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Chest pain can arrive in a variety of ways, ranging from a sharp stab to a dull ache. In certain cases, the pain can seem crushing or burning, while in other cases, it can travel up your neck, into the jaw, and radiate through your back or one or both of your problems. Many different problems can cause chest pain.

Causes of Chest Pain:

The first thing that people associate with chest pain, is the possibility of a heart attack. While chest pain is definitely not something that you should ignore, there are many types of chest pain causes. To understand the different causes of chest pain, it is important to segregate the same into four distinct categories:

Heart-Related Chest Pain Causes: Commonly faced chest pain causes can often be a heart-related one. This can include:

• A heart attack, which is caused due to a blockage of blood flow to the heart
• An Angina, which is chest pain caused due to blockage formed in the blood vessels that lead to your heart.
• An inflammation of the sac around the heart can also be a chest pain cause.
• An inflammation of the heart muscle
• Cardiomyopathy, which is a disease of the heart muscle
• Aortic dissection, which is a rare condition that involves a tear of the aorta, the large vessel that comes off of the heart.

Gastrointestinal Chest Pain Causes: Issues in your digestive system can also cause chest pain. Some conditions that can result in chest pain include:

• Acid reflux, also known as heartburn
• Disorders of the oesophagus, which can lead to swallowing problems
• Gallstones
• Inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas

Chest Pain Caused by Lung-Related Issues: In many cases, issues with your respiratory system can also cause chest pain. Some conditions that can cause this include:

• Pneumonia
• Viral bronchitis
• Pneumothorax, which is a condition where there is a leak of air from the lung into the chest
• A blood clot
• Bronchospasm, which is a condition that causes a constriction of the air passage, which is commonly faced by patients with asthma, or related disorders.

Muscle or bone-related chest pain causes: In many cases, chest pain can be caused by an irregularity in the muscles or bone in your chest. Commonly faced conditions that can cause chest pain include:

• Bruised or broken ribs
• Sore muscles caused by over-exertion or chronic pain syndrome
• Compression fractures caused by the pressure on a nerve

Chest Pain Symptoms To Look Out For:

While chest pain may not indicate the worst, it is definitely something that you need to be able to detect as early as is possible. While chest pain symptoms can vary from case to case, the commonly faced signs include:

• Pressure or a feeling of tightness in the chest
• Back, jaw or arm pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Light-headedness
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Pain during exertion

Other signs that may come in combination with chest pain, which indicate that the symptoms are not heart-related, include:

• Acidic or sour taste in the mouth
• Pain after swallowing or eating
• Difficulty swallowing
• Pain accompanied by a rash
• Feeling of panic or anxiety
• Back pain that radiates to the front of the chest

Treating Chest Pain:

Chest pain treatment will vary basis the cause of this condition. Depending on the results of the diagnosis, your doctor may:

• Advise that start a course of medication, that will help to open partially closed arteries, as well as clot-busting drugs or blood thinners, depending on the requirement.
• Cardiac catheterization, where your doctor will make use of balloons or stents to help open up blocked arteries.
• Surgical repair of arteries, in cases where such procedures are required.

For chest pain causes that are not related to the heart, your doctor may suggest that you go in for:

• Lung re-inflation for a collapsed lung
• Antacids or other procedures for acid reflux or heartburn
• Anti-anxiety medication for chest pain caused by panic attacks.

The Apollo Clinic Experience:

With a team of specialists, a trained medical staff, and modern diagnostic systems, Apollo Clinic is prepared to help arrest your chest pain from increasing, and also thoroughly diagnosing and beginning treatment for any underlying conditions that may be the root chest pain cause. Our centre is also well-equipped to handle any potential cardiac emergencies, and have a round-the-clock team dedicated to ensuring that you get the best and right kind of care, as the right time. If you are complaining for chest pain, or feel the onset of any of the symptoms detailed above, please get in touch with one of our specialists immediately.