Causes of chest pain:
Why and for what?
The rib cage is a space delimited by the ribs, the upper parts covering the muscles involved in the movements of the shoulders and upper arms.
The intercostal space is the intercostal muscles engaged with relaxing. The esophagus, large blood vessels, and heart are all found in the chest.
All listed tissues and organs can cause chest pain, but each disease has its characteristics.
Bone and muscle pains in the chest are the most common pains. The cause of the pain can be an obvious injury, whether it’s a direct blow sprain or irritation from prolonged exertion. The pain associated with the ribs or pectoral muscles is usually well localized and the chest is tender when the pain point is pressed. This pain is also aggravated by stretching and twisting movements. A prevalent type of muscle pain is pain “through the chest”, which occurs in stressful situations, is associated with viral diseases, or has no particular cause, such as muscle spasms. Chest pain can also be caused by a painful condition at the edge of the costal cartilage.
Lung pain can be caused by inflammation (see Pneumonia or Pleurisy in Adults), pulmonary embolism, or pneumothorax, in which the bursting of alveoli in the pleural space compresses the lungs. Lung disease usually comes with other symptoms, most notably shortness of breath or more than normal breathing due to lung failure. Inflammatory diseases are usually accompanied by cough and fever.
The most important heart pains are constricting pains due to coronary heart disease, which are usually associated with physical activity, or constricting pains behind the breastbone, which can also be felt at rest after a heart attack. The location of the pain can vary but is characterized by a feeling of tightness that can radiate to the chin, upper left extremity, or upper abdomen. Pain does not include chest pain. Chest pain is due to inflammation of the heart muscle. The pain is often location-dependent and can precede an inflammatory disease.
Esophageal disorders (particularly reflux disease (backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus)) and ileus can cause burning pain or rippling pain from the contraction of the esophagus. However, these diseases usually do not occur in the chest, but more clearly in the chest cavity. Problems with the bile ducts or the pancreas can also spread to the chest but are often accompanied by abdominal discomfort.
Herpes zoster, caused by the varicella virus, can cause unilateral pain that can be severe and resemble muscle pain and heart pain. Shingles can feel like a mild ache at first, and a few days after the pain begins, a characteristic rash appears on one side, confined to a narrow area.
If necessary, pronounced pain on the surface of the chest or in the ribs can be treated for a short time with anti-inflammatory drugs.
When will you be treated?
If the cause of the chest pain is not obvious muscle pain or a lump in the breast, it is worth seeking treatment.
Immediate treatment should be sought if there is sudden chest pressure, pain, burning, pinching, or tearing in the chest, or if the pain is accompanied by difficulty breathing or an abnormal rhythm.
If unusual chest pain occurs or worsens earlier or with even slight exertion, same-day treatment should be sought. Urgent clarification by a doctor is also required in the case of stabbing pain after an injury, pain in connection with a prolonged respiratory infection, or if the pain is accompanied by a high fever.
Tension-related chest pains that have developed over months require clarification in the next few weeks.
The basic examinations for chest pain include an X-ray of the heart, if necessary; further examinations are carried out depending on the patient’s complaint
