Wanted to add that the pain felt like a punch to the middle of chest, in between the breasts.

Thanks!

Well, your description is actually not that far at all from the likely causal factor in the event. Trapped air or gas can rise into the upper stomach and press against the diaphragm, which is precisely the stimulus necessary to invoke a palpitation event.

Sharp pains such as those described can be quite intense in some persons, even to the extent of causing syncope (fainting). The cause for these events can be both related to pressure from trapped gas or can be caused by the palpitation event itself but not associated with the heart per say. In other words, realize that the nervous system is experiencing inappropriate stimulation that has the potential to result in palpitation events. The events can infrequently produce pain sensations.

Nothing to worry about here. These events can never harm you or place you at risk for some type of cardiac event.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)