Tightening of the chest and stomach accompanied by a feeling of nausea, frequent burping and difficulty in letting out gas especially after eating is a sign of indigestion or gastritis. Gastritis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the lining of the stomach that eventually results in poor digestion. The primary cause for this is when you eat fast and do not chew your food properly. However, it could also be as a result of an excessive intake of alcohol, heavy dosage of medicines, anxiety or stress. Overeating, a deficiency in iron, decrease in the stomach acid, bacterial infection or a lack of vitamin B12 may be the other reasons that lead to digestion problems and thus, tightening of the stomach and chest.
In order to reduce the problem, the first thing you need to do is take time to eat your food well making sure that you are chewing each bite well. Add a few drops of mint essence to your water before drinking as it will provide instant relief. Also, you can try adding little baking soda to your water. To improve your digestion, you can prepare herbal tea made with ginger, mint, raspberry, chamomile and blackberry and have it after your meal. Buttermilk is another great remedy that helps in proper digestion and you can add some asafetida to it. Soak fenugreek leaves in water, leave them overnight and have this water as soon as you get up in the morning on an empty stomach. This helps in a great way to treat any problems related to digestion. Eat only as much as your stomach can take and do no overeat nor have irregular meals. Instead, have 4 to 5 small meals during the day rather than eating 3 heavy meals. Make exercise a part of your routine life and go for a walk for at least 45 minutes. However, you should never exercise or perform a rigorous activity after eating a meal. It is also advised that you wait for an hour after your meal and then have water.
Make sure you are comfortable with what you wear. It is recommended that you wear loose fitting clothes and avoid clothes that fit you tight and observe if you still experience any feeling of tightening in the stomach and chest. If you also suffer from palpitations or a feeling of dizziness along with tightening of the stomach and chest, it is advised that you see your doctor and consult him.