Chest pain: 9 possible causes and what to do

Chest pain is not always a symptom of angina or infarction, and may be related to breathing problems, excessive gas, anxiety attacks or muscle fatigue, for example. So, the most important thing is to observe when the pain arises, what type it is and whether it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever or nausea.

Thus, the pain is usually worrisome when it gets worse when making effort, or when it comes with shortness of breath, nausea or cold sweat, and it is usually related to the muscle when it hurts when feeling the region. Hooking pains are more frequent in cases of excess gas that cause stitches in the chest, which disappear and reappear. Understand how to differentiate a heart attack from other types of pain.

As there are many possibilities for chest pain, it is important to go to the hospital whenever it lasts more than 20 minutes to decrease or when it gets worse over time, especially when other symptoms such as dizziness, cold sweating, difficulty breathing or headache appear intense.

We list here the differences between the main causes of chest pain, so that it is possible to identify and know what to do in each one:

1. Excess gases

Excessive gas is possibly the most common cause of chest pain and is not related to heart problems, often occurring in people suffering from constipation. The accumulation of gases in the intestine can push some abdominal organs, eventually creating pain that radiates to the chest.

How to identify: it is usually a sharp pain that disappears, but which recurs repeatedly, especially when bending over the belly to pick up something from the floor, for example;

What to do: A good strategy is to massage the intestine to help push the gases, but you can also adopt a position that facilitates the elimination of the gases. In addition, walking for a few minutes can also help. In the most complicated cases, the doctor may advise the use of medications such as simethicone, for example.

Here's how to do abdominal gas massage:

2. Anxiety and stress

Anxiety, as well as excess stress, causes an increase in muscle tension in the ribs, in addition to increasing heart rate. This combination causes a feeling of pain in the chest, which can arise even when the person does not feel stressed, but had some discussion moments before, for example. This happens most commonly in people who are often stressed or suffer from panic and anxiety syndrome.

How to identify: it is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as rapid breathing, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea and even changes in bowel function.

What to do: try to rest in a quiet place, have a calming tea, like valerian, or do some leisure activity, like watching a movie, playing games, going to the gym or gardening. Here are some more tips to end anxiety and stress.

3. Muscle pain

Muscle injuries are very common in everyday life, especially in those who go to the gym or do some kind of sport. However, they can also happen after simpler activities like coughing a lot or picking up heavy objects. In addition, during stress or fear, the muscles can also become very tight, resulting in inflammation and pain.

How to identify: it is a pain that can get worse when breathing, but it is also aggravated when rotating the trunk, to look back, for example. In addition to appearing after situations like those indicated above.

What to do: A good way to relieve muscle pain is to rest and apply warm compresses over the painful area. It can also help to stretch your chest muscles by putting both arms straight out and grabbing your hands. Understand how a muscle strain happens and what to do to avoid it.

4. Gastroesophageal reflux

People who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux and do not eat an adequate diet are more likely to experience frequent chest pain, as it is related to the inflammation of the esophagus that happens when stomach acid reaches the walls of the organ. When this happens, in addition to intense burning, it is also possible to experience chest pain.

How to identify: in most cases it is a pain in the middle of the chest (in the sternum) that appears accompanied by burning and stomach pain, however, it can also appear with a slight sensation of tightness in the throat, which happens due to spasms of the esophagus, so the person may experience chest pain when swallowing.

What to do: have a chamomile or ginger tea, as they improve digestion and decrease stomach acidity, reducing inflammation of the esophagus. In addition, you can take an antacid or fruit salt. Out of the crisis, a light diet should be maintained, without fatty or spicy foods, for example.

Understand how the diet should be for those who suffer from reflux.

5. Stomach ulcer

The pain caused by the presence of an ulcer in the stomach is due to inflammation of the walls of the organ and can easily be mistaken for a pain in the heart, due to the proximity of the two organs.

How to identify: it is a pain located in the middle of the chest, but it can also radiate to the right side, depending on the location of the ulcer. In addition, it is more common after meals and may be accompanied by a feeling of full stomach, nausea and vomiting.

What to do: a gastroenterologist should be consulted when a stomach ulcer is suspected to initiate appropriate treatment with gastric protectors, such as Omeprazole, and to avoid complications such as perforation. However, while waiting for the appointment, you can relieve the symptoms with a potato juice. Check out some home remedy options for stomach ulcer.

6. Gall bladder problems

The gallbladder is a small organ that is on the right side of the stomach and can become inflamed due to the presence of stones or excessive consumption of fat, for example. When this happens, pain arises from the right side of the chest that can radiate to the heart, looking like a heart attack.

How to identify: mainly affects the right side of the chest and gets worse after eating, especially after eating more fatty foods, such as fried or sausages. In addition it can also appear with nausea and feeling of a full stomach.

What to do: Avoid eating fatty foods and drinking plenty of water. Check out some more nutrition tips to end the pain caused by the gallbladder:

7. Lung problems

Before being a symptom of heart problems, chest pain is more common in changes that happen in the lungs, such as bronchitis, asthma or infection, for example. As a part of the lung is located in the chest and behind the heart, this pain can be felt as being cardiac, although it is not.

How to identify: the person may experience chest pain when coughing or worsening when breathing, especially when taking a deep breath. You may also experience shortness of breath, wheezing or frequent coughing.

What to do: a pulmonologist should be consulted to identify the specific cause of the pain and to start the appropriate treatment.

8. Heart disease

Various heart diseases can cause chest pain, especially angina, arrhythmia or heart attack, for example. However, it is also common for this symptom to be accompanied by others that lead the doctor to suspect a heart disease, such as excessive tiredness, difficulty breathing or palpitations, for example. See the 8 possible causes of heart pain.

How to identify: it is a pain that does not appear to be caused by any of the reasons previously indicated and that comes with other symptoms such as changes in heartbeat, palpitations, generalized swelling, excessive tiredness and rapid breathing, for example. Understand more about the symptoms of heart disease.

What to do: a cardiologist should be consulted to do heart examinations and identify if there are any changes that may be causing the pain, initiating the appropriate treatment.

9. Heart attack

Infarction, although it is the first concern of those who suffer with chest pain, is usually a rare cause, being more common in people with uncontrolled high blood pressure, very high cholesterol, diabetes, over 45 years of age or smokers.

How to identify: it is a more localized pain on the left side of the chest, in the form of tightness, which does not improve after 20 minutes, and may radiate to one of the arms, or jaw, causing a tingling sensation.

What to do: It is recommended to look for an emergency room to do heart exams, such as electrocardiogram, cardiac enzymes and chest X-ray, to identify if there is a heart attack and start treatment as soon as possible. Understand the treatment options the doctor can choose during a heart attack.

When to go to the doctor

It is important to seek medical help when the chest pain takes more than 20 minutes to relieve and whenever the pain brings concern to the person. In addition, other symptoms that may indicate that it is important to see a doctor include: