Breathing and Digestion

It’s actually Aerophagia, because you’re constantly swallowing air while trying to take those deep breaths.

Anyway, if it turns out this is all driven by anxiety, there are plenty of ways to handle it. So many of these seemingly complex symptoms eventually reveal themselves to be rooted in psychological factors—basically just physical manifestations of mental tension.

Thanks for the post... but I wouldn't say I'm just "anxious." It’s more than that. This has been hitting me every single day from the moment I wake up until my head hits the pillow at night. It all started with that one specific day. And honestly? I don't think it's just anxiety when I can't even focus on typing on my MacBook or handling basic tasks like 🤣... No matter what I try, nothing changes. Even when I breathe through my nose, it feels like I can't get enough air. Sometimes, if I actually manage to yawn, I can finally catch a breath. Then, when I'm out for a run, it's like the air just gets knocked right out of me. And here's the thing: I haven't had any psychological triggers—no sudden stress or anything like that. I'm actually a pretty chill guy and don't really have much to worry about 🙂

I can't speak to anything regarding digestion—that's outside my wheelhouse—but when it comes to breathing, I am 100% certain that what you're describing isn't a digestive issue or a lung disease. It sounds like a textbook symptom of somatized anxiety. The tricky part is that you don't even have to feel consciously anxious or tense for this to happen; that's exactly why physical symptoms exist. They act as a release valve, allowing the mind to vent through the body so you don't have to face the direct psychological distress.
As much as a non-expert like me can explain it.
I also know plenty of people who will go to any lengths to find a purely physical cause for their discomfort or hunt for a medical diagnosis, simply because they want to avoid anything related to mental health. In America, there’s still such a huge stigma surrounding psychological issues; many people find the topic deeply embarrassing or taboo.

Of course, I could be wrong, but it's always helpful to look at a problem from multiple angles. You mentioned in your opening post that this situation is driving you crazy, so clearly, you aren't feeling calm right now.

Chest (physical anxiety sensations often felt in the chest region):

* Discomfort or pain in the Chest
* Worrying about heart health
* Feeling like you need to manually trigger your breathing
* Shortness of breath, a sense of suffocation, or general difficulty breathing
* Excessive yawning while trying to grab enough air

Mouth/Stomach (anxiety symptoms that manifest in the Mouth/Stomach area):

* An odd, "metallic," "tinny," or ammonia-like taste or scent
* Aerophagia (excessive air swallowing, bloating, or frequent belching)
* A burning sensation in the Mouth, including tingling or a "pins and needles" feeling (either alone or combined)
* A burning sensation on the tongue, such as tingling or prickling (either alone or combined)
* A choking sensation
* Persistent cravings for sugar or sweets
* Constipation
* Diarrhe

This is just a small sample of what can happen; for a more complete list, check this out: http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml

I’m not saying it’s totally impossible... but I just don't see how it would happen. What would even trigger it? Like, what's the actual root cause here...? It's not like it's stopping me from living my life, but I can't really play sports properly, which honestly means a lot to me. When there's pressure on my Stomach (and I mean, pretty intense pressure...), it feels like it hurts. Is it possible that this is all connected to that? And if you know anything else... HOW DO I GET RID OF THIS?!?!!?... I can't stop obsessing over it because, at the end of the day, it's about my health.
thanks 🙏

I would honestly love to find a way to get rid of this too. For me, it’s pretty clear what triggered it—a few incredibly stressful things all hitting the fan at once. Luckily, I'm not an athlete, so I can still function relatively normally, but it’s still incredibly annoying. I feel like I’m constantly sighing or trying to force a yawn just to catch my breath. On top of that, I’ve been seeing a psychotherapist for quite a while now (though this specific issue only popped up about two months ago), and so far, my therapist hasn't felt like I need any medication, other than continuing our regular sessions. They suggested yoga and meditation might help, but I'm one of those people who promises myself I'll do them every single day, only to end up saying, "I just don't have the time."

I'm not entirely sure what advice I could give you, but—if your medical tests are coming back fine, or at least nothing majorly concerning, as you mentioned—you should ask your doctor for a referral to a psychiatric clinic to get an evaluation. Just explain your symptoms and bring your test results along; they should be able to determine if it's what I suspect it is. If you're feeling rushed because of sports or physical activity, maybe consider seeing someone privately for a quicker turnaround.

