Chest pain is a sense of unease that is perceived at the level of the chest, or the anatomical region corresponding to the front side of the chest and within the rib cage. There are many anatomical structures contained in the chest including: heart, lungs, esophagus, large blood vessels, as well as muscles, bones (ribs) and cartilage (costal). Various diseases can cause the chest pain, each of them very different. The pain may be caused by: acute coronary syndromes (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction), digestive system disorders (ulcers, pancreatitis, gastroesophageal reflux), pleurisy (inflammatory process of the pleura, the membrane that covers the surface of the lungs), several types of cancer and trauma.
It may manifest itself as a continuously numb pain behind the breastbone, like a sense of oppression, acute and dense.
What kind of diseases can be associated with chest pain?
Diseases that can be associated with chest pain are the following:
- Respiratory allergies
- Aortic aneurysm
- Angina pectoris
- Cervical osteoarthritis
- Asthma
- Atherosclerosis
- Panic attack
- Calculations gallbladder
- Coronary artery disease
- Dyslipidemia
- Ebola
- Embolism
- Pulmonary embolism
- Emphysema
- Slipped disc
- Hiatal hernia
- Esophagitis
- Herpes zoster
- Myocardial infarction
- Pulmonary infarction
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Ventricular hypertrophy
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Chagas disease
- Pancreatitis
- Pleurisy
- Intestinal polyps
- Pneumonia
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Scleroderma
- Tetanus
- Toxoplasmosis
- Tracheitis
- Trauma
- Tuberculosis
- Lung cancer
- Duodenal ulcer
- Gastric ulcer
- Peptic ulcer
Remember that the list is not exhaustive and it is always good to ask consulting your doctor, especially if the problem persists.
What is the therapy for chest pain?
Chest pain is not a disease itself, but a symptom of other medical conditions. The condition is therefore not dealt directly or through appropriate therapy, but indirectly, by solving the underlying, primary medical condition.
When is most likely to contact your doctor in case of chest pain?
In case of trauma or in the presence (or risk) of the associated diseases (see the list of associated diseases).
