Stings in the chest – causes, types, diagnosis. When to see a doctor?

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While experiencing a stinging sensation in the chest can be disturbing, there are many possible causes for this type of chest pain. While some can be serious and even life-threatening, others are mild. Certain factors can help determine the cause of the stinging sensation in the chest. These include the exact location of the pain, its severity, and the presence of other symptoms.

Stings in the chest – possible causes

A stinging sting in the chest is a type of pain you feel in the center of the chest or on the left or right side of the chest. In some cases, the pain appears to be a sudden, sharp pain that goes away quickly (but may come back), and when it does it is often described as stabbing pain.

Sharp, stabbing pain in the chest is a common symptom that affects most people, young or old, and is usually caused by less serious conditions such as heartburn or an injury to the ribs. However, it can sometimes be a sign of a more serious condition that requires urgent medical attention.

If we experience a stinging sensation in our chest that is new to us, continues, or is very severe, see a doctor as soon as possible, especially if we have already had problems with heart or lung conditions.

See also: The work of the heart and its disorders. What are the most common heart diseases? [WE EXPLAIN]

Stinging in the chest – heartburn

If we feel a stinging or burning sensation in the center of the chest that lasts for several minutes or several hours, we may have heartburn. Many people suffer from heartburn from time to time, but it’s not a heart problem – it’s caused by acid reflux, which is where stomach acid runs up the throat.

Other common symptoms include:

1. a sour taste in the mouth (from stomach acid);
2. indigestion;
3. feeling sick (nausea);
4. tight or swollen abdomen (distended stomach);
5. belching;
6. a constant cough that is often worse at night – but not as common.

The causes of heartburn are not clear, but sometimes it is caused by being overweight, certain food and drinks such as coffee and alcohol, stress, smoking, or pregnancy.

If you have heartburn, try these few tips:

1. quit smoking if it is on fire;
2. limit the consumption of foods and drinks that worsen symptoms, such as tomatoes, spicy foods, coffee, or alcohol;
3. avoid heavy meals, especially late at night, and try to eat your last meal more than 3 hours before going to bed;
4. lose weight if you are overweight;
5. try to take medications from the pharmacy, e.g. antacids.

If these lifestyle changes and medications don’t work, or you still suffer from heartburn almost every day for more than 3 weeks, or you have other symptoms such as a lingering food in your throat, frequent vomiting or unintentional weight loss, see your doctor as it could be a sign of something more serious .

To treat heartburn, your doctor may suggest other medications, and sometimes surgery, in which the bottom of your digestive tract is tightened to prevent stomach acid from entering your throat.

See also: What could be the cause of a hard, bloated stomach?

Stinging in the chest – respiratory infection

A respiratory infection, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, is caused by an infection in the lungs, often after a cold or flu. Some respiratory infections can be mild and self-limiting, but others, such as pneumonia, can be serious and require treatment.

In addition to sharp, stabbing and stabbing pain in the chest, the main symptoms of respiratory infections are:

1. coughing and coughing up phlegm (thick mucus);
2. fever;
3. difficulty catching breath or breathing faster;
4. fatigue;
5. sore muscles;
6. headaches.

If we suffer from a respiratory infection, symptoms usually resolve on their own in about 7 to 10 days. However, a general cough and coughing up phlegm may last for 3 weeks.

When treating respiratory infections at home, it is recommended:

1. rest and drink plenty of water;
2. sleeping with extra pillows to raise your head higher, making it easier to breathe;
3. Taking simple painkillers – it’s best to talk to your pharmacist or doctor for guidance on how to safely use this type of medication. The pharmacist may recommend other preparations to help relieve symptoms

You should see your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or worsen. A specialist may prescribe antibiotics if a patient has a bacterial (non-viral) infection.

