Different health problems can cause chest pain, and being aware of them can help you find a solution. This pain may be dull, sharp, aching, sharp, or stabbing depending on its cause. You may also feel pain anywhere from your upper abdomen to your neck. Looking out for what propelled this pain is a good step to finding ways to get rid of the strains. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some possible causes of chest pain.
Causes of Chest Pain
Heart-related causes
Heart attack – This occurs as a result of blocked blood flow to the heart muscle. This is usually as a result of a blood clot.
Angina – This happens as a result of poor blood flow to the heart. This is usually caused by the development of thick plaques around the inner walls of the arteries. These plaques result to a reduction in the diameter of the arteries and cause low blood supply to the heart, particularly during exertion.
Aortic dissection – This is a life-threatening condition that occurs to the main artery that goes straight into the heart (aorta). The separation of the inner layers of the aorta forced blood movement between the layers and thereby leading to the rupture of the aorta.
Pericarditis – This occurs when there is inflammation of the sac around the heart. This type of chest pain causes sharp pain that gets worse when you lie down or when you are breathing in.
Digestive causes
Disorders of the digestive system also cause chest pain. Some of these disorders include:
Heartburn – Heartburn is the painful, burning sensation behind the breastbone that occurs due to the washing up of the stomach acid from the stomach into the oesophagus (a tube that connects the throat with the stomach).
Swallowing disorders – Swallowing of food may be difficult and painful due to the disorders of the oesophagus.
Gallbladder or pancreas problems – Inflammation of the gallbladder (gallstones) or pancreas can lead to abdominal pain. This pain will radiate to your chest.
Muscle and bone causes
These involve pains in your chest that occur due to problems affecting the structures of the chest wall. These include:
Injured ribs – A broken or bruised rib can lead to chest pain.
Costochondritis – This is the condition whereby the cartilage of your rib cage (especially the cartilage that links the ribs to the breastbone) becomes painful due to inflammation.
Sore muscles – Chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia can lead to persistent muscle-related pain.
Lung-related causes
Some of the lung disorders that can lead to chest pain include:
Pulmonary embolism – This is set to happen when blood clot and block in the pulmonary artery of the lung. Thereby preventing blood flow to lung tissue.
Pleurisy – This is the inflammation of the membrane that covers the lungs. This can cause pain that deteriorates when you cough or inhale.
Collapsed lung – When the lung collapsed suddenly; lasting for hours and associated with shortness of breath; you may have chest pain. This will lead to air leakage into the space between the ribs and the lungs.
Pulmonary hypertension – When there is high blood pressure in the arteries that deliver to the lungs, it can lead to chest pain.
There are several other causes of chest pain. Some of which include panic attack and shingles. You should have your primary care physician evaluate you when you have unexplained pain in your chest. The team at Garden State Medical Group are specialized in cardiopulmonary care, which deals with all afflictions of the chest. If you experience chest pain, make sure to immediately contact one of our four cardiopulmonary health centers in New Jersey.