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Could gas cause severe left-side chest pain?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am 20 years old and experiencing ongoing, worsening symptoms that concern me. I have had left-side chest pain that feels like pressure or sharp pain. It gets worse when I press just above my left breast. Sometimes, I also feel tingling or aching that spreads down my left arm and into my fingers. Sometimes, my foot aches or feels like nerve pain (pins and needles).

I have had other symptoms recently, like stomach pain, nausea, gas pressure, fatigue, mouth sores, hair loss, joint pain, and weird head sensations. I get dizzy or feel like I am overheating. The chest pain sometimes goes away after gas moves or I burp, but other times, it sticks around and makes me anxious. I was given Omeprazole by my school wellness center, but the symptoms are still happening. I do not have a butterfly rash, but I have been told that lupus or fibromyalgia could be possible. Could this be autoimmune? Or is there anything dangerous going on that I should get checked right away?

The pains in my joints come and go, so I thought maybe just a lack of exercise, but it gets worse on and off. The stomach and chest pain tend to occur hand in hand. My hair loss could just be regular, and because of styling. The tingling in my fingers I experienced when I went into a cold area, and after leaving, felt like pins and needles. I sometimes feel dizzy if I squat down, then get back up. I have had that for a while, but it never felt serious. The weird head sensations happen when I am experiencing pain in my stomach or chest. It is like a sudden pain in my head, and then it fades. The mouth sores I have not had happen recently, but I have in the past. That is all the symptoms I can think of, but feel free to add questions or things to watch out for. The chest pain sometimes got so bad that it felt like I was having a heart attack, but it subsided, maybe after 20 minutes.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Mohammad Saquib Alam

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Mohammad Saquib Alam is a general physician with clinical expertise in managing acute and chronic medical conditions. He is skilled in treating fever, infections, hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. With a strong foundation in internal medicine and a focus on patient-centered care, Dr. Alam aims to provide accurate diagnoses and effective treatment tailored to individual needs.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Given your symptoms, chest pain with arm tingling, joint pain, fatigue, hair loss, mouth sores, and stomach issues, it is important to rule out both autoimmune conditions (like lupus) and other causes like costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone), acid reflux, or even a nerve-related issue.

The fact that your chest pain worsens with pressure, and sometimes improves with burping, suggests some of it could be musculoskeletal or GI (gastro-intestinal)-related, but the nerve-like symptoms (tingling, dizziness, and head pain) should not be ignored.

You should see a doctor promptly for a full physical exam, including basic laboratory tests-

  1. CBC (complete blood count).

  2. ANA (antinuclear antibody).

  3. CRP (C-reactive protein).

  4. Vitamin B12.

  5. Thyroid.

  6. ECG (electrocardiogram) to rule out heart causes.

If symptoms worsen, especially the chest pain or dizziness, seek urgent care. Would you like a checklist of labs or tests to ask for?

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.

Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At July 4, 2025
Reviewed At July 9, 2025

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Mohammad Saquib Alam is a general physician with clinical expertise in managing acute and chronic medical conditions. He is skilled in treating fever, infections, hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. With a strong foundation in internal medicine and a focus on patient-centered care, Dr. Alam aims to provide accurate diagnoses and effective treatment tailored to individual needs.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Mohammad Saquib Alam is a general physician with clinical expertise in managing acute and chronic medical conditions. He is skilled in treating fever, infections, hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. With a strong foundation in internal medicine and a focus on patient-centered care, Dr. Alam aims to provide accurate diagnoses and effective treatment tailored to individual needs.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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