Also check: The most common bacterial diseases – overview and characteristics

Stinging in the chest – injury to the ribs or inflammation of the costal cartilages

A sharp, stabbing pain in your chest may indicate that your ribs are injured. It could be a broken rib after a fall, severe coughing, or a blow to the chest. We can also have costal cartilage inflammation, which happens when some joints in the chest become inflamed.

The pain we’ll feel in the chest when we have any of these symptoms usually worsens when we move or breathe deeply.

It’s not clear what causes costal cartilage inflammation, but it could be triggered by an accident such as a fall or car accident, a profuse cough, a respiratory infection, or the lifting of heavy objects.

When we have a broken rib or costal cartilage inflammation, the problem usually resolves on its own after a few weeks, although it may take longer. There is no specific treatment for a bruised or broken rib – rib injuries are usually allowed to heal naturally.

To help your ribs heal, you can try:

1. simple painkillers such as paracetamol;
2. hot or cold compresses;
3. gently stretching and resting when needed;
4. avoiding sports or exercise that worsen symptoms.

If that doesn’t work, see your doctor who may recommend physical therapy. If a patient has costal cartilage inflammation, steroid injections may also be helpful.

See also: Pain under the right rib is the most common cause. When is it worth seeing a doctor? [WE EXPLAIN]

Stinging in the chest – heart attack

A heart attack is a potentially life-threatening medical situation that can severely damage the heart muscle. This happens when the blood supply to the heart muscle is suddenly cut off, usually by a clot that blocks a blood vessel (artery) in the heart.

You may feel sharp, stinging, stabbing pain or tightness in your chest during a heart attack. Other symptoms may include:

1. pain that spreads to other parts of the body, including the arms, neck, back, abdomen, and jaw;
2. dizziness, feeling very unwell or fainting;
3. difficulty catching breath or talking;
4. feeling extremely anxious, as if we are having a panic attack;
5. nausea or vomiting;
6. excessive sweating.

Ischemic heart disease (lat. ischemic heart disease), PDO is the leading cause of heart attacks. The chance of getting PDA is high if we smoke, are overweight or have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

A heart attack is a serious medical situation and you should go to a hospital if you do. In order for the blood to flow back to the heart as quickly as possible, you may be given medication to break up the blood clots. Sometimes, however, you may need surgery.

After a heart attack, the patient will remain in the hospital so that his heart can be closely monitored, and when it stabilizes, he or she can usually go home. However, be aware that recovery may take several months.

To reduce the risk of another heart attack and help your heart recover, you will need:

1. rehabilitation to return to normal activities, which may include assistance from physiotherapists and nutritionists;
2. drugs – such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers or statins;
3. lifestyle changes – including controlling high blood pressure, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy, balanced diet.

See also: Nutritional mistakes that weaken immunity. What to avoid in times of coronavirus?

Stinging in the chest – angina

Angina (angina) can cause chest pain that is sharp, stabbing, stinging or severe. Its symptoms are very similar to those of a heart attack. They are triggered by exercise or stress, but usually stop after a few minutes of rest.

Angina is caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle because the arteries narrow (instead of blocking up as in a heart attack).

In the early stages, it is usually not life threatening. However, we should see a doctor if we believe we have angina, as it may represent a risk of a heart attack or stroke.

See your doctor if you have any symptoms of angina as we will need treatment to stop the angina attacks and reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Most people with angina need to take several medications, which include:

1. an angina attack medicine called glyceryl trinitrate;
2. medications to prevent angina – such as beta blockers;
3. medications to prevent heart attacks and strokes – such as statins and high blood pressure pills.

If you are not taking these medications, you may need surgery.

He will also need to make healthy lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet and limiting salt, quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, losing weight (if you are overweight) and getting fit.

Stabbing in the chest – pericarditis

Pericarditis occurs when the fluid-filled lining around the heart (the pericardium) becomes inflamed. It usually causes sudden, sharp, stabbing pain in the chest and a fever. The situation may worsen when we lie down, cough, swallow or breathe deeply and may have difficulty breathing.

