Chest Pain Management

Chest pain can be either serious when it is a life threatening problem or not very serious, confused?  Let me explain.  Chest pain can either be serious as it can be a signal of heart attack and also there are minor conditions of chest pains, which might be due to simpler reasons. 

Let us first see the chest pain conditions which are not very serious.

Chest pain due to heartburn or acid reflux:  Heartburns are caused due to the acid refluxes flowing back into the esophagus; a burning sensation is felt in the chest.  This chest pain could be mistaken for a heart pain.  If it occurs just after the meal and when taken an antacid subsides it is for sure the chest pain is heartburn.

Chest pain due to bruising or rib injury:  Chest pain might be because of the bruising caused on the outer chest, it might be due to hurting oneself moving any furniture or big objects. Although it wouldn’t have been experienced at that time, but might be felt later.
Also it might occur if the rib is bruised or fractured, it might be felt on the right or left side near the rib, the pain increases if the rib is touched or while coughing.

Chest pain due to stress, strain/ sprains:  Emotions like anxiety or fear might result in the tightening of the chest muscles causing pain.  The person might also feel in the increase in heartbeat, profuse perspiration and even shortness of breath. As the person calms down the chest pain subsides.  Strain/ sprain in the muscles, tendons, bones and cartilages of the chest might also result in pain.

Chest pain due to ulcers:  Chest pain is experienced if there is an ulceration of the stomach or duodenum; this is more or less like the acid reflux type. 

Chest pain can also be due to serious conditions:

It can be due to heart attack or other heart related conditions and should be given immediate medical attention.  Pleurisy is caused due to the inflammation of the chest cavity lining membrane and the membrane covering the lungs.  Pulmonary embolism is due to the blood clot in a lung artery, which blocks the flow of blood to the lung tissues and the pain in the chest aggravates when taken a deep breath or by cough.  Shingles is a nerve infection by the virus which causes chickenpox resulting in chest pain.