Chest pain

This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.

Definition
Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.

Other Names
Chest tightness or pressure; Chest discomfort

General Causes
Causes of chest pain include:
    * Asthma attack, which is usually followed by shortness of breath, wheezing, or cough.
    * Pneumonia, a grume to the lung (pulmonary embolism), the collapse of a little area of a lung (pneumothorax), or inflammation of the lining around the lung (pleurisy). In these cases, the chest pain frequently worsens when you take a deep breath or cough and commonly feels sharp.
    * Strain or inflammation of the muscles and tendons between the ribs.
    * Anxiety and rapid breathing.

Chest pain can also be related to troubles with your gastrointestinal system. These include stomach ulcer, gallbladder disease, gallstones, indigestion, heartburn, or gastro esophageal reflux (when acid from your stomach backs up into your esophagus).

Ulcer pain burns if your stomach is empty and feels better with food. Gallbladder pain often gets worse after a meal, particularly a fatty meal.

In children, most chest pain is not caused by the heart.

Home Care
If injury, over-exertion, or coughing have caused muscle stress, your chest wall is often tender or irritating when you press a finger at the location of the pain. This can often be treated at home. Attempt acetaminophen or ibuprofen, ice, heat, and rest.

If you know you have asthma or angina, take after the instructions of your doctor and take your medications regularly to avoid flare-ups.
Call your health care provider if

Call 911 if:
    * You have unexpected crushing, squeezing, tightening, or pressure in your chest.
    * Pain radiates to your jaw, left arm, or between your scapulae.
    * You have sickness, dizziness, sweating, a racing heart, or shortness of breath.
    * You recognize you have angina pectoris and your chest discomfort is suddenly more intense, brought out by lighter activity, or lasts longer than usual.
    * Your angina symptoms happen at rest.
    * You have sudden sharp chest pain with shortness of breath, particularly after a long trip, a stretch of bedrest (for instance, following an operation), or other lack of movement that can lead to a grume in your leg.

Know that your risk of heart attack is greater if you have a family history of cardiopathy, you smoke, use cocaine, are overweight, or you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes.

Call your doctor if:
    * You have a fever or a cough that brings out yellow-green phlegm.
    * Chest wall pain stays for longer than 3 to 5 days.

Prevention
Make healthy lifestyle choices to prevent chest pain from heart disease:
    * Attain and maintain normal weight.
    * Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
    * Keep off cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke.
    * Have a diet low in saturated and hydrogenated fats and cholesterol, and high in starches, fiber, fruits, and vegetables.
    * Get at least half-hour of moderate intensity exercise on most days of the week.
    * Cut down stress.

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