It’s usually not a serious condition, but it can cause serious health problems if left untreated. It is not known exactly why people get pericarditis, but it is usually caused by a viral infection.

See your doctor if you think you have pericarditis as this condition may worsen if left untreated. Treatment depends on the cause of the inflammation of the lining of the heart and may include:

1. pain relievers such as ibuprofen or colchicine;
2. antibiotics (if the cause is a bacterial infection);
3. steroids.

Stinging in the chest – less common causes

Other causes of the stinging stinging in the chest can include less common causes as well.

Sharp stabbing pain in the chest that gives way on deep exhalation

Sharp stabbing pain in the chest that resolves after a deep exhalation (PCS) is a harmless condition that mainly affects children and young adults.

PCS causes very brief moments of acute pain in the left side of the chest. The pain may worsen when the person inhales. PCS-related pain usually occurs when the patient is resting or changing position, and usually lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. After disappearing, it leaves no permanent symptoms.

The cause of this condition is unknown. However, experts believe that this may be due to contraction of the intercostal muscles. These spasms can compress nearby nerves, causing pain.

PCS usually does not require treatment and has no negative health effects.

See also: Intercostal neuralgia – causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Stinging in the chest and panic attack

A panic attack is a feeling of intense fear that occurs as a result of a stressful event or can happen unexpectedly.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a panic attack involves at least four of the following symptoms:

1. chest pain or discomfort;
2. palpitations or rapid heart rate;
3. feeling of choking or being choked;
4. feeling out of breath;
5. feeling unusually hot or cold;
6. excessive sweating;
7. trembling;
8. feeling of numbness or tingling;
9. dizziness;
10. stomach discomfort;
11. nausea;
12. feelings of fear;
13. fear of losing control;
14. fear of death.

The National Institute of Mental Health notes that symptoms appear very quickly, peaking within minutes.

The following tips can help you stay calm when you feel a panic attack is coming:

1. let’s try not to fight a panic attack;
2. remember that the panic attack will pass;
3. remember that a panic attack is not life threatening;
4. let’s breathe slowly and deeply;
5. let’s focus on positive, calm and relaxing things.

Also check: Phobia and its treatment. How to reduce fear and anxiety?

Stabbing in the chest and injuries of muscles and ribs

A stabbing pain in the chest can be a sign of an injury, such as a stretch of a chest muscle or a fracture of a costal bone. Any type of injury can cause sharp, stinging and sudden pain at the site of the injury.

Some possible causes of a chest injury include:

1. incorrectly lifting weights or other heavy objects;
2. too intense chest training;
3. accident.

Treatment for a strained chest muscle is the same as for any other type of muscle strain. It includes rest, cold compresses, compressing and lifting the affected area. This approach is known as the RICE method.

1. R – Rest: Rest and protect the injured or sore area. Let us pause, change, or take a break from any activity that may cause pain or soreness.
2. I – Ice: Apply ice or a cold compress immediately to prevent or minimize swelling. Apply ice or a cold compress for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day. After 48 to 72 hours, if the swelling has gone, let’s warm the sore area. Do not apply ice or warm compresses directly to the skin. Place a towel on a cold or hot compress before applying it to the skin.
3. C – Compression: Wrapping the injured or sore area with an elastic bandage will help reduce swelling. Don’t wrap it too tightly though as this can cause more swelling below the affected area. Loosen the bandage if it becomes too tight. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain, chill, or swelling in the area under the bandage. Let’s talk to your doctor if you feel we need to use bandages for more than 48 to 72 hours; a more serious problem may occur.
4. E – Elevation: Raise the injured or sore area on the pillows while sitting or lying down or applying cold compresses. Try to keep the sore area at or above the level of the heart to minimize swelling.

A broken or bruised rib usually heals on its own in 3-6 weeks. In the meantime, you can take painkillers to relieve the pain.

