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The chest (Latin thorax) is the part of the torso between the neck and the abdominal cavity. Its main function is to protect internal organs, especially the heart and lungs. It also enables gas exchange (breathing).
Anatomical structure of the chest
The bone skeleton chest consists of a sternum, 12 pairs of ribs and 12 thoracic vertebrae. These bones form the so-called bone scaffold. From the top, they are limited by the upper opening chestj, and from the bottom it is the lower opening the chest. From the abdominal cavity chest it is fenced off with a diaphragm. Bone scaffolding chest it is covered with muscles – these are the muscles of the back (they cover the bone scaffold from the back) and the actual muscles chest (they cover the bone scaffold chest forward). These are: the pectoral muscle, the pectoral muscle, the subclavian muscle, and the intercostal and subcostal muscles. From the inside chest it is covered with a pleura. Inside chest are the lungs and the so-called mediastinum, which includes the heart, esophagus, trachea, large vessels and nerves. Outside chest is covered with the skin on which the breast nipples are located.
Abnormalities in the structure of the chest
Chest it may not be built properly. The most common anatomical pathologies chest are:
- crow’s chest – in this case, the sternum is shifted forward, a bulge is formed in this place; this type of defect more often affects men as a symptom of rickets or as a congenital defect,
- funnel-shaped chest – in this case, the lower part of the sternum and the lower ribs are indented to the center of the chest; This ailment (it is a congenital defect) can and should be treated – a special U-shaped metal bracket is inserted into the chest for this purpose, which pushes the ribs and the sternum back into their proper shape.
Chest disorders
The most common ailment related to chest there is pain within it. It can be a symptom of many serious diseases such as pericarditis, pneumonia or pancreatitis, and cancer. Pain in the chest it can also be a symptom of a heart attack or angina. In the event of a heart attack, pain in the chest comes on suddenly, is strong and stabbing, causes pressure behind the breastbone, and most often radiates to the left shoulder. In angina, the pain radiates to the jaw or the forearm.
Pain in the chest it may also be associated with pneumonia, pleurisy and tension pneumonia. It can also be caused by gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease. Alone chest it usually does not hurt, but the pain that appears within it indicates inflammation of one of the organs it protects. However, if the pain of the same occurs chest, it may indicate a cancer developing within it. This type of pain is accompanied by a cough, fever and enlarged lymph nodes.
Pain in the chest it can also be a symptom of intercostal muscle inflammation (neuralgia). It also appears in diseases and overloads of the thoracic spine.
Prickly pain in the chest sometimes accompanies colds and angina.
Sometimes the pain in the chest is the result of overloading the body during sports.
How to keep your chest in good shape?
Chest, and especially the muscles that make it up, should be kept in good condition in order to properly protect the internal organs. They are best for this purpose physical exercise shaping this group of muscles – for example push-ups or resting the hands bent at the elbows against a wall at a distance of about 30 cm and steadily pushing away from it. In the case of the ladies exercises such not only will strengthen the muscles chest, but additionally they will make the bust firmer and modeled.