Chest discomfort may point towards a heart problem or problems associated with other organs in and around your chest. This Buzzle article will help you understand about the causes, accompanied symptoms, and other necessary details regarding this problem.
The minute one experiences any form of pain or discomfort in the chest, one tends to get a panic attack, immediately associating the feeling with that of a heart attack. Most of the time, thinking of a heart attack is enough to give you one! Anyway, it's not always the case, and there are various other causes that may make you feel this way. Let us understand this further.
Considerations
When you experience chest tightness or pressure, it does not always indicate a heart attack. Sometimes there are mild problems that may make you feel uneasy, and sometimes life-threatening disorders can also lead to chest pain. It's not just the heart, but other organs such as, lungs, esophagus, muscles, ribs, nerves, and tendons may also result in some medical complications leading to chest discomfort.
Accompanied Symptoms
You can obviously identify when experiencing a discomfort in the chest. Listed below are the symptoms that may accompany the uneasiness, during an episode.
- Chest pain
- Chest tightening
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fainting spells
- Fatigue
- Sleepiness during daytime
- Increased or high blood pressure
- Arm and/or jaw pain
- Excessive yawing
Potential Causes
There are many diseases, disorders, and conditions that may make one experience discomfort in the chest. These include -
- Altitude sickness
- Angina
- Aortic dissection
- Aspergilloma
- Atrial fibrillation
- Cadmium poisoning
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Costochondritis
- Coxsackievirus
- Esophagus pain or disorders
- Heart disease
- Low red blood cells
- Mesothelioma
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Myocarditis
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Panic attack
- Pericarditis
- Pheochromocytoma
- Sore muscles
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm
Associated Lung Problems
- Tuberculosis
- Asbestosis
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- COPD
- Lung cancer
- Lung sarcoidosis
- Pleurisy
- Pneumonia
- Pneumothorax
- Pulmonary embolism
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Whooping cough
Chest discomfort can also occur due to digestive problems such as, heartburn, indigestion, gallbladder problems, stomach ulcers, etc. Medications like lithium, heparin, etc., can also be the potential cause.
Prevention and Care
Most of the time this problem occurs due to coughing, overexertion, muscle strain, acidity, etc. These are usually treated with home remedies and treatment options such as ibuprofen, ice compress, heat pad, and adequate rest. However, if you experience a sudden squeezing, tightening, or crushing pain in your chest, call 911 immediately. You should also watch out for other symptoms such as, pain radiating to the jaw, left arm, and shoulder blades. Sudden nausea, dizziness, sweating, and breathing problems due to asthma, also require immediate medical attention. You need to stay alert regarding heart attack symptoms, especially if you have suffered a stroke before or have a family history of heart diseases. People with diabetes, high cholesterol, or those who are overweight, smoke, or use drugs should stay on high alert regarding the aforementioned warning signs.
Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
