Constipation is the opposite of diarrhea. This means your bowel movements are quite infrequent which can be quite distressful. Apart from the difficulty of passing stools, the affected also passes dry and hard stools. Though it often arises as a temporary problem, aged people experience it permanently. So can it cause chest pain on the left side?
Causes Of Constipation
Constipation can be attributed to various routines adopted by a person. Primarily it is characterized by our dietary habits. This could mean eating low-fiber food, eating a lot of processed foods, or not hydrating enough. Secondarily, a sedentary lifestyle or a lack of routine in life could lead to constipation which makes it harder to process the waste.
Additionally, some medications could cause the body to restrict its bowel movement. People suffering from IBS, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism find it difficult to pass stools effectively leading to sharp pain in the body and stomach. Lastly, Psychological stress and age play a factor when it comes to smooth bowel movement.
Also Read:- Tips And Tricks To Hide A Bloated Belly
Can Constipation Cause Chest Pain On The Left Side?
Along with a couple of other symptoms, people are known to suffer from left-side chest pain when they are constipated. Cramping, bloating, and distended pain could all be too hard to bear but the left-side chest pain is often concerning. But what causes this pain? According to doctors, there are multiple facets concerning simple constipation too. This means the chest pain could be due to:
- Pressure and Distention- When you don’t drink enough water, the dry stool starts distending your colon. The hard stools can press around the walls and create pressure which could manifest as stomach pain and pain on the left side of the chest. It could further elevate when you eat processed food that is difficult to digest.
- Referred Pain- Referred pain can be described as the misfires by your nerves. For instance, abdominal pain when constipated leads the nerves to send pain signals to the chest level as well. It could be possible that the abdominal pain could simply feel like left-side chest pain.
- Gas and Bloating- As your bowel movement is restricted it could be filled with gases that cause your stomach to expand. This means your body is full of air and thus starts bloating. As we all know, gas can often lead to a sharp pain in the chest which can be perceived to be on the left side.
- Straining During Bowel Movements- The difficulty in passing stools could force us to exert pressure and that is why it could manifest as pain in many parts of the body including your left side. It happens due to the muscle strain.
- Diverticulitis- This is a condition where the colon witnesses a swelling in its small pouch-like organs. This is characterized by lower left-side pain which could be both abdominal and chest.
- Hemorrhoids- If extra pressure is exerted during bowel movement it can lead the blood vessels around the rectum to stress and this manifests in lower chest pain along with the whole of abdomen.
- Stress and Anxiety- Often constipation can lead to stressful situations and this can also lead to immense pain in the chest which is often difficult to differentiate.
- Backed-up Stool Pressure- This arises when the colon has been not emptied for a long time and is unable to store the stools. It causes a migrating pain that is often experienced as chest pain.
It is important that you take care of your digestive system by drinking lots of fluids and dietary fiber. Along with that one must also reduce their Trans fat intake and depend on natural products.
Also Read:- Strategies For Gastrointestinal Disorder Prevention- Everything To Know!