Tightness or tightness in the chest is the most common symptom of a heart attack. Similar symptoms can also be caused by conditions other than heart attacks.
What are the causes of chest pain that are not heart attacks? Dr. Anurada Lala, a heart failure and heart transplant cardiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in the US, Ron Blankstar, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a preventive cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told NBC’s ‘Today’ in the US. Dr. In and Dr. Seth Martin, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, were consulted and introduced.
1. Pericarditis
If the discomfort you feel in your chest changes depending on your posture, such as getting better when you sit or lie down, it may be related to pericarditis. Pericarditis is a disease in which the pericardium, which covers the outer surface of the heart, is inflamed, and may occur as a complication of viral infection. It causes a sharp pain in the chest, which may radiate to the left arm or shoulder. It can be worse when lying down or breathing deeply.
2. Coronary artery dissection
Although less common, it is a serious condition that can cause severe chest pain when an artery ruptures. It causes excruciating chest pain that appears to be tearing, and the pain may appear in the back or between the shoulder blade and chest. Aortic dissection is more likely to occur in people with high blood pressure and in people with certain connective tissue disorders that make the aorta tear.
3. Respiratory infections
Chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply is called pleuritic pain. Pericarditis can also cause pleural pain, but this discomfort is usually related to lung problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, a respiratory infection can cause pleurisy, which causes inflammation and swelling of the tissues in the lungs. Sharp chest pain usually occurs when inhaling.
4. Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a disease in which blood clots, usually in the legs, travel to the arteries connecting the heart and lungs and block the blood vessels in the lungs, causing chest discomfort and shortness of breath. It can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, low oxygen levels, and increased heart rate.
5. Asthma
According to the Mayo Clinic, people with asthma can narrow their airways and build up excess mucus, which can lead to coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. Airway constriction is also a very common cause of chest tightness and discomfort.
6. Muscle strain
Pain that gets worse when you perform certain movements or press on parts of your chest can indicate a problem with your musculoskeletal system. For example, if your chest hurts the day after you exercise, you may have overworked yourself.
7. Costochondritis
Costochondritis, which occurs when the cartilage around the ribs becomes inflamed, also causes chest pain. It appears most commonly on the sternum and is easily confused with a heart attack. There is no clear cause, but physical overexertion may be the cause. It has a different characteristic from normal heart-related pain, but it is sharper and more severe, like a stabbing pain that gets worse when you press the area.
8. Heartburn
Heartburn is actually one of the most common causes of chest pain. It causes a burning sensation in the lower chest that runs through the abdomen. It occurs when acid from the stomach regurgitates the esophagus and tends to occur after eating certain foods, overeating, or eating close to bedtime.
9. Esophageal spasm or inflammation
Problems with the esophagus can also cause chest pain and uncomfortable feelings. It could be because food got stuck in the esophagus, the lining of the esophagus could be inflamed or muscle spasms, experts say. There are muscles in the esophagus, and when those muscles start to spasm, it can cause chest pain.
10. Gallstones
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the gallbladder becomes inflamed or swollen, usually because gallstones block the flow of bile. Some people have no symptoms of gallstones, while others experience severe pain. A swollen gallbladder can cause pain under the right rib cage, which can lead to pain in the right side of the chest.
11. Panic Attacks
When a panic attack occurs, symptoms such as a fast heartbeat, sweating, and difficulty breathing appear. While it is very important to identify the circumstances that cause the symptoms, it is not always easy to differentiate them from other conditions. So, if in doubt, you should get a medical examination.
