Chest pain can be caused by excess gas, breathing problems, anxiety attacks, muscle pain, reflux, ulcers or gallbladder problems. Chest pain can also be a sign of a heart attack, especially in people who have uncontrolled high blood pressure and untreated high cholesterol.
In the case of a heart attack, it is common for chest pain to be a very intense sensation of tightness, which does not improve over time and radiates to the neck and arms. Understand how to differentiate heart attack from other types of pain.
As there are many possibilities for chest pain, it is important to consult a cardiologist or go to the hospital whenever the pain takes more than 20 minutes to subside or when it worsens over time, especially when other symptoms appear such as dizziness, cold sweats, difficulty difficulty breathing, tingling in the arms or severe headache.
What can chest pain be?
To find out the possible cause of your chest pain, please answer the following questions:
Main causes
The main causes of chest pain are:
1. Excess gas
Excess gas is possibly the most common cause of pain in the chest region and is not related to heart problems, often appearing in people who suffer from constipation. The accumulation of gases in the intestine can push on some abdominal organs, eventually creating pain that radiates to the chest.
How to identify: It is usually a sharp stabbing pain that disappears, but which returns repeatedly, especially when bending over on your stomach to pick something up from the floor, for example.
What to do: A good strategy is to massage the intestines to help push out the gas, but you can also adopt a position that facilitates the elimination of gas. Additionally, walking for a few minutes can also help. In more complicated cases, the doctor may advise the use of medications such as simethicone, for example. See more tips for eliminating intestinal gas.
2. Anxiety and stress
Anxiety, as well as excess stress, cause increased muscle tension in the ribs, in addition to increasing heart rate. This combination causes a feeling of pain in the chest, which can appear even when the person does not feel stressed, but had an argument moments before, for example. This happens most commonly in those who are frequently stressed or suffer from panic and anxiety syndrome.
How to identify: It is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as rapid breathing, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea and even changes in bowel function. Check out how to differentiate anxiety from a heart attack.
What to do: try to rest in a calm place, drink a calming tea, such as valerian, or do some leisure activity, such as watching a film, playing games, going to the gym or gardening. Here are some more tips to put an end to anxiety and stress.
3. Heart attack
A heart attack, although it is the first concern for anyone suffering from chest pain, is normally a rare cause, being more common in people with uncontrolled high blood pressure, very high cholesterol, diabetes, being over 45 years of age or smokers.
How to identify: it is a pain more localized on the left side of the chest, in the form of tightness, which does not improve after 20 minutes, and may radiate to one of the arms or jaw, causing a tingling sensation.
What to do: It is recommended to go to an emergency room to carry out heart tests, such as an electrocardiogram, cardiac enzymes and chest X-ray, to identify whether there is a heart attack and start treatment as quickly as possible. Learn about the treatment options your doctor can choose during a heart attack.
4. Gastritis
Gastritis is also one of the possible causes of chest pain, as it is common in these cases to have pain in the pit of the stomach, which is located in the center of the chest and can radiate to the back.
Gastritis is more common in people who have a poor diet, but it can also happen in people with excessive worry and stress, for example, as in these cases it is possible to change the pH of the stomach, which can contribute to inflammation. .
How to identify: in case of gastritis, you may notice a feeling of a full stomach, lack of appetite, acidity and frequent belching.
What to do: One way to reduce stomach inflammation is by relieving symptoms, which can be done by drinking water with a few drops of lemon, for example. See more details on what to do in case of gastritis.
5. Muscle pain
Muscle injuries are very common in everyday life, especially in those who go to the gym or do some type of sport. However, they can also happen after simpler activities such as coughing a lot or picking up heavy objects. Additionally, during stressful or fearful situations, muscles can also become very contracted, resulting in inflammation and pain.
How to identify: it is a pain that can worsen when breathing, but is also aggravated when turning the torso, to look behind, for example. In addition to arising after situations such as those indicated above.
What to do: a good way to relieve muscle pain is to rest and apply warm compresses to the painful area. It may also help to stretch your chest muscles by placing both arms straight behind you and grasping your hands. Understand how a muscle strain happens and what to do to avoid it.
