Pain in the chest
Pain in the chest area can be of many types, both sharp and dull Sometimes, the pain is described as a pinching or burning sensation Pain may radiate to the neck, jaw, back, shoulder, or one or both arms Chest pain can have many causes Life-threatening causes are myocardial infarction or lung problems Since it is difficult to distinguish the cause of the pain, it is better to contact the emergency services
Chest pain has various causes that require medical examination
Causes of heart-related pain For example:
- Myocardial infarction A heart attack occurs due to the interruption of blood supply to the heart muscle
- angina Thick plaque that builds up on the inner walls of arteries restricts blood flow to the heart muscle, especially under conditions of exercise.
- Dissection of the aorta This life-threatening condition involves the separation of the inner layers of the aorta (the main artery of the heart), causing blood to leak between the layers and potentially leading to a rupture of the aorta.
- Pericarditis This condition reflects an inflammation of the lining of the heart that causes sharp pain and worsens when breathing in or lying down.
Causes related to the digestive system Pain may be caused by a problem in the digestive system, e.g. :
- Heartburn Heartburn causes a painful, burning sensation behind the breastbone At this time, stomach acids are regurgitated into the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth and stomach.
- Swallowing disorders Esophageal diseases cause difficulty swallowing and sometimes pain
- Gall bladder or pancreas problems Stones in the gall bladder, inflammation in the pancreas may become the cause of abdominal pain The pain may also spread to the chest
Muscle and Bone Causes Some types of chest pain are associated with damage to the structures of the chest wall. e.g :
- Costochondrite In costochondritis, the cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum is inflamed and painful
- Tense muscles A chronic pain syndrome such as fibromyalgia may cause frequent pain
- Damaged ribs Damage to the ribs, fracture may become the cause of pain
Lung related causes Many lung diseases can cause chest pain. These are:
- Pulmonary embolism This cause of pain is caused by a blood clot that gets stuck in a pulmonary artery, restricting the blood supply to the lung tissue.
- Inflammation of the pleura If the membrane around the lungs is inflamed, we may have pain that gets worse when we breathe in or cough.
- Collapsed lung The pain associated with a collapsed lung starts suddenly and can last for hours Collapse occurs when air leaks into the space between the ribs and the lung
- Pulmonary hypertension High pressure in the arteries that carry blood to the lungs also causes pain
Other causes Other causes of pain are:
- Panic attack If you have episodes of intense fear accompanied by chest pain, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness and fear of death, it may be a panic attack.
- Sirsvel As a result of reactivation of the chickenpox virus, chicken pox may cause a rash and pain in the back and chest.
Pain can be caused by many diseases or problems Often, the cause is not related to the heart, but you cannot determine this without a doctor
Pain related to the heart Pain in the chest is often associated with heart disease, although patients report that sometimes they feel a slight discomfort in the heart instead of pain.
When to see a doctor
If you have unexplained chest pain or think you are having a myocardial infarction, call 112 immediately