See also: Don’t ruin your spine

Stinging in the chest and pleurisy

Pleurisy is inflammation and irritation of the lining of the lungs and chest. The condition can cause a short, sharp, and stinging pain in the chest with body movements such as:

1. respiration;
2. cough;
3. sneezing.

Pleurisy can occur as a result of:

1. bacterial or viral infections;
2. rheumatoid arthritis;
3. pulmonary embolism;
4. collapsed lung;
5. growths in the pleural cavity.

Treatment for pleurisy depends on the underlying cause. Some potential treatment options include:

1. antibiotics to treat bacterial causes;
2. surgery to repair a collapsed lung or to remove growths from the pleural cavity;
3. medicines to prevent existing blood clots from growing larger and to prevent new clots from forming.

Stinging in the chest and breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can cause a range of new and unknown sensations in the chest as the breasts expand, contract and adapt to the feeding of an infant.

Some women experience sharp, deep, stabbing, pricking, or burning pains as part of their milk discharge. Other women develop mastitis, which can burn the skin and breast tissue.

Some women have a short spasm of the blood vessels in the nipples after breastfeeding. The pain can be sharp, stinging, burning, and intensely painful, but usually lasts only a few minutes.

Breastfeeding can cause a stinging pain in the chest if:

1. the woman is currently breastfeeding, has recently given birth, or has recently stopped breastfeeding;
2. the pain is mainly on one or both sides of the chest and not in the center of the chest;
3. other changes in your breasts – such as nipple pain, breast enlargement or skin changes – occur together with the pain.

Also check: What are the symptoms of mastoiditis?

Stinging in the chest and pneumothorax

A pneumothorax (pneumothorax) is a collapsed lung. Pneumothorax occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and the chest wall. This air pushes the lungs outwards and causes them to collapse. A pneumothorax may be the complete collapse of the lung or the collapse of only part of it.

Pneumothorax can be caused by a blunt or penetrating trauma to the chest, certain medical procedures, or damage from lung disease. It can also occur for no apparent reason. Symptoms usually include sudden chest pain and shortness of breath. In some cases, a collapsed lung can be a life-threatening event.

Treatment for pneumothorax usually involves putting a needle or catheter between the ribs to remove excess air. However, a small pneumothorax can heal on its own.

Stings in the chest and shingles

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. While shingles can occur anywhere on the body, it most commonly appears as a single strip of blisters that wraps around the left or right side of the body. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. After having had chickenpox, the virus is inactive in the nervous tissue near the spinal cord and the brain. Years later, the virus can reactivate as shingles.

Shingles can also cause chest pain. In fact, chest pain may develop before the rash appears. The chest pain associated with shingles often resembles a sharp, stabbing pain. The rash may appear several days after noticing the chest pain.

Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles. Early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and reduce the risk of complications. The most common complication is post-herpetic neuralgia, which causes shingles pain long after the blisters have cleared.

See also: Abdominal rash and the course of infectious diseases. How do you recognize the cause of a rash?

Stinging in the chest and peptic ulcer disease

Peptic ulcer disease is a common medical problem that is confused with heart disease. Peptic ulcers often cause symptoms that can be challenging to distinguish from angina, and even symptoms of a heart attack.

In peptic ulcer, ulcers or sores form in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). These ulcers are often very painful. Typically, peptic ulcer pain is seen as abdominal pain – often pain in the abdomen – but can sometimes cause chest pain. It is often described as a burning or biting sensation.

Peptic ulcer pain often resolves after eating a meal and is aggravated by drinking alcohol, smoking or consuming caffeine. It may be accompanied by symptoms such as bloating, gas, nausea, vomiting or heartburn. Peptic ulcers can occur when the mucus that protects the lining of the upper digestive tract is reduced or when stomach acid production is increased.

The conditions that cause peptic ulcers are most common in people whose digestive tract is colonized with the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. In addition, regular users of NSAID pain medications have an increased risk of peptic ulcers.

