8 Common Causes Of Chest Pain

Chest pain. The first thing you may think of is heart attack. Certainly chest pain is not something to ignore. But you should know that it has many possible causes.

In fact, as much as a quarter of the U.S. population experiences chest pain that is not related to the heart. Chest pain may also be caused by problems in your lungs, esophagus, muscles, ribs, or nerves, for example. Some of these conditions are serious and life threatening. Others are not. If you have unexplained chest pain, the only way to confirm its cause is to have a doctor evaluate you.

Heart Disease

One of the main causes of chest pain is due to a cardiac origin which is medically known as ‘angina’. Research states that any person can suffer from angina for a short or long period of time, depending on the type of heart disease. In cases like this, chest pain is felt in the shoulder region and travels to the limbs too.

• Angina or a heart attack: The most common symptom is chest pain that may feel like tightness, heavy pressure, squeezing, or crushing pain. The pain may spread to the arm, shoulder, jaw, or back.
• A tear in the wall of the aorta, the large blood vessel that takes blood from the heart to the rest of the body (aortic dissection) causes sudden, severe pain in the chest and upper back.
• Swelling (inflammation) in the sac that surrounds the heart (pericarditis) causes pain in the center part of the chest.

Angina or a heart attack

Due To Tension

Not many are aware but, tension is another main reason for chest pains. When there is an increase in the level of blood pressure in the arteries which carry the blood to the lungs it gives out a pain in the chest.

Tension can  also cause stomach pain

Acidity

Gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GERD is another cause for chest pain. Acidity or heart burn are some of the common reasons. It is accompanied with constant burping, heaviness on the chest and at times pain in the shoulder region too. Other possible causes:

• Spasms or narrowing of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach)
• Gallstones cause pain that gets worse after a meal (most often a fatty meal).
• Stomach ulcer or gastritis: Burning pain occurs if your stomach is empty and feels better when you eat food

GERD syndrome

Lung Problems

It may have never crossed our mind to relate lung disorders with chest pain, but strangely abnormality of the lung function can be one of the causes of chest pain. Below is a few of lung problems that causing chest pain.

• A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
• Collapse of the lung (pneumothorax)
• Pneumonia causes a sharp chest pain that often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.
• Swelling of the lining around the lung (pleurisy) can cause chest pain that usually feels sharp, and often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.

Pneumonia can cause a sharp chest pain

Stress and Depression

• Stress is the underlying problem and another reason for chest pain. When the body is under stress, the heart rate increases, and blood pressure also rises rapidly which affects the circulatory system of blood flow to the heart resulting in a chest pain.
• Depression plays havoc in one’s life, especially with the heart. When you are feeling depressed there is an increase in the heart rate and faster blood flow to the heart causing a sudden chest pain.

Stress and Depression

Due To Injury

An injury to the rib cage, muscles or the chest wall will result to chest pain. This type of chest pain usually remains constant and can be treated with medication.

Lung Trauma

Body Exertion

When the body does not get sufficient oxygen to carry out metabolic processes it results to exertion and strain on the muscles and organs. This strain effects the chest region leading to chest pain. Exertion is one of the many causes of chest pain and should be treated by taking proper rest.

Exercises is good but overdoing it cause problems