Trapped air in the chest can cause a lot of pain. The pain can be so debilitating that many people take it as impending heart attack. While it is common to mistake pain in chest for a heart attack, this is usually nothing serious. It is annoying and quite uncomfortable, but you can try different ways to relieve this problem.

What Can Cause Trapped Wind in Chest?

You may experience gas trapped in your chest due to so many reasons. Below are some of the common ones that you should know about.

1. Indigestion and Gas

It usually happens due to indigestion. Your body cannot digest certain foods quickly enough, and that may lead to the buildup of gas. Your abdomen will try to limit the gas, but sometimesit travels up to the chest and cause serious discomfort. You are more likely to deal with this situation if you are already suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. Some other causes of indigestion are gastritis, ulcersand esophagus disorders.

2. Swallowing Air

You may feel trapped air in chest when you swallow excess air while drinking or eating, which leads to the buildup of gas in your chest area. You should avoid drinking or eating too fast to prevent this situation. Similarly, chewing gum, smoking and nausea can make you swallow more air that may accumulate in chest and cause pain.

3. Hiatal Hernia

Trapped wind in chest sometimes may be due to a hiatal hernia. In this condition, a part of your stomach pushes upward to diaphragm and causes belching, leading to severe pain in chest. Your chest pain may also be the result of pain in gallbladder, but usually no treatment is needed when gallstones are small. For large ones, removal of gallstones is needed.

4. Gallbladder Attacks

Having gallbladder attacks may also cause abdominal pain, chest pain, and pain within your right shoulder. A surgery can be taken to treat gallbladder through laparoscopy, which involves inflating the stomach with carbon dioxide. Some of gas may remain in your stomach even after your surgery, which will cause trapped gas and pain.

5. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may well be the reason behind your chest pain. In this condition, stomach acids travel up to the esophagus, causing burning sensation and pain. You may also develop this condition when you are under serious stress or have panic attacks. Your digestive function slows down when you are under stress, and this may lead to the formation of gas in your chest.

6. Certain Food You Eat

Trapped win in chest may be due to the food you eat. If your diet includes whole grains, too much fiber, too many beans, or carbonated drinks, you are more likely to suffer from trapped gas. Besides, not enough chewing of foods will also lead to gas and chest pain. In some cases, gas indicates food allergy.

If you are worried that it might be caused by heart problems. Click HERE to know the worrying signs.

How to Deal with Trapped Wind in Chest

To treat this condition, it is important to identify the underlying cause first. In most cases, you can make simple changes to your lifestyle and diet to see big improvement. Here are some other ways to make your condition more manageable.

1. Try Some Relieving Positions

Kneeling on the bed with your buttocks in the air will help alleviate the pain. Make sure to keep your head facing down. This will also help the excess wind to get out of your system. Similarly, you could lie down on your bed and press your legs against your stomachto get rid of gas. One thing to remember is that you can do this activity when your stomach is empty.

2. Take Some Helpful Fruits

Certain types of fruits will help alleviate gas and pain. Papaya is a great option because it heats up your system and keeps gas from building up.

3. Do Some Physical Activities

Trapped win in chest can be relieved by doing some physical activities. Also, it is helpful to fight poor digestion, which is one major cause of gas accumulation in your chest. An evening walk will go a long way in rectifying the problem.

4. Try Baking Soda & ACV

Add some baking soda to a hot cup of water and drink it slowly. This will help reduce flatulence. Also, consuming a couple of teaspoons of apple cider vinegar on a daily basis will help improve digestion and prevent flatulence.

5. Avoid Dairy Products

For those who have gluten intolerance, you need to avoid dairy food products to prevent gas problems or feeling of trapped wind in chest. Some people may not aware of the gluten intolerance issue until now, but if you frequently experience bloating, just eliminate dairy products from your diet and see if that helps.

6. More Tips

In addition, you should keep the following tips in mind to deal with your gas problem.

• Change your habit of eating too fast. This will keep you from gulping more air.
• Chew your food properly before swallowing it to improve your digestion.
• Avoid gaseous food preparations from potatoes, beans, carbonated drinks, fermented food preparations, and cheese products.
• Take a pinch of asafetida and ginger powder with warm water to reduce flatulence.
• Take fennel seed, peppermint oil capsules, or chamomile tea to expel gas from your system.
• Go see your doctor if the pain persists and you experience a choking sensation as well.

7. What Others Say About It

"I deal with trapped wind in chestfrom time to time. The pain is usually quite manageable. When it becomes severe, I take antacids to get rid of it. I really find 2mg Valium quite helpful in my situation, but my doctor has asked me to take it only in emergencies."

"I always face trouble getting rid of excess gas out of my system. It is good to know though I am not alone. I read somewhere that gripe water helps with this and I am going to try this tomorrow."