest pain/discomfort.
Have you had a thorough physical? If not that's also a good place to look for a reason for your SX. Yes adhesions can and do cause pain. Unfortunately adhesions cannot be "seen" by usual and customary testing or scans. There is a never MRI called a Cine MRI that is able to see most adhesions. Physicians rarely order the expensive scan unless they feel it is warranted and available.
I encourage you and everyone not to just be satisfied with the apparent fact that cold water relieves these SX. Look for a reason, a cause. In my opinion it's very important.
I hope something I've said has been helpful. Please keep us updated. Sharing your tests and results or any DX will help all on this old thread - and future posters.
I hope to hear from you again soon. Take good care of yourself and remember you are your own best health care advocate.
My Best,
~Tuck
I am shocked to have found this site with so many people having the exact same thing I am experiencing. I had open bypass X2 in October 2009. It was about 2 1/2 yrs later had severe type chest pain. Felt like horrible spasm where you just want to hold your breath till it stops I was under a lot of stress and just thought it was that. But I had water or someone gave me some and it stopped it. Never had really any more pain like that until a month ago sitting in dr office waiting on my routine check up. Everything doing great. Pain came out of no where so bad. Finally stopped and came on full force again. Ask for water and it stops it immediately. Feels like soreness and constricting almost like shriveling up. I feel sometimes that heart muscle is so dehydrated if that is possible and when that water hits it stops constriction. Heart dr. does not think this is heart related but not sure. Gastro said EGD only shows little esophagitis. I take Dexilant for stomach for past 6 years. This time pain has stayed as a sorness in chest and tries to come back everyday. I drink so much water. I feels the sore cramping right at top of stomach and bottom of chest, starts there and crescendos up to entire chest. I drink bottle cold water when first starts and it will not spread. I take a small water pill each day for blood pressure HTZ and I decided to go off these last 2 days and not one pain. Maybe heart is getting dehydrated. Wish there were an answer. Sis said maybe adhesions. GI doc said thought maybe it could be due to scar from bypass but no one knows. Any ideas?
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