Not all chest pains are related to your heart. Though, some could but not in all cases. Thread carefully when you are checking up your medical information online. Below are over 30 causes of chest pain-
MUSCLE STRAIN: About 40% of the cause of chest pain is as a result of chest muscle strain. The muscle of the chest is called inter-costal muscle. When there is strain, you can have chest pain. You may have muscle strain after lifting something heavy or injured yourself during sport. It is commoner in adults than children. Symptoms associated with chest muscle strain are: pain that comes with breathing, difficulty moving the affected area and swelling.
INJURED CHEST BONE: Injury to chest bone could be a crack or broken chest bones (ribs). At the time of injury, extreme pain is felt in the chest. There is also associated breathing difficulty. More than 70% of the chest wall bone injury is as a result of trauma to the chest following vehicle accident, fall or impact from heavy material.
PEPTIC ULCERS: In peptic ulcer, there is hole in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (first part of your small intestine). This does not usually cause intense chest pain but recurring discomfort in the chest. Chest discomfort caused by peptic ulcer is often relieved with antacid.
GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GERD): This is when the content of the stomach moves back in to the tube (oesophagus) that connect the mouth with stomach. If you have GERD, you can be experiencing burning feeling in the chest and a bitter/ sour taste in the mouth.
COSTOCHONDRITIS: Your ribs are connected to the breastbone or sternum through cartilages in front of your chest wall. When these cartilages get inflamed, they can cause you chest pain. The actual cause of this inflammation is not known. Your doctor will only treat you to relief you of the pain. The pain that comes with costochondritis can last for few days to several weeks.
PANIC ATTACK: This is a form of anxiety problem that comes with chest pain, increase heartbeat, sweating and dizziness. A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening. When panic attacks occur, you might think you’re losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.
PLEURISY: Your lungs are covered by sheets called pleural membranes. When these membranes get inflamed, it is called pleurisy. If you have pleurisy, these membranes or coverings swell and become inflamed. As a result, the two layers of the pleural membranes rub against each other like two pieces of sandpaper, producing pain when you inhale and exhale. It causes sharp chest pain when breathing deeply. The pleuritic pain lessens or stops when you hold your breath. Treatment of pleurisy involves pain control and treating the underlying condition.
PANCREATITIS: This is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a long, flat gland that sits tucked behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. The pancreas produces chemicals that help digestions and hormones that help regulate the way your body processes sugar (glucose). One rare symptom of pancreatitis is pain in the lower chest that is made worse by lying down flat.
When next you have chest pain, see your doctor. Don’t read your symptoms online so as to prevent anxiety.
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SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK AS WE TALK ABOUT OTHER CAUSES OF CHEST PAIN. TILL THEN, I REMAIN DR. ADEYEMO OLUSOLA. I LOVE YOU ALL. BYE!
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Dr. Adeyemo Olusola is a medical graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria along with certificate in advanced diploma in Principles of Nutrition, Management and Leadership, Dublin and Certificate in Global Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In addition to his numerous certifications, he is a certified Telemedicine Physician from Harvard Medical School, USA. He is an avid reader of books from different oases of life, expert in data analysis. “So many a time, I have seen people die avoidable death because of lack of knowledge or information, falling victim of fate. There is then a necessity laid on us to help arm our society to the teeth, as a healthy society cannot be detached from an informed one. Hence, there is need for healthgist.net. We hope you will have a wonderful stay on our website.”