Treatment of peptic ulcer disease often includes:

1. Antibiotics to get rid of Helicobacter pylori bacteria. A two-week course of oral antibiotic combinations is often used.
2. Medicines that block the production of stomach acid. They often include proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole and histamine (H2) blockers such as Zantac (formerly ranitidine, now famotidine).
3. Antacids to neutralize stomach acid.

In rare cases, stomach ulcers do not heal with such agents and surgery should be considered. However, with drugs that have been developed over the past few decades, peptic ulcer surgery is much less common than it used to be.

See also: Deadly interactions

Stings in the chest and vascular health problems

Problems with the blood vessels that carry blood to and from the heart and lungs can cause stabbing pain in the chest.

For example, a dissecting aneurysm occurs when the aorta, which is a large blood vessel, ruptures. Without prompt treatment, it can be fatal.

Pulmonary embolism is another blood vessel problem. Occurs when a blood clot breaks down and travels to the lungs. This can damage the lungs as well as the heart and can also be fatal.

Some signs of blood vessel problems include:

1. sudden, tearing, stinging, burning pain in the chest which may indicate a dissecting aneurysm;
2. chest tightness or a burning sensation that gets worse with exercise;
3. sudden pain along with difficulty breathing or dizziness.

You should always seek emergency medical attention for these symptoms.

Also check: The functions of the circulatory system

Stinging in the chest – diagnosis

To diagnose the cause of the stinging sensation in the chest, your doctor usually performs several tests, which may include:

1. physical exams to check heart rate and pulse, look for swelling, and evaluate the health of muscles and organs;
2. blood tests to check for infections or changes that may indicate a heart attack or other heart problems;
3. electrocardiogram (EKG), which measures the electrical activity of the heart;
4. chest x-rays;
5. computed tomography.

Also check: Let’s not forget about preventive examinations! When and how often should they be done?

How long does it take for the stinging in the chest to stop?

There are many reasons why you may experience a stinging sensation in your chest – and how long it takes to clear up will depend on the cause. If you are concerned about the stinging sensation in your chest, which is new, persistent or severe, it is best to see a doctor as soon as possible, especially if you have had heart or lung problems.

Certain conditions, such as heartburn or respiratory infections, can be improved with home self-care or medication from the pharmacy. However, it is important to know that there are more serious conditions, such as a heart attack, that require urgent medical attention in a hospital – recovery from a heart attack can take many months, and it is important not to speed up your recovery.

Stinging in the chest – prevention

It is not always possible to prevent some causes of stinging in the chest. However, steps can be taken to reduce the risk of stinging in the chest due to heart disease.

Experts recommend the following tips to reduce the risk of heart disease:

1. quitting smoking (if we are smokers);
2. engaging in regular exercise;
3. use of a well-balanced and varied diet;
4. achieving or maintaining a moderate weight;
5. controlling blood pressure and cholesterol;
6. management of any underlying medical conditions.

See also: Eight tests worth doing at least once a year

Stinging in the chest – when to see a doctor?

If we are worried about stinging in the chest or we do not know why we feel it, it is best to consult a doctor.

Go to the emergency department or call an ambulance if you experience sudden chest pain and:

1. it spreads towards our shoulders, back, neck, or jaw;
2. it’s hard for us to catch our breath or talk;
3. we feel warm, sweat or have a fever;
4. has been running for more than 15 minutes;
5. our chest is tense and heavy;
6. we feel bad, we feel dizzy or faint;
7. our symptoms worsen.

Let’s see a doctor as soon as possible if we feel a stinging sensation in the chest and:

1. the feeling comes and goes;
2. our pain wears off quickly, but it worries us;
3. we cough blood or there is blood in our phlegm;
4. we have been coughing hard for over 3 weeks;
5. we are pregnant;
6. we have a weakened immune system caused by a condition such as diabetes or cancer;
7. we have a rash;
8. we feel rapid heartbeat (palpitations);
9. we have heartburn that does not go away.