Your chest pain could be caused by a variety of issues related to your heart, lungs, or digestive system. While some causes don’t pose a threat to life, others do. A medical professional can diagnose and treat your chest pain, allowing you to feel more at ease. Surgery or medication are two possible therapies for chest discomfort.
Overview
What is chest pain?
Any discomfort or pain in the chest region is referred to as chest pain. It may spread to your neck, jaw, or down your arms, among other upper body regions. Acute or mild chest pain is possible. Tightness or achiness may be experienced. Alternatively, you can feel as though something is bearing down on your chest.
It can take several minutes or hours for your chest pain to subside. In certain cases, it might last for up to six months. It frequently gets worse when you exert yourself and gets better when you relax. It could even occur when you’re sleeping. It may seem to be in a more expansive, broad region or a more focused one. You can be experiencing right-sided, left-sided, or middle-of-the-chest pain.
You should see a doctor if you believe that your chest pain could be caused by a heart attack or another potentially fatal illness.
Many patients with chest discomfort are seen by physicians. However, it’s not always linked to your heart.
What does chest pain feel like?
Heart-related symptoms of chest pain include:
1. Crushing.
2. Tearing.
3. Fullness.
4. Pressure.
5. Squeezing.
You also may feel:
1. Tired.
2. Sweaty.
3. Light-headed.
4. Short of breath.
5. Discomfort in your back, neck, jaw, shoulders, arms, and stomach.
6. Sick to your stomach.
Certain symptoms are also associated with lung problems that require medical attention right away.
Possible Causes
What is the main cause of chest pain?
The most typical reason for chest pain is gastroesophageal reflux disease, sometimes known as chronic heartburn or GERD. Whether you have a heart condition or not, you should see a doctor to receive the necessary diagnosis and treatment.
Which conditions most frequently result in chest pain?
Lung, stomach, heart, and other issues might result in chest discomfort. Because there are so many potential reasons, they are challenging to diagnose. The first thing that medical professionals search for are potentially fatal causes.
Causes of chest discomfort include:
1. Heart attack (heart not getting enough blood).
2. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition where the arteries in your heart narrow or become blocked.
3. A tear in a heart artery is called a coronary artery dissection.
4. Pericarditis(Inflamed sac surrounding your heart).
5. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (heart muscle thickness).
6. Aortic dissection(tear in your largest artery).
7. Heart rhythm problems.
8. Aortic aneurysm.
9. Mitral valve prolapse.
10. Aortic stenosis.
11. Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
12. Ulcers.
13. Muscle spasms in your esophagus.
14. Esophagitis.
15. Gallstones.
16. Hiatal hernia.
17. Gastritis.
18. Pulmonary embolism.
19. Pancreatitis.
20. Pneumonia.
21. Pleurisy.
22. Pneumothorax.
23. Asthma.
24. Rib fracture.
25. Sprained chest muscle.
26. Panic attack.
27. Lung cancer.
28. Shingles.
29. Costochondritis.
Care and Treatment
How is chest pain treated?
The reason for the discomfort determines how to manage chest pain. As soon as you seek aid, you’ll receive emergency care if your chest pain is being caused by a heart attack. This may entail taking medicine and having surgery to get your heart’s blood flow back.
If a non-cardiac condition is the cause of your chest pains, your healthcare provider will talk with you about your treatment options. Depending on how bad your illness is, they may suggest:
1. Lifestyle changes.
2. Medicines.
3. Surgery or a procedure.
What hazards or consequences can arise from failing to address chest pain?
There are some potentially fatal reasons for chest discomfort. This also applies to certain lung-related causes of chest pain. Seeing a medical professional who can identify and treat your chest pain is your best chance.
Can chest pain be prevented?
Yes. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can lower your risk of heart, vascular, and other disorders. This comprises:
1. Consuming a balanced diet. Your healthcare provider or a qualified dietician can help you create an eating plan that suits your needs.
2. Taking care of any medical concerns you may have, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
3. Working out on most days of the week.
4. Achieving and preserving a healthy weight for you.
5. Reducing the quantity of alcohol you consume.
6. Abstaining from tobacco products.
You can avoid the following other causes of chest pain:
1. Avoid asthma triggers.
2. Treat respiratory infections as soon as possible.
3. If you are at risk for blood clots, take medication to prevent them.
4. Obtain a shingles or chickenpox immunization.
5. Eat nothing that gives you heartburn.
6. Get up and move about a little once every couple of hours when on a lengthy drive or flight to avoid blood clots forming in your legs.
When to Call the Doctor
How can I tell whether the discomfort in my chest is serious?
Seek emergency assistance if you experience chest pain that lasts more than five minutes and does not go away with rest or medicine. Make an immediate call to 911, or your local emergency services number, or arrange for a ride to the nearest emergency room (ER).
Chest pain from heart disease can be fatal.
A heart attack may be indicated by chest pain. Other indications of a heart attack consist of:
1. Sweating.
2. Vomiting or Nausea.
3. Shortness of breath.
4. Dizziness or passing out.
5. An erratic or fast heartbeat.
6. Soreness in your upper abdomen, arm, shoulder, jaw, back, or neck.
Additional Common Questions
Is chest pain normal?
No. Pain in the chest is abnormal. Make an immediate call to 911 or your healthcare professional if you are experiencing chest pain.
When I experience chest pain, what should I do?
Keep an eye out for any kind of chest pain.
Make a call to 911, or your local emergency number, or arrange for someone to drive you to the nearest emergency room if your chest discomfort is abrupt, new, or persists for more than five minutes after you take medication or rest.
Even if your chest pain is not severe, see your doctor as soon as possible to find out what’s causing it if it disappears or comes and goes.
A note from Blogjug
Numerous different illnesses can cause chest pain, although most people associate chest discomfort with a heart attack. As soon as you experience any discomfort, seek assistance and be aware of the warning symptoms of a heart attack. To help your healthcare professional, mentally record what you were doing at the time your chest pain started. Your healthcare professional can diagnose you more accurately if you can explain the type of pain you’re experiencing and where it is.
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