What is Chest Pain?

Chest pain is a painful or disagreeable sensation in the chest, which may or may not remain associated with damage to the heart. Chest pain in adults can have several causes. Some of them can be:

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Pulmonary:

You may have pneumonia or another type of infection in the lung that can cause chest pain. Coughing can also cause pain.

Musculoskeletal:

Common causes of chest pain include pain resulting from an injury or strain in the joints or muscles. If you have had any rib damage from injuries or tumours, this may cause you to feel pain in your chest.

Gastrointestinal –

You may have a type of gastroesophageal reflux. In this case, the stomach contents return to the oesophagus instead of going down. It can cause pain after eating a lot, lying down, or bending over. Antacids, such as famotidine (Pepcid ® ), omeprazole (Prilosec ® ), or Mylanta, can relieve these symptoms.

The Angina can cause chest pain that can occur as a feeling of “tightness” in the chest. Anxiety or depression can cause you to feel Angina. Some other causes of Angina can be:

Coronary artery disease (the most common cause of Angina):

Over time, fatty deposits (called atherosclerosis) can form that damage the walls of the arteries that carry blood to the heart, restricting the flow of blood and reaching less oxygen to the heart muscle. This lack of oxygen causes Angina.

Coronary artery spasm:

The coronary artery can spasm, creating a temporary narrowing of blood flow and a momentary lack of oxygen to the heart muscle. When the cramp goes away, the pain usually goes away because the blood flow returns to normal.

Anaemia:

Low levels of haemoglobin (Hgb) in the blood can cause Angina. Hgb carries oxygen in the blood.

Polycythemia:

This happens when the blood has too many red blood cells (erythrocytes). It causes the blood to thicken. Polycythemia can be the result of a life-long disease, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or due to problems with the blood itself,
Or irregular heart rhythms, heart valve problems, and thyroid disease also cause Angina.

Chest pain should not remain ignored for any reason. Here are some severe symptoms to look out for. If you experience any of these symptoms, you will need to seek emergency care and notify your doctor.

What Are Some of the Symptoms to Watch Out?

Chest pain can start in the chest and spread to the throat, jaw, shoulder blades, or arms (left or right).

Chest pain can be sharp or burning

You may experience a feeling of heaviness or tightness in your chest.

You may have nausea, sweating, or dizziness associated with chest pain. It can also make you feel short of breath.

Chest pain can spread to the stomach and feel like indigestion.

You may feel throbbing instead of pain.

Some people may experience excruciating chest pain, and others may experience mild discomfort. The severity of the pain does not indicate how severe the damage to the heart muscle is.

What you Can Do:
The goal of chest pain is to relieve the cause.

If the chest pain is due to musculoskeletal problems, such as muscle strain, an area can likely remain where the pain is most intense. Taking anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen) along with a local application of heat for about 20 minutes at a time, 3 or 4 times a day, can help.

If you have chest pain due to lung problems, such as pneumonia or pleurisy, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. Also, it would help if you were hospitalized, depending on the severity of the problem.

If you have chest pain from anaemia, your doctor may order a blood transfusion, depending on your symptoms.

If your chest pain is due to coronary artery spasms, you may be prescribed medication to control the discomfort. These include nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, which work by increasing blood flow to the heart. Nitrates also slow down the work of the heart by dilating (opening) the arteries.

If you smoke, stop it. Smoking can increase the chance of developing chest pain and heart disease. You can even try to get an ACLS certificate online and learn how to help yourself and others when heart – related problem occurs.

Exercise under the supervision of your doctor. Walking, swimming or moderate aerobic activities can help you lose weight and promote oxygen flow to your lungs and blood.

Tell your doctor and the medical team members caring for you about any medications you are taking (including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal remedies).

Inform your doctor or the medical team members caring for you if you have a history of diabetes, liver, kidney, or heart disease. Manage your heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes to lower your chances of developing chest pain. Talk to your doctor.

If it occurs frequently, keep a journal of your chest pain. Write down the foods you ate, the exercise or activity you were doing when your chest pain appeared, and how you felt before your symptoms appeared. This journal can be valuable in determining the cause of chest pain.

Questions to Ask May Include:

Did the symptoms come on gradually, or did the episode come on suddenly? Was I worried? Was he doing some activity, or was he resting?

If you have a family history of heart disease, stroke, high blood cholesterol, or high blood pressure, you may be at risk for certain conditions. Notify your doctor if there is a history of any of these diseases in your family.

If you remain prescribed a medication to treat this disorder, do not stop taking it unless your doctor tells you. And, Take medicine exactly as prescribed. Do not share your pills with anyone.

If you miss a dose of your medication, ask your doctor what to do.

Use relaxation techniques to decrease the volume of anxiety. Fs If you feel anxious, move to a quiet environment and close your eyes. Take slow, steady, deep breaths and try to focus on things that have relaxed you in the past.

If you experience symptoms or side effects, especially if they are severe, be sure to discuss them with your doctor or a medical team member treating you. They can prescribe medications and suggest other effective alternatives for managing these problems.

Keep all Appointments for Treatments.

Medications the doctor may prescribe:

As well as,Your doctor may prescribe certain medications to help the heart muscle work more effectively or to control symptoms. These medications may include: Your doctor may prescribe certain medications to help the heart muscle work more effectively or control symptoms. These medications can have:

ACE inhibitors:

More over, These drugs work by opening or dilating the arteries. Also, They resolve to lower your blood pressure and recover blood flow to your kidneys and throughout your body. Your healthcare provider might similarly prescribe these medications if you have diabetes or protein in your urine to protect your kidneys. Some examples of this medicine may include: enalapril maleate (Vasotec ), lisinopril (Zestril ), and fosinopril sodium (Monopril )

Antacids:

If you feel sick to your stomach, which can cause chest pain, your healthcare provider may prescribe an antacid such as Mylanta

Anti-anxiety medications:

If your chest pain is due to anxiety, your doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medications called anxiolytics. Although,These medicines will help you relax.Simiarly, Among them are lorazepam (Ativan  ) or alprazolam (Xanax ). You must take these medications only when you feel anxious. While taking these medications, do not operate heavy machinery or drive a car. If symptoms remain not controlled, see your doctor.

Aspirin:

Depending on your general health and the type and severity of your arrhythmia, your healthcare provider may prescribe aspirin as a “blood thinner.” Aspirin works by preventing blood platelets from forming clots (antiplatelet effect).

Beta-blockers:

Can be used to slow the heart rate and improve blood flow through the body. You can take them if you have been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat or high blood pressure. Some examples of this medicine may include metoprolol (Lopressor  ), propranolol (Inderal ), and atenolol (Tenormin  ).

Calcium channel blockers:

Also,These medications may remain prescribed to treat chest pain, high blood pressure, or an irregular heartbeat. Some common remedies include verapamil hydrochloride (Calan  ) and diltiazem (Dilacor XR  ).

Nitrates:

Although, Like nitroglycerin, they work to increase blood flow to the heart. They also decrease the work of the heart by dilating (expanding) the arteries. You may take nitrates during an episode of chest pain if your doctor has determined it is safe.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs):

such as naproxen sodium and ibuprofen, can relieve musculoskeletal pain. Suppose you must avoid NSAIDs because of your type of cancer or the chemotherapy you are receiving. In that case, acetaminophen (Tylenol ® ) up to 400 mg per day (two fortified tablets every 6 hours) can help. You mustn’t exceed the recommended daily dose of Tylenol, as it can cause liver damage.Also,  Consult your doctor.

Do not stop any medicine abruptly, as it could cause serious side effects.

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