In the meantime, just try your best to relax. The less you hyper-focus on these symptoms, the less they tend to bother you. It seems like the more you dwell on it, the more intense it gets.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Sean Brown86 said:thanks for the post...but I wouldn't say it's just anxiety...it hits me every single day from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep...ever since that one specific day...and I don't think it's just "anxiety" when I can't even focus on typing on my PC or doing basic stuff 🤣...no matter what I do, nothing changes. Even breathing through my nose feels like I can't get enough air...sometimes when I yawn I can finally catch a breath...and when I run, the air just escapes me...I didn't have any psychological trigger, no tension or anything...I'm actually pretty calm and don't have many worries to begin with 🙂

I think you need a solid internist (maybe a gastroenterologist) and a cardiologist to run whatever tests they recommend. You don't come across as mentally unstable at all (nothing in your writing suggests any mental health issues). Besides, it's dangerous to assume a physical symptom is just "in your head" and ignore a condition that could be easily treated early on, only to have it turn into a massive problem later.

P.S. Have you had a colonoscopy yet?

Have you thought about seeing an ENT? Seriously, if you're having trouble breathing, you really should get checked out. I play soccer too, and I was dealing with almost the exact same symptoms you are—I even went in for an abdominal ultrasound thinking it might be something there, and everything came back perfectly fine. But when I finally saw the ENT specialist, that's when things got real... turns out I actually need surgery for a deviated septum.

crimsongull20 said:I think you really need to see a solid internist (specifically a gastroenterologist) and a cardiologist, then follow through with every single test those specialists recommend. To me, you don't come across at all as someone who is mentally unstable—there’s nothing in your posts that suggests any psychological issues. Beyond that, it is incredibly risky to just assume a physical symptom is "all in your head" and ignore an illness that might be easily treated early on, only to have it turn into a massive problem later.

P.S. Have you had a colonoscopy yet?

Just because someone experiences a symptom related to their mental state doesn't mean they are "unstable" (not crazy or anything like that), nor was that what I was implying to him. I'm not mentally unstable myself, but that doesn't mean I can't experience somatization in certain stressful situations.

Secondly, I did not tell him to ignore his medical results or tests, but rather to take those results to a psychiatrist (who will review them) to have a conversation and either confirm or rule out a potential psychological connection.

Psychiatrists are doctors too; they know how to read lab work, and they very frequently see patients who have completed every possible test only to find nothing physically wrong.

The gentleman noted quite clearly that his previous tests showed everything was fine, aside from having a bit of extra acid in his Stomach.
I just want to point out that this is one possibility that shouldn't be automatically ruled out.

As for the breathing issues he described so specifically—he should definitely see a pulmonologist, though based on his description, it sounds like somatization caused by tension.

Sean Brown86 said:I've completed the following medical checkups...I was thinking about getting a gastroscopy done recently, and I wanted to share some thoughts on the whole process. It can feel a bit daunting when you first hear the word, but if you approach it with a clear plan, it’s much more manageable than people make it out to be. I know some folks find the idea of an endoscopy pretty intimidating, but honestly, once you understand how the medical teams in the US handle these procedures—usually with some light sedation to keep you comfortable—it feels a lot less like a big deal. If you're dealing with things like persistent stomach issues or acid reflux, getting a professional look via a scope is often the most direct way to get answers. Has anyone else here gone through this lately? I’d love to hear about your experiences, especially regarding the prep work or how you felt during the recovery phase. Let's keep the discussion helpful and constructive!It’s just increased stomach acid, that's what they're calling it. There aren't any of those H. pylori bacteria present. Ultrasound imaging is such an incredible tool in modern medicine. It’s fascinating how we can use sound waves to get a clear look inside the body without any invasive procedures. Whether it's for checking on a pregnancy or looking at internal organs, the technology is truly impressive. I've always found it reassuring that doctors have such non-invasive ways to monitor our health so accurately.I’ve been dealing with quite a bit of Aerophagia lately—just a massive amount of trapped gas moving through my digestive system. It’s honestly pretty uncomfortable. I'm trying to figure out the best way to manage it and get some relief. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on what might help settle things down? A CT scan of both the chest and abdomen—basically covering everything from my torso down to my stomach area.Everything is absolutely fine on my end. Glands, Everything looks great—kidneys, liver, the whole works are perfectly healthy.../ !

