Hunger can definitely cause chest pain. When you’re hungry, your stomach is empty, and it can start to cramp. This can cause pain in your chest area. In some cases, the pain may be mistaken for a heart attack. If you’re experiencing chest pain, it’s important to see a doctor to rule out any other potential causes.
can hunger cause chest pain
Hunger can sometimes cause chest pain, most commonly in people who have a condition called angina. Angina is chest pain that’s caused by a lack of blood flow to the heart. When you’re hungry, your body may release adrenaline as part of the “fight or flight” response. This adrenaline can temporarily narrow the arteries that supply blood to the heart, which may cause chest pain in people who have angina.
What Are The Possible Causes Of Chest Pain?
Chest pain is a common complaint of individuals, whether it be due to stomach or gallbladder issues or heart disease. However, some cases of chest pain are caused by more serious illnesses. It’s important for people experiencing chest pain to know the cause of their discomfort so they can seek treatment quickly and begin recovering.
1. Hiatal hernia
Hiatal hernia is one possible cause of chest pain. The diaphragm separates the abdominal cavity from the thoracic cavity, which makes up most of the upper body. Between these two cavities lies the esophagus, which goes through this opening in order to reach the stomach, along with other organs that go through small holes called hiatuses. A hiatal hernia occurs when this hole becomes larger, which can lead to food and other materials that are in the stomach being forced up into the thoracic cavity. This can cause intense pain, especially after eating foods high in fat because they stay longer in the esophagus before moving on.
2. Heart attacks
Heart attacks are another possible cause of chest pain. There are typically no other symptoms with a heart attack beyond the intense chest discomfort, although individuals may also experience shortness of breath or back pain as well depending on their specific case. The artery supplying blood to the heart becomes blocked by plaque that has built up over time, leading to decreased oxygenation to the heart muscle itself. If someone is experiencing severe chest pain for an extended period of time, they should seek immediate medical attention.
3. Pulmonary embolism
Other possible causes of chest pain include pulmonary embolisms and aortic dissection. A blood clot in the lungs can create intense discomfort by blocking off part of the lung itself, leading to shortness of breath and possibly more severe symptoms depending on where exactly the clot is located. An aortic dissect is when there is a tear in the inner lining of this major artery that supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the body, which can also cause intense pain as well as lightheadedness or fainting due to lack of oxygen being delivered effectively. Both pulmonary embolisms and aortic dissections typically only cause one symptom, but if it is not treated quickly, the sufferer could go into shock.
4. Musculoskeletal chest wall pain
Another cause of chest pain can be musculoskeletal in nature. If someone experiences what feels like a pulled muscle in the ribs or stomach area, this can often lead to sharp pains that come and go depending on their breathing patterns. The ribs supply muscles in the thoracic cavity with stability during movement, so any damage to them can impact individuals’ mobility. This may cause some discomfort when moving around or doing physical activity that requires the use of the muscles in these areas.
5. Other possible causes
Chest pain may also be due to other illnesses such as pneumonia or acid reflux disease. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can cause pain and difficulty breathing. Acid reflux disease is when stomach acids back up into the esophagus and create inflammation and discomfort in this area of the body, which may cause a burning sensation or chest pain.
Chest pain is not always caused by something serious, but it still requires attention because it could be a symptom of something more severe. Anyone experiencing chest pain should visit their doctor to receive an accurate diagnosis so they know how to best proceed with treatment.
What Are The Symptoms Of Hunger?
People often wonder what the symptoms of hunger are. In some circumstances, you can control your hunger with medication, but sometimes there is not much that can be done to stop it from getting worse. Let’s find out what the symptoms of hunger are and how they affect a person.
5 Symptoms of Hunger
1. Thirst
The first thing a person usually experiences when they feel hungry is extreme thirst. This may be accompanied by dryness in the mouth and throat. If these feelings don’t go away after having a drink, it’s possible one has experienced their first symptom of hunger.
