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Chest pain: causes and treatment. Video
Many people experience pain in the chest area, since such sensations can occur for a variety of reasons. They can be a symptom of a serious medical condition. Therefore, if pain occurs, you should seek medical attention.
Chest pain and cardiovascular disease
Do you feel pain in the chest area?
We can talk not only about heart disease, but also about problems with:
- digestive organs
- respiratory organs
- musculoskeletal system
- nervous system
In addition, in women, such pain can be associated with a number of gynecological diseases. Therefore, it would be most prudent to see a doctor in order to establish the exact cause of chest pain and undergo a course of treatment.
The human heart is a tireless worker who does just a tremendous amount of work. Therefore, the slightest failure in the blood supply to the heart muscle entails pain. Thus, the heart, as it were, gives an alarm signal: attention, I do not have enough oxygen!
A very common disease is angina pectoris. Its main symptom is a dull, pressing pain behind the sternum, the magnitude of which can vary widely. Often, a person feels only minor discomfort.
But often the pain is very strong, even radiating to:
- left hand
- shoulder
- neck
- lower jaw area
In such cases, an attack of angina pectoris can be confused with myocardial infarction.
The trigger for pain in angina pectoris is usually:
- significant physical activity
- emotional stress
- excessive food intake
The pain syndrome disappears either on its own, some time after the cessation of the load, or after taking nitroglycerin (as well as any of its analogs). If, after 15–20 minutes after taking nitroglycerin, the pain has not disappeared or even diminished, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. Most likely, the person had a heart attack.
Why does chest pain occur?
Chest pain can be associated with diseases of the digestive system. For example, when gastric juice from the stomach enters the esophagus, an unpleasant burning sensation occurs, often accompanied by pain. Certain diseases of the esophagus also cause chest pain, especially when swallowing.
Inflammation of the pancreas, gallbladder, stomach ulcer are also accompanied by pain, often radiating to the chest area. Also, pain can occur with appendicitis, while the pain is “walking”, that is, it can appear in the chest, lower body, etc.
Another cause of pain in the sternum is intercostal neuralgia. In most cases, the pain is very strong, encircling. It hurts the patient even to inhale and exhale. The slightest touch to the intercostal areas is also very painful.
Intercostal neuralgia can occur due to:
- hypothermia of the thoracic trunk
- prolonged uncomfortable position
- an infectious viral disease, such as shingles
The virus infects the nodes of the intercostal nerves and thus causes very unpleasant sensations.
In some cases, the patient is well helped by a hot bath and taking analgesics. But sometimes you have to do novocaine blockade – subcutaneous administration of novocaine (or its analogs). Severe chest pains can also be caused by:
- bruises
- injuries
- inflammation of muscle tissue
The cause of chest pain may be related to a disease of the spine. For example, this happens with radiculitis, scoliosis, etc.
This can be facilitated by both a congenital anomaly of the spine, and prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, excessive physical activity
Often, chest pain occurs due to lung disease. For example, with pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane covering the lungs) or tuberculosis. Severe pain is accompanied by pneumothorax – damage to the pleural region, as a result of which air enters there. To diagnose and prescribe treatment, you must consult a pulmonologist.
In women, chest pain can indicate both diseases of the breast and genital organs. Therefore, they definitely need to visit a mammologist and gynecologist, undergo examination and, if necessary, treatment.
Pain in the chest area can also be the result of intense excitement, stress, panic. In such cases, it is usually accompanied by:
- nervous excitement
- increased heart rate
- profuse sweating
This is not yet a complete list of reasons why chest pain may appear. And only a doctor can establish its exact cause and prescribe treatment. Therefore, if you are worried about chest pain, and even more so if it is strong or often appears, you should not rely on “maybe” (they say, it will pass by itself), or self-medicate on the advice of relatives, friends, or adhering to information gleaned on the Internet … Such frivolity can cost you dearly. Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Do not self-medicate, even if you are sure that it will help you.
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