That’s exactly my point. When all your medical tests come back perfectly normal, yet you're still struggling with real, physical symptoms, it’s actually a smart move to go see a psychiatrist. It doesn't mean you're "crazy" or mentally unstable; it just means you're being proactive about finding the root cause.

I mean, seriously, I'm only 20 years old and my life has been pretty stress-free until now... until this moment. What on earth could possibly be making me this anxious? 🤷

Sean Brown86 said:But honestly, I’m only 20—I haven't had any real problems in my life... until now. Anything else would have just made me anxious... 🤷

Think about an ENT doctor... imagine you're playing soccer, and you take a hit to the head or neck that's so sudden you don't even realize it happened at the time...

Look, I didn't get hit or anything, and I definitely didn't fall... it was just training sessions and running drills. But anyway, I ended up getting a referral for another gastroscopy. The first time I went, I saw a private specialist, a guy, and now we’ll see how it goes. It’s honestly been awful... it feels like I'm breathing straight into my Stomach, seriously.

Melissa James70... I'm still going to push for a pulmonologist and a gastroscopy one more time... basically checking every single box. And if everything turns out to be totally fine? Then I'll definitely take your advice (which I'm incredibly grateful for), because honestly, I just don't see how this could be psychological. I feel really relaxed about everything... 🙂 but the symptoms stay exactly the same, with zero improvement... 🙂 thanks, everyone... I just hope I can finally figure out what's actually going on...

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you get this sorted out.
By the way, I remember you mentioning earlier that you don't really have any major worries and couldn't see what would trigger anxiety in you. I'm not saying you definitely have it, but one of the hallmark traits of anxiety is that there isn't always a specific, obvious, or visible reason for feeling distressed. If there’s a logical cause, that's just a normal fear response. With anxiety, it's more about the subconscious at work—these seemingly random tensions. What I mean is, if you aren't facing any actual stressors or problems, yet you're still experiencing that tension or physical symptoms like shortness of breath and digestive issues, then it could be anxiety. Or, even when a real issue does exist, the level of fear feels completely disproportionate to the situation.
As for the "how" and "why" behind all of this, that's probably a bit too much for me to tackle since I'm certainly no expert. My best advice is to rule everything else out first. Gather all your medical tests and results; if everything comes back clear, then you'll know you're looking at this possibility.

Melissa James70 said:Having a psychological symptom doesn't mean you're unstable or anything... I didn't suggest that to him. I'm not mentally unstable either, but that doesn't stop me from experiencing somatization in certain situations.

Second, I didn't tell him to ignore his test results. I suggested he take them to a psychiatrist—who will actually look at the labs—to talk things through and confirm or rule out a mental connection.

Psychiatrists are doctors too. They read labs. They see plenty of people who have cleared every physical test only to find nothing...

If you don't have underlying mental health issues, you don't have the material for somatization. Assuming someone is "unstable" isn't an insult, if that's what you thought... but honestly, I'd recommend a psychiatrist to myself long before this guy. Based on how he writes here, there isn't a single hint of any significant repressed issue.

Plus, he's only done a handful of tests. Not nearly enough to assume he's physically "fine."

P.S. Stop getting CT scans. You'll be radiating like a demon...
P.P.S. If you've got "too much air in your gut" and you're straining on the toilet, a colonoscopy seems more logical than another endoscopy.

Ugh, tell me about it... now that I'm finally resting, it feels like I'm just swallowing air for no reason... it's awful.
My bloodwork came back normal... and honestly, there hasn't been any change at all. I've been on the Controloc for two weeks now—shouldn't I be feeling some relief by now if there was actually an issue with my stomach lining? Though, I feel like if my lining were the problem, my Stomach would be killing me right now. I'm heading to see a pulmonologist next, and then I have a colonoscopy scheduled... that's the final step. 😢I'm starting to doubt that my intestines are actually the culprit here either.

