What ‘chest pain’ can tell you

What ‘chest pain’ can tell you

Chest pain can be caused by various diseases. Many people get scared and think it must be heart disease, especially if the symptoms occur frequently. The confidence in one's strong health disappears and is replaced by anxiety. However, chest pain may or may not be related to heart disease, as there are many factors that can cause it, including:

1. Sudden lack of blood flow to the heart

The symptoms of this disease will cause tightness or compression in the chest area, aching or sore shoulders, soreness in the back, or a pinching sensation under the ribs. This kind of pain often occurs during exercise and feels like something is pressing or squeezing the middle of the chest. Some people experience pain in the neck, back, and both arms, especially the left arm. The symptoms can be relieved by resting or taking Nitroglycerin. We can take care of ourselves by controlling our weight to be within the standard range, exercising at an appropriate level, and getting our heart function checked once a year. This will allow the doctor to recommend self-care methods that can help prevent chest pain and serious complications.

2. Chest pain from a burning sensation in the chest or throat

This is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which occurs when the food in your stomach and the acid in your stomach, which helps digest food, are pushed back into the esophagus, the tube that connects the throat to the stomach. Because the acid in the stomach is highly acidic, you may feel a burning sensation behind your chest bone. The stomach is lined with a layer of mucous that helps prevent the corrosive effects of the acid from damaging it, whereas the esophagus does not have this protective layer. If you experience this symptom twice a week or more, you may have GERD and need treatment. Otherwise, it could lead to asthma, chest tightness, or increase the risk of developing hard-to-treat cancer.

3. Strained muscle in the chest area

Also known as a "pulled chest muscle," this is a common injury that occurs during sports activities, either during training or intense competition where the muscles are heavily used. Athletes are at a higher risk of re-injuring the muscle, and it may cause chronic pain.

4. Uncomfortable feeling inside the chest

This sensation may be unexplained or could be the result of a previous impact or trauma to the chest. Pain relief medication or anti-inflammatory medication can help alleviate the discomfort.

5. Pericarditis

If you are one of the people fighting a viral infection in the past two or three days, you may have experienced sudden chest pain because it is a side effect that causes inflammation in the tissue layer around the heart. This also includes abnormalities in the immune system, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Although pericarditis is often not very dangerous, it can affect your quality of life, so it is important to see a doctor for accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.

6. Diseases of the pericardium

Diseases of the pericardium can cause fever and chest pain, which are common and can reduce the body's ability to function. Treatment should be done through a surgical procedure to remove the thickened pericardial tissue, which can help alleviate chest pain.

For further inquiries, please contact the Cardiology Center at Vibhavadi Hospital

Tel. 02-561-1111 ext. 1322-1323.