5 Common Causes Of Chest Pain You Should Know
Annually, over 7 million people in America flock to the emergency department with complaints of chest pains. Chest pain is triggered by a variety of factors and may indicate a minor to a major or life-threatening issue. Therefore, chest pain is not something to ignore. Chest pains can manifest as sharp, dull, burning, aching, stabbing, or squeezing. Irrespective of the type of pain, it is important to understand the probable causes before jumping to conclusions and making your blood run cold. Let’s look into some of the possible causes of chest pain you should know:
Heart Issues
With the heart tasked to pump blood throughout the body, blockage or narrowing of the blood vessels reduces blood and oxygen supply to its muscles. This condition is described as angina and is caused by Coronary artery diseases. While it is not an indicator of permanent heart damage, this issue puts you at risk of a future heart attack. Angina can also be triggered by exercise, emotional stress, and excitement.
The pain can spread to the neck, jaw, back, arm, and shoulder. If you experience these symptoms, it is best to find a reputable cardiac center near you. If you are in California, you might have to go for an Angiogram at San Diego Cardiac Center. A good cardiac center will give will have top cardiologists who will help with a proper diagnosis. Other heart issues that can trigger chest pain include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, pericarditis, and mitral valve prolapse.
Lung Problems
An issue with the lung can also cause chest pain amongst scores of people. A bacterial, viral infection on the lungs causes diseases like pleuritic and pneumonia. When the infection attacks the lung and chest linings, you will probably feel sharp pains when breathing, sneezing, or coughing.
Pulmonary embolism is also known to cause chest pains. This is a condition of a blood clot in the lung lodges and is often a result of deep vein thrombosis. Other causes of chest pain related to the lungs include lupus, cancer, tuberculosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Nerve, Muscle, and Bone Problems
The structure that makes the chest wall can be the reason you are feeling chest pain. The chest muscles, rib cage, and ribs need to be in good condition. Accidents, injury, or inflammation around the chest wall would probably cause chest pains. A broken/injured rib stressed chest muscles and tendons, or inflamed rib cage cartilage also results in chest pains. If you cough persistently or subject your chest muscles to physical workouts, the pain likely becomes persistent.
Digestive System Issues
While it looks less likely, digestive issues can be the reason behind your chest pains. Heartburn, for example, causes a painful or rather a burning sensation behind the breastbone. This pain can spread into the chest and thus chest pain. Also, if your gallbladder has gallstones or inflammation, you will probably have abdominal pains. Often, this pain travels from the abdomen to the chest causing chest pains. Another digestive-related cause could be swallowing disorders.
Panic Attack
Intense fear or excitement often causes rapid heartbeat, breathing, and shortness of breath. The resulting pressure often triggers chest pains of varying magnitudes. There are several ways to handle intense fear or excitement. The good news is that the pain does not persist and subsides after a while.
Wrapping up
Chest pain is something that should be taken lightly. As aforementioned, it can be an indicator of a serious health condition. While there are several causes of chest pain, you don’t stop here. It is highly recommended that you visit a doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment.