Welcome to this week edition on CAUSES OF CHEST PAIN IN MEN AND WOMEN. This subject is brought to you to allay your fear as to whether chest pain is always connected to your heart. Chest pain does not have to always be related to your heart.
Below are other non-heart related causes of chest pain-
1. ASTHMA:
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) when you breathe out and shortness of breath. Sometimes, this might cause chest pain as well. For some, asthma attack come occasionally as a minor health challenge while for others, it may be life-threatening. There is no cure for asthma. However, the symptoms can be controlled and better managed if identified trigger is avoided.
2. OESOPHAGEAL SPASM:
Oesophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Some times, this tube undergoes spasm (squeezing). This causes chest pain and difficulty in swallowing. Other symptoms of this condition are- feeling as if something is stuck in your throat, heartburn and regurgitation.
3. OESOPHAGEAL HYPERSENSITIVITY:
Oesophageal hypersensitivity is when the oesophagus becomes very painful at the smallest change in pressure or exposure to acid. This could as well cause chest pain. The cause of this sensitivity is unknown. Because the heart and esophagus share a nerve network, this could cause chest pain.
4. PANIC ATTACK:
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. Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends. But if you’ve had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder. Although panic attacks themselves aren’t life-threatening, they can be frightening and significantly affect your quality of life. Symptoms of panic attack is include chest pain, excessive sweating, pounding heart rate, dizziness, fear of dying etc. But treatment can be very effective.
5. PULMONARY EMBOLISM:
A pulmonary embolism is when a blood clot gets trapped in an artery feeding blood to the lungs. It can cause chest pain, difficulty breathing, and coughing up blood. Pulmonary embolisms can be life-threatening if not treated immediately.
Image Source: Freepik
FURTHER READING:
CAUSES OF CHEST PAIN IN MEN AND WOMEN- PART 1
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.”
