Chest pain is any sort of pain felt in upper body, from shoulders down to ribs. It can be a symptom of many conditions, and must be taken seriously. There are 10 main diseases where chest pain is the main symptom. So, then how to know what is really causing the pain in your chest? Let’s know the various causing factors and symptoms of each one.
- Heart Attack
- Angina
- Aortic Dissection
- Aortic aneurysm(enlargement of the aorta that can rupture)
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Spontaneous Pneumothorax
- Perforated Viscus
- Pericarditis
- Pneumonia
- GERD
Heart Attack
Causes of Heart Attack
- Cocaine
- Diabetes
- Family history of heart attacks
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Male gender
- Obesity
- One or more previous heart attacks
- Post-menopause
- Smoking
Symptoms of Heart Attack
- Abdominal discomfort
- Dizziness
- Heartburn
- Increased sweating
- Nausea
- Pain radiating to the left shoulder, the left arm, the jaw, the stomach, or the back.
- Pain in the mid to left side of the chest
- Shortness of breath
- Unexplained fatigue
- Vomiting
Investigations
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
- Cardiac enzymes (blood test)
Angina
Causes of Angina
- Arrhythmia
- Coronary heart disease
- Exercise or physical exertion
- Mental stress
Symptoms of Angina
- Pain triggered by physical activity and relieved by rest.
- Pain feels heavy, pressing or tight
- Breathlessness
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Pain spreads to arm
Investigations
- Electrocardiogram(ECG or EKG)
- Cardiac enzymes (blood test)
- Stress test(TMT)
- Cardiac catherization(Angiography)
Aortic Dissection
Causes of Aortic Dissection
- Advanced age
- Cardiac catheterization
- Cocaine use
- Congenital heart disease
- connective-tissue diseases
- Pregnancy
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
Symptoms of Aortic Dissection
- Abdominal pain
- Angina-type pain
- Fainting
- Pain occurs suddenly
- Pain radiate to the back or between the shoulder blades.
- Ripping or tearing type
- Shortness of breath
Investigations
- Chest X-ray
- Transesophageal echocardiography
- CT-scan chest
- Angiography
Aortic Aneurysm
Causes of Aortic Aneurysm
- Atherosclerosis
- Smoking
- Hypertension
- Advance age
- Physical trauma to the chest or abdomen
- Inflammatory diseases, such as Takayasu’s arteritis
- Genetic connective tissue disorders, like Marfan Syndrome
Symptoms of Aortic Aneurysm
- Deep, steady pain in the chest, back or abdomen.
- Difficulty in swallowing or breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Throbbing sensation near navel
- Voice change
Investigations
- Echocardiogram
- Computed tomography (CT)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Abdominal ultrasound
Pulmonary Embolism
Causes of Pulmonary Embolism
- Arrhythmias
- Birth control pills
- Cancer
- Cigarette smoking
- Congestive heart failure
- Fracture(long bone of the legs)
- Heart attack
- History or f/ history of blood clots
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Prolonged immobility
- Sedentary lifestyle
Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism
- Rapid breathing
- Sharp pain in the mid chest( increases with deep breaths)
- Sudden onset of shortness of breath
Investigations
- Blood gases analysis
- Chest x-ray
- Ct scan-lungs
- ECG
- V/q scan ( (ventilation/perfusion) )
Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Causes of Spontaneous Pneumothorax
- AIDS-related pneumonia
- Cancer
- Crack cocaine
- Cystic fibrosis
- Emphysema
- Injury to the chest( trauma, as in a car wreck, bad fall, gunshot wound or stabbing, or in surgery)
- Marijuana
- Ruptured abnormal air sacs (sneeze or excessive coughing)
- Severe asthma
Symptoms of Spontaneous Pneumothorax
- Dizziness
- Faintness.
- Rapid heart rate
- Sharp chest pain
- Sudden onset of shortness of breath
Investigations
- Chest/Abdominal x-ray
- CT scan
Perforated Viscus
Causes of Perforated Viscus
- AIDS
- Appendicitis
- Cancer
- Cholecystitis
- Cholelithiasis
- Irritation to the diaphragm
- Long-term steroid use
- Prolonged or forceful vomiting
- Swallowing a foreign body
- Untreated ulcers
Symptoms of Perforated Viscus
- Sudden onset
- Severe abdominal, chest, and/or back pain
- Pain may increase with movement/ breathing
- Rigid abdominal wall during pain
Investigations
- Chest/Abdominal X-ray
- CT
- Blood tests
Pericarditis
Causes of Pericarditis
- Bacterial infection
- Cancer
- Cardiac tamponade
- Certain medications
- Chronic renal failure
- Connective-tissue diseases
- Radiation treatment
- Viral infection
Symptoms of Pericarditis
- Dysphagia
- Fever
- Pain is worsened by lying flat and improved by leaning forward
- Pain radiate to the left side of the back or shoulder
- Recent cold
- Sharp or stabbing pain in the mid-chest
- Shortness of breath
Investigations
- Serial ECGs
- Blood tests
Pneumonia
Causes of Pneumonia
- Viral infections
- Bacterial infections
- Fungal infections of the lungs
Symptoms of Pneumonia
- Chest pain during prolonged or forceful coughing
- Fever
- One-sided pain
- Shortness of breath
- Sputum production
- Pain worsened by cough
Investigations
Chest x-ray
GERD
Causes of GERD
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Calcium channel blockers
- Consumption of high-fat foods,
- Diabetes
- Estrogen, progesterone
- Infections( yeast, fungi, viruses, bacteria)
- Irritation from medications.
- Nicotine
- Nitrates
- Pregnancy
- Scleroderma
Symptoms of GERD
- Chest pressure
- Dull chest discomfort
- Dysphagia
- Excessive salivation
- Heartburn
- Hoarseness
- Nausea
- Pallor
- Persistent dry cough
- Profuse sweating
- Severe squeezing pain across the mid chest
- Sore throat
- Sour or bitter taste in the mouth or throat
Investigations
- Barium studies
- Endoscopy
Chest pain treatment
According to doshas and symptoms the following herbs can be given-
- Charaka has mentioned hridaya maha Kashaya.
- Arjuna bark, Haridra,Pippali,Punarnava, Kutki,Pushkarmool, Bala, Shunti, Yasti madhu, Dashmool, Haratiki, Curcuma longa, Guggul, Amalaka, Jatamamsi, Pippalayadi choornam are used according to need.
- Panchakarma procedures, like vaman ,virechan, basti, hrid dhara, abyanga, swedan, are very beneficial.
Prevention
- Allow stretching and movement of the legs if seated for long time. Isometric contractions of the calves are helpful if getting out of the seat is not possible
- Avoid lying down right after eating
- Don’t smoke
- Eat nutritious, low-fat foods in moderate quantities.
- Effective handwashing and good hygiene
- Elevate the head of bed
- Engage in physical activity or exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
- Keep Blood sugar and Blood pressure in control
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Use alcohol in moderation
- Do yoga on regular basis
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