It refers to chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. Angina causes feelings of tightness, pressure, or heaviness in the chest.
These symptoms may extend to the neck, jaw, arms, shoulders, and back. Some people experience no symptoms while others report severe symptoms , such as:. A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when the heart muscle is injured or dies because it does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood as a result of a blocked or ruptured coronary artery. According to the American Heart Association , males and females most commonly experience chest pain or discomfort as a heart attack symptom.
However, women are more likely than males to experience some of the other symptoms, especially shortness of breath, and pain in the back or jaw. A person can learn more about the symptoms of a heart attack in females here.
Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of respiratory disease. Respiratory issues can lead to chest pain that worsens with movement or changes in breathing.
Unlike heart-related chest pain, respiratory-related chest pain may affect either side of the chest as well as the diaphragm. People may describe the pain as a sharp, stabbing, or burning pain that occurs when they cough, inhale, or exhale. Viral and bacterial infections can lead to inflammation in the lung airways and tiny air sacs, known as alveoli. Bronchospasm occurs when the muscles of the lung airways constrict and tighten, narrowing the diameter of the airways.
Bronchospasms can arise as a result of underlying respiratory conditions, such as asthma , chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder COPD , and chronic bronchitis. However, people who do not have any underlying respiratory conditions may experience exercise-induced bronchospasms EIB.
According to a article , EIB typically occurs minutes after exercise and resolves within one hour. Pulmonary hypertension refers to a specific form of high blood pressure that affects the arteries of the lungs. A pulmonary embolism is a severe and life-threatening condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in an artery to one of the lungs, starving the lung tissue of oxygen-rich blood.
It can cause pain in the chest or upper back. Other symptoms include pain, swelling, and redness in a leg, difficulty breathing, or coughing up blood.
Pneumothorax is typically known as a collapsed lung. It occurs when the air in the space between the lungs and chest wall puts pressure on a lung.
This air prevents the lung from expanding, eventually leading to a partial or complete collapse of the lung. Chest pain accompanied by an upset stomach , bloating, or nausea may indicate a digestive problem. Gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD is a condition in which acid from the stomach flows backward into the esophagus. GERD can cause a burning sensation in the center of the chest.
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Tips for enjoying holiday meals. Call to seek immediate treatment to save heart muscle. More often than not, chest pain does not signal a heart attack.
The feeling — which many compare to getting an electrical shock — lasts only an attention-grabbing moment. The good news? The brief zap is usually not indicative of a heart attack, which often brings an unrelenting pain that lasts several minutes. With every deep breath or cough, pain pierces your chest. Moving around and changing positions only seems to make it worse, too. This is even more likely if the pain is focused on the right side of your chest, away from your heart. Possible causes include:.
And while these lung issues are not a heart attack, they are concerning enough to warrant a call to your healthcare provider. If a sharp pain strikes your chest but improves as you move around a bit… well, you may be looking at a case of heartburn acid reflux or some other gastrointestinal issue. An estimated 15 million Americans a day experience heartburn, which brings an uncomfortable burning feeling in your chest and a sour feeling in your throat.
An over-the-counter antacid can help bring some relief.
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