Chest pain

Table of Contents:

1. What is chest pain?
2. Prognosis of the disease
3. Symptoms
4. What medical tests are performed?
5. What are the causes of chest pain?
6. Prevention
7. Treatment
8. Medical specialist

What is chest pain?

Chest pain is a pain in the anterior part of the thorax, i.e. between the neck and the upper abdomen, which can be a symptom of various cardiac, respiratory, infectious, nervous, and osteoarticular or muscular pathologies. Occasionally, chest pain can spread to the neck, abdomen or back.

It is a very frequent pain and can present different intensities depending on its cause or origin.

Prognosis of the disease

Chest pain can be due, in the worst cases, to such serious and urgent diseases as heart attack or heart failure, which are dangerous and potentially fatal.

In any case, it should be noted that, despite the sensation of severe chest pain, often the causes are not dangerous to the health of the individual. Since the cause of chest pain can be multiple, in order to avoid any setbacks, it is essential to consult a cardiologist or pulmonologist for immediate treatment, if necessary.

Symptoms of chest pain

The most common symptoms of chest pain are stabbing pain and a feeling of tightness, although they usually vary depending on the organ or tissues involved:

• Coronary chest pain: when due to heart-related causes, the pain is usually oppressive, radiating to the left arm and neck. This type of pain may also present other symptoms such as malaise, nausea and vomiting, sweating and a feeling of dyspnea.
• Pleuropulmonary chest pain: chest pain caused by pulmonary or respiratory problems is localized more towards the sides of the chest and intensifies with breathing or coughing.
• Pericardial chest pain: this is a stabbing pain and sensation of pressure in the center of the chest that increases with breathing.
• Digestive or esophageal chest pain: this type of chest pain is usually caused by hiatal hernia or esophageal problems, and is a stabbing pain in the sternum area, and may reach the throat.
• Musculoskeletal chest pain: pain caused by injuries, fractures or muscle tears is localized in the affected area and increases with trunk movement.
• Neuritic chest pain: this pain is often caused by the herpes zoster virus and is a burning pain sensation, usually affecting one side of the chest.
• Chest pain of nervous or psychological origin: it is characterized by a stabbing, stabbing pain in the center of the chest.

Chest pain is usually of a stabbing, squeezing type.

Medical tests for chest pain

Because of the many causes of chest pain, it is sometimes a challenge for the medical professional to make a diagnosis. To do this, first of all, it will be essential to take the patient’s medical history, to know his symptoms, diseases and family history.

Once the patient’s medical history has been analyzed and if there is no clear traumatic cause, a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram will be required to rule out more serious diseases such as the risk of infarction. Depending on the results of these tests, further explorations such as coronary CT, pulmonary scintigraphy, Holter blood pressure or digestive studies, among others, may be required.

What are the causes of chest pain?

There are multiple causes of chest pain, depending on the organs affected. Thus, it may be due to cardiac pathologies, such as acute myocardial infarction, coronary insufficiency, or pericarditis; respiratory pathologies of an infectious type, such as influenza or pneumonia; digestive, such as hiatal hernia, esophageal rupture or esophageal spasms; pulmonary, such as pleuritis, lung tumors or pneumothorax; nervous, such as anxiety attacks; or osteoarticular and muscular, such as fractures, tears and muscle injuries.

Can it be prevented?

Chest pain cannot be prevented, apart from knowing the cause of the pain. Chest pain usually acts as a symptom of a pathology, so the patient should see a medical specialist to work on the diagnosis and treatment of its origin.

Treatments for chest pain

Chest pain is a type of ailment that subsides completely when the cause of the pain is treated. Thus, the treatment to be followed will vary depending on its cause. For example, vasodilator drugs or even angioplasty will be prescribed in the case of angina pectoris; or anitibiotic drugs in the case of pneumonia, as well as antacid treatments if the cause is digestive. It may also require surgical intervention in case of aortic problems.

Which specialist treats it?

As it is susceptible to various causes, chest pain can be treated by various specialists, such as the Cardiologist, the Pneumologist, the Digestive specialist or the Psychologist. In the first instance, when pain symptoms of unknown cause appear, the patient can go to the Family Physician, who will study the patient’s medical history and symptoms to guide the patient as to which specialist should be consulted for his or her specific case.