Sean Brown86 said:Man... now that I'm actually resting, it feels like I'm swallowing air constantly... it's awful
bloodwork looks fine... still nothing changing... been on the medication for two weeks now (should it be working by now... if there was a mucosal issue... though I'd think my Stomach would hurt if that were the case)... seeing a pulmonologist next... then a colonoscopy... last resort... 😢 I also doubt it's actually an intestinal issue in the end...

If everything comes back clear there, check your spine (an MRI is probably best). Literally any part of your body can ache if your back is acting up, even without direct spinal pain—especially since you mentioned this started after a heavy workout. Could be a slipped disc... In the meantime, just stop training and avoid any heavy lifting. Just to be safe.

crimsongull20 said:because from my perspective, there isn't a single thing in his posts on this thread that would suggest he's dealing with any kind of significant suppressed psychological issue.

If you say there’s nothing there, then there’s nothing there—not by my count, not by yours, and maybe not by his own either. Perhaps you're right.

However, neither you nor I (nor he) are psychiatric specialists. Even if we were, you have to realize that no psychiatrist or psychotherapist would ever jump to a conclusion like that based solely on a few random posts on an internet forum without seeing someone in person and having a real conversation with them. That kind of work requires studying for double-digit years; it isn't nearly as simple as it might seem.
I’m really not trying to imply anything specific here—I’m certainly not qualified to do so. I'm just opening up a window to a different way of looking at things. The truth is, a person doesn't necessarily need to have a specific mental health condition (let alone a formal diagnosis) to experience somatization in response to an event, whether it's happening now or something from their past.

Sean Brown86 said:Emergency help needed!!! I'm seriously losing my mind here... So, about 3 or 4 months ago, I was training pretty hard—gym, running... basically pushing myself to the limit every single day... and then one night, I ate like a horse and just went straight to bed, and the next morning I spent three hours literally stuck in the bathroom... straining (there's no other way to put it) like crazy, trying to go when there was nothing left to give... and ever since that day... it's been awful! Since I play soccer professionally, I can't catch my breath at all... I mean, I can breathe, but I can't fill my lungs... if that makes sense... and whatever I eat just turns into gas... I just don't get that feeling of a full deep breath, you know, like when you yawn, that sensation in your throat... I feel constantly bloated with air, whether I've eaten or I'm starving. My bowel movements are regular, but I'm constantly straining and it’s just not working right... nothing hurts, I don't have heartburn... I've had these tests done... an endoscopy—they said I just have high stomach acid, no H. pylori bacteria or anything... an ultrasound—showed a ton of gas in my digestive tract... and a CT scan of my chest and abdomen, basically my torso and gut—everything came back perfectly fine, glands, kidneys, liver, everything is healthy... / I can't train normally, and I make a decent living playing, so finding a fix or a solution quickly is incredibly important to me... PLEASE HELP ME ASAP!!!

I happened to stumble upon this thread by accident, and man, am I glad I did! I completely get where you're coming from with this whole situation... see, a few months back, I was having some issues with excessive gas (🙄) and I just chalked it up to eating more protein... but then, about two weeks ago, the exact same thing happened to me. It started with these barely noticeable aches and some trouble with my bowel movements... then it slowly turned into sharper pains that were pressing against my diaphragm and making it hard to take a breath... then I got this sensation like it had moved up into my chest cavity... and it would just hit out of nowhere (like after a meal, or sometimes on an empty stomach in the morning, it even woke me up once... the closest feeling I can describe is hunger, but like, twenty times more intense) and it would just linger... and then suddenly, it vanished... I remember one time it hurt so bad right before I went to the gym... I started rowing and after five minutes of rowing, it just stopped... 🤷 I usually watch what I eat and don't touch junk food, so I really don't know what triggered it... I actually ate less because, honestly, I was scared to eat, wondering how my body would react, and after a couple of days it cleared up, knock on wood... but even now... when I get hungry, it isn't that normal hunger anymore, it feels more like my stomach is being eaten away from the inside... 😲 that's the only lingering thing... I still deal with the extra gas, but that's better than what I went through before...

Anyway, that's just my experience... I told myself I'd head to the doctor in a day or two since things were getting worse, but well... it stopped... though, if it comes back, I'm definitely seeing a doctor, because if it turns out to be something like a hiatal hernia, I'd really want to know ☕