Below are actual Reference Desk replies to our users from our staff physician. The users’ names and questions have been omitted to maintain privacy.
Hello R___,
Thank you for your interesting question. Burning chest pain can be caused by a number of conditions including acid reflux disease (commonly called GERD), heart conditions, and lung disease.
To arrive at a diagnosis one would need to have a chest x-ray done (to check the lung for any changes).
Next, an EKG or electrocardiogram should be taken as well as a Troponin level to be sure there is no sign of a heart attack. If these tests appear normal, then one would have to look for acid reflux disease and have a gastroscopy examination by a gastroenterologist.
Chest pain should be diagnosed quickly because the symptoms can indicate a serious problem with potential complications. If the pain continues to get worse and there is little relief, one should seek medical attention in an Urgent Care promptly.
The references shown below may be relevant to the condition described.
http://www.healthline.com/symptom/chest-pain
https://medlineplus.gov/chestpain.html
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heartburn-gerd/basics/definition/CON-20019545?p=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angina
http://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/anxiety-chest-pain#overview1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleurisy
We hope this service has helped in your search of the medical internet and will lead to accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Sincerely,
Your Reliable Medical Team
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Hello W_____,
Thank you for your interesting question. Childhood behavior can be quite perplexing and unpredictable. The recent changes described in the child may be a reflection of possible embarrassment or perhaps bullying in school or elsewhere. It might be worth trying to ask the child if there was a specific event that happened (such as wetting clothing, etc) that has been a source of anxiety. Such an episode could trigger avoidance (with the child not wishing to participate in his usual activity). There are mental disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder which appear in early childhood and may require special attention or treatment. One would also want to be sure that the child has not become ill with some disease (such as hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc) or has not come into contact with a drug or other substance (e.g. marijuana) inadvertently.
The references shown below may be relevant to the condition described.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/emotions/?WT.ac=p-nav-emotions#catbehavior
http://www.drpaul.com/behaviour/schoolintro.php
https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/o/odd
We hope this service has helped in your search of the medical internet and will lead to accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Sincerely,
Your Reliable Medical Team
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Hello M_____,
Thank you for your interesting question. Asymptomatic gallstones generally do not require surgical removal but there is a chance that the stones may cause symptoms at a later time. The chances of this happening are relatively low (about 5%). if a person has diabetes with asymptomatic stones, it may be appropriate to remove the gallbladder surgically, since a diabetic will tend to have more serious complications of the disease. Also, if the gallstones are small or tiny, there is a much greater chance of complications (and symptoms) from them in the future. If there is a history of anemia with possible hemoglobin stones, this might be another situation where surgical removal is indicated, since these stones tend to be relatively small.
The references shown below may be relevant to the condition described.
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0815/p637.html
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/732186
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cholecystectomy/about/pac-20384818
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3259178/
We hope this service has helped in your search of the medical internet and will lead to accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Sincerely,
Your Reliable Medical Team