What is Chest Pain?
It involves discomfort in the chest, a burning or crushed feeling, and pain that can transmit to the neck, shoulder, or abdomen. Discomfort in the chest includes :
- A dull ache
- A crushing or burning sensation
- Sharp, throbbing pain and
- Pain that radiates to the neck or shoulder.
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Types of Chest Pain
- Left Side Chest Pain:
- Left Side Chest Pain could indicate severe conditions like aheart attack or lung problems.
- Seek immediate medical attention if accompanied by symptoms like shortness of breath or sweating.
- Right Side Chest Pain:
- Generally less severe, often caused by stress, muscle strain, or heartburn.
- Angina:
- Angina is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart due to narrowed arteries.
- Typically, it doesn't cause permanent heart damage.
- Heart Attack:
- Results from blockage of blood flow to the heart.
- It can cause severe damage to the heart muscle if untreated.
- Stent Pain:
- Joints after coronarystent surgery may cause chest discomfort.
- It can occur in the middle or left side of the chest.
- Pericarditis:
- Pericarditis: Inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.
- Causes sharp pain in chest, sometimes relieved with medication or surgery in severe cases.
- Pulmonary Embolism :
- Blockage in lung arteries, often caused byblood clots.
- It can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
- GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease):
- Pleuritic Chest Pain (Pleurisy):
- Sharp pain in chest when breathing is caused by inflammation of the lung lining.
- Pleurisy can result from infections or other conditions and may require treatment depending on severity.
Causes of Chest Pain
Most of the pain causes are not dangerous to health, but some are serious, while the most minor cases are life-threatening.
The following are heart-related causes of chest pain.
- Heart attack
- Angina pectoris is caused by a blockage in the blood vessels leading to your heart.
- Pericarditis is an inflammation in the pericardium(the fibrous sac surrounding the heart).
- Myocarditis is an inflammation in the heart muscle (myocardium).
- Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.
- Aortic dissection is a rare condition involving an inner tear of the aorta in the large vessel that comes from the heart.
The following are gastrointestinal causes:
- Acid reflux or heartburn
- Difficulty swallowing related to disorders of the esophagus
- gallstone
- Inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Esophageal contraction disorders
Symptoms of Chest Pain
It can develop for many reasons, but many think it's only related to a heart attack. In general, chest discomfort related to a heart attack or other heart issues can be described or associated with one or more of the following signs:
The other signs which are associated with chest pain that is caused by other health issues include:
- Sour oracidic taste in the mouth
- Pain after swallowing food
- Pain with changes in body position
- Pain when breathing deeply or coughing
- Tenderness when pressing on the chest
- Fever
- Aches
- Chills
- Runny nose
- Anxiety
- Hyperventilating
- Persistent pain lasting many hours
Diagnosis of Chest Pain
Heart-related problems can be diagnosed with the following tests:
- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) : Records heart's electrical activity with electrodes.
- Blood tests: Measure enzyme levels.
- Echocardiogram: Uses sound waves for heart imaging.
- Loose motions with underlying disorders: Dehydration can be severe, e.g.,diabetes or heart disease.
- MRI: Looks for heart or aorta damage with magnetic resonance imaging.
- Stress tests: Measure heart response during exercise.
- Continuous vomiting prevents fluid intake orally.
Angiogram:Angiogram Identifies artery blockages usingX-ray and contrast dye.
Treatment of Chest Pain
- Medications: Nitroglycerin and others to open arteries, anticoagulants.
- Cardiac catheterization: Uses balloons or stents to open blocked arteries.
- Surgical options: Coronary artery bypass grafting(bypass surgery) for arterial repair.
Treatments for other problems causes of chest pain include:
- Lung reinflation: Done by inserting a chest tube.
- Antacids or reflux procedures: Treat acid reflux andheartburn symptoms.
- Continuous vomiting: Requires medical attention if fluids can't be taken orally.
- Anti-anxiety meds: Treat panic attacks.
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When to visit a Doctor?
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience chest pain in the middle of your chest that crushes or squeezes you and is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:
Home Remedies
- Fenugreek seeds: Regulate cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Milk with garlic May alleviate chest pain.
- Hot drinks: Aid in gas relief.
- Almond milk: Neutralizes esophageal acid.
- Lie down on the bed.
- Apple cider vinegar: Helps with acid reflux and chest pain.
- Turmeric with milk: Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.
- Aloe vera juice: Stabilizes heart rate and reduces chest pain.
- Limit alcohol, quit smoking.
- Eat healthily.