2. Weakness
Just as you might begin feeling tired if you haven’t eaten anything in days, so will your body start to crave energy once it realizes it needs to be fed. As a result, a person may experience feelings of weakness and tiredness until they give in and eat something.
3. Headache
The symptoms of hunger can often make a person lightheaded as well as lead to headaches or migraines. In some cases, these symptoms only occur after the body has been without food for several hours—in others, they can present themselves much sooner.
4. Dizziness
Hunger also causes symptoms such as dizziness and disorientation to start presenting themselves. If one experiences hazy vision and an inability to concentrate, these may be signs that they should consume some form of nourishment right away before things get worse.
5. Hallucinations
Having hallucinations is another of the symptoms of hunger. If one’s senses are starting to fail them, it may also be a sign that they’re about to faint or pass out. Once this happens, consciousness may remain lost for several hours unless some form of food or drink is consumed.
What Should You Do If You’re Experiencing Chest Pain From Hunger
If you feel like your heart is beating unusually fast and/or that it may be skipping beats or fluttering around in your chest, check to see if you’re breathing and take a few deep, calming breaths (in through your nose and out through your mouth). If the pain persists after taking a breath or two, then it might be time to call 9-1-1.
Otherwise, what can cause hunger-related chest pain? Well, there’s no one answer for everyone because everyone processes food differently once they eat (and also based on how many calories they’ve consumed), but here’s a list of reasons why your chest could be hurting when you’re hungry.
1. Heartburn/GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease)
Heartburn can happen when you are hungry because your stomach is trying to digest the food you haven’t eaten yet, so it’s flaring up. This pain might come in waves or feel like a constant discomfort underneath or behind your sternum.
If this is the case, take an antacid and eat something before taking an additional dose of medication. The antacids should help with the heartburn until you have time to get to the doctor for a full diagnosis if that’s what you want to do, or just follow up with them afterward.
2. Stomach ulcer
A stomach ulcer is a little hole in your stomach lining that can become painful if it gets irritated by food or acid from the digestive system, which can make you feel pain near or underneath your sternum, as well as a sour taste in your mouth and general discomfort. If you suspect that this is what’s going on with you, call 9-1-1 immediately because these should be treated right away to avoid further complications.
3. Acid reflux
Acid reflux is very similar to heartburn, except it happens when the sphincter between your esophagus and stomach relaxes without warning, so some of the contents from your stomach come back up through it. This can be painful but is also a symptom of something much more severe, so if you have occasional acid reflux, try to get in touch with your primary care doctor or gastroenterologist for further testing.
4. The flu
This tends to affect your entire body, including making it feel like there’s a knife stabbing into your side whenever you take a breath and will probably make you vomit and become feverish. If this is going on with you, then definitely don’t worry about the chest pain anymore because that’s the least of your worries at this point. You should call 9-1-1 or go to the closest emergency room without delay.
FAQ’s
What are the symptoms of each type of hunger?
There are three types of hunger: physical hunger, emotional hunger, and spiritual hunger. Physical hunger is a signal from the body that it needs food. Emotional hunger is a psychological craving for food that usually occurs when people are feeling upset, stressed, or bored. Spiritual hunger is a desire for something beyond food – such as love, understanding, or connection with others.
Are there any long-term risks associated with hunger-related chest pain?
Hunger-related chest pain is usually not a sign of a serious problem, but it can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical condition. If you experience hunger-related chest pain, it’s important to see your doctor to find out what’s causing it and to get the appropriate treatment.
How can you tell if your chest pain is related to hunger?
It’s not always easy to tell the difference between chest pain caused by hunger and chest pain caused by a heart attack, but there are some things you can look for.
Hunger-related chest pain is usually more diffuse and doesn’t have the same severe, stabbing quality that characterizes a heart attack. Hunger-related chest pain also tends to come on gradually, whereas a heart attack usually comes on suddenly. And finally, hunger-related chest pain is often relieved after eating something.