Chest pain and diarrhea are common health issues. But, according to a
Some conditions may present with both symptoms, but they’re rare. They include:
- Whipple disease, a bacterial infection (Tropheryma whippelii) that leads to nutrient malabsorption from the intestine
- Campylobacter-associated myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by Campylobacter jejuni bacteria
- Q fever, a bacterial infection involving Coxiella burnetii bacteria
A number of conditions have chest pain as a symptom. These include:
- angina, or poor blood flow to your heart
- aortic dissection, the separation of the inner layers of your aorta
- collapsed lung (pneumothorax), when air leaks into the space between your ribs and your lung
- costochondritis, an inflammation of the rib cage cartilage
- esophagus disorders
- gallbladder disorders
- heart attack, when blood flow is blocked to your heart
- heartburn, or stomach acid backing up into the esophagus
- broken rib or bruised rib bone
- pancreas disorders
- panic attack
- pericarditis, or inflammation of the sac surrounding your heart
- pleurisy, the inflammation of the membrane that covers your lungs
- pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot in a lung artery
- pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in your lung arteries
- shingles, or the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox)
- sore muscles, which can develop from overuse, overextension, or a condition such as fibromyalgia
Some of the many different problems that can cause chest pain are life threatening. If you’re experiencing unexplained chest pain, seek medical help.
A number of factors and conditions can cause diarrhea, including:
- artificial sweeteners, like mannitol and sorbitol
- bacteria and parasites
- digestive disorders, such as:
- fructose sensitivity (trouble digesting fructose, which is found in fruits and hone)
- lactose intolerance
- medications, such as antibiotics, cancer drugs, and antacids with magnesium
- abdominal surgery, such as gallbladder removal
Diarrhea can lead to dehydration
If left untreated, dehydration can be life threatening. Get medical help if you have symptoms of serious dehydration, including:
Many people wonder if chest pain means a heart attack. This isn’t always the case. Knowing and understanding the signs and symptoms of a heart attack can better prepare you to evaluate the chest pain and the possibility of a heart attack.
Here are the primary signs and symptoms of a heart attack:
- chest pain or discomfort, which can last a few minutes and sometimes feels like pressure or squeezing
- shortness of breath (often comes before chest pain)
- upper body pain that may spread from your chest to your shoulders, arms, back, neck, or jaw
- abdominal pain that may feel similar to heartburn
- irregular heartbeat that may feel like your heart is skipping beats
- anxiety that brings on a feeling of panic
- cold sweats and clammy skin
- nausea, which may lead to vomiting
- dizziness or lightheadedness, which may make you feel like you might pass out
Chest pain and diarrhea are infrequently associated with one, unifying condition. Rare conditions that combine these two symptoms include Whipple disease and Campylobacter-associated myocarditis.
If you’re experiencing severe chest pain and diarrhea at the same time or separately, get medical attention. Your doctor can determine what’s causing your symptoms and start treatment to prevent any complications.