Chest Pain Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

If you are experiencing chest pain, do not ignore it. However, you should be aware that there are several potential causes.

The heart is frequently implicated in this condition. It's also possible that chest pain is caused by an issue with your oesophagus, muscles, bones, or nerves. Some are, while others aren't.

Understanding what causes chest pain is essential.

As the name suggests, chest pain refers to discomfort and soreness in the chest area.

Heart-related chest pain (sometimes known as "cardiac chest pain") and non-heart-related chest pain are the two main types of chest pain (non-cardiac chest pain). Medical personnel should be called if someone is experiencing chest pain and does not know what the problem is.

What's causing the chest to ache so much?

Even while most people think of chest pain as an indication of heart disease or heart attack, it can also be caused by various factors. The following conditions might cause chest pain:

Problems with the heart and blood vessels, such as angina, aortic dissection, and aneurysms of the heart (a bulging section of your aorta).

1. GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), an ulcer, gallstones, spasms in your oesophagus, esophagitis, hiatal hernia, or gastritis are digestive issues.
2. Inflammation of the membrane around the lung or pleurisy or pleuritis (inflammation of the lining of the lung) are examples of pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in an artery inside the lung) (collapsed lung).
3. A sprained chest muscle or a shattered rib are examples of musculoskeletal issues.
4. Involvement of or impact on several parts of the chest by cancer.
5. Anxiety disorders, such as panic attacks

How are chest pain symptoms diagnosed and treated?

You should seek immediate medical attention if you suspect a heart attack and especially if your chest discomfort is new, unrelated to any other symptoms, or persists for more than a few moments. You will be asked a series of questions by your doctor, and the answers you give will help them determine the source of your chest pain.

Preliminary examinations

Chest pain can be caused by various things, including heart abnormalities, which your doctor can help diagnose or rule out with testing. Included on this list may be:

1. Recording your heart's electrical activity using an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
2. Enzyme levels can be measured by blood testing.
3. Heart, lung, and blood vessels are all examined in a chest X-ray.
4. Imaging your heart using sound waves, such as an echocardiogram
5. A heart or aorta MRI, which is used to detect damage
6. Measures of your heart function following physical efforts, such as stress tests
7. To detect blockages in specific arteries, angiography is performed

You may be prescribed medication or have non-invasive procedures or surgery to alleviate your chest pain. It's essential to figure out what's causing your chest pain and its severity before getting treatment.

Treatments for chest discomfort caused by heart-related conditions include:

1. Nitro-glycerine and other treatments open partially occluded arteries, anti-clotting medications, and blood thinners.
2. Surgical procedures to unblock clogged coronary arteries, such as cardiac catheterization, which may use balloons or stents
3. Coronary artery bypass grafting or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure for repairing or replacing damaged arteries.

Other treatments for chest discomfort include:

1. Your doctor will insert a chest tube or device to reinflate a collapsed lung.
2. Anti-reflux medications and other techniques to alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn
3. Chest pain caused by panic attacks can be treated with anti-anxiety medication.

Dr. Sarita Rao is one of the Best Cardiologists in Madhya Pradesh and provides heart treatment in Indore. Book your appointment now with Top Cardiologist in Indore, call us now on +919893925000 & visit online - https://drsaritaraocardiologist.com/

Dr. Sarita Rao is a Sr. Interventional Cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals, Indore. She is the first female Interventional Cardiologist in Central India. She is Fellow of American College of Cardiology(FACC) and Fellow of European Society of Cardiology(