6. Gastroesophageal reflux
People who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux and do not follow a proper diet are more likely to experience frequent chest pain, as it is related to inflammation of the esophagus that occurs when stomach acid reaches the walls of the organ. When this happens, in addition to intense burning, it is also possible to feel pain in the chest.
How to identify: in most cases it is a pain in the middle of the chest (in the sternum) that appears accompanied by burning and stomach pain, however, it can also appear with a slight sensation of tightness in the throat, which occurs due to esophageal spasms, as well as person may experience chest pain when swallowing.
What to do: drink chamomile or ginger tea, as they improve digestion and reduce stomach acidity, reducing inflammation of the esophagus. Additionally, you can take an antacid or fruit salt. Outside of a crisis, you should maintain a light diet, without fatty or spicy foods, for example. See what the diet should be like for those suffering from reflux.
7. Stomach ulcer
The pain caused by the presence of a stomach ulcer is due to inflammation of the walls of the organ and can easily be confused with pain in the heart, due to the proximity of the two organs.
How to identify: It is a pain located in the middle of the chest, but can also radiate to the right side, depending on the location of the ulcer. Furthermore, it is more common after meals and can be accompanied by a feeling of a full stomach, nausea and vomiting.
What to do: A gastroenterologist should be consulted when a stomach ulcer is suspected to begin appropriate treatment with gastric protectors, such as Omeprazole, and avoid complications such as perforation. However, while waiting for your appointment, you can alleviate your symptoms with potato juice. Check out some home remedy options for stomach ulcers.
8. Gallbladder problems
The gallbladder is a small organ on the right side of the stomach and can become inflamed due to the presence of stones or excessive fat consumption, for example. When this happens, pain appears on the right side of the chest that can radiate to the heart, resembling a heart attack.
How to identify: It mainly affects the right side of the chest and worsens after eating, especially after eating fatty foods, such as fried foods or sausages. In addition, it can also occur with nausea and a feeling of a full stomach.
What to do: you should avoid eating fatty foods and drinking plenty of water.
9. Lung problems
Before being a symptom of heart problems, chest pain is more common in changes that occur in the lungs, such as bronchitis, asthma or infection, for example. As part of the lung is located in the chest and behind the heart, this pain may be felt as being cardiac, although it is not.
How to identify: The person may experience chest pain when coughing or pain that worsens when breathing, especially when taking a deep breath. You may also experience a feeling of shortness of breath, wheezing or frequent coughing.
What to do: a pulmonologist should be consulted to identify the specific cause of the pain and initiate appropriate treatment.
10. Heart diseases
Various heart diseases can cause chest pain, especially angina, arrhythmia or heart attack, for example. However, it is also common for this symptom to be accompanied by others that lead the doctor to suspect heart disease, such as excessive tiredness, difficulty breathing or palpitations, for example. See the possible causes of heart pain.
How to identify: It is a pain that does not seem to be caused by any of the reasons mentioned above and is accompanied by other symptoms such as changes in heartbeat, palpitations, generalized swelling, excessive tiredness and accelerated breathing, for example. Understand better about the symptoms of heart disease.
What to do: You should consult a cardiologist to carry out heart tests and identify if there is any change that could be causing the pain, initiating appropriate treatment.
11. Costocondrite
In some cases, chest pain may be due to inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum, which is the bone located in the middle of the chest, this situation being known as costochondritis. Therefore, it is common for the pain to become stronger when pressure is placed on the chest or when lying face down, for example.
How to identify: feeling of sore chest and pain that worsens when putting pressure on the region, coughing and/or breathing. Check out other symptoms of costochondritis.
What to do: a warm compress should be applied to the sternum to relieve pain, in addition to taking anti-inflammatory medications recommended by the general practitioner or orthopedist.
When to go to the doctor
It is important to seek medical help when chest pain takes more than 20 minutes to alleviate and whenever the pain causes concern for the person. Additionally, other symptoms that may indicate that it is important to see a doctor include:
- Dizziness;
- Cold sweating;
- Vomiting and nausea;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Intense headache.
The important thing is to seek medical help whenever chest pain causes concern, thus avoiding more serious problems.
