Published: 07/07/2011 - Updated: 10/17/2018
The chest pain is defined as a nuisance that happens in front of the body between the neck and upper abdomen. When a person feels pain in this area, may think it’s a heart attack, which is not always the case. Pain in the chest near heart can have several causes; some may not be dangerous, while others could be.
Causes of chest pain
Chest pain may be due to an imbalance or disease in either a tissue or organ as the heart, lungs, esophagus, ribs, muscles, tendons, nerves, and more. The pain can echo into the chest, sides of the ribs, abdomen and back.
Related to the lungs
- Lung problems: as a pulmonary embolism which is due to a blood clot in the lung, collapse of a small area of the lung (pneumothorax) or inflammation of the lining around the lungs (pleurisy). All this can cause chest pain which feels sharp and often worsens when you cough or take a deep breath.
- Asthma, shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, etc.
- Pneumonia, which causes chest pain that feels sharp and often worsens when you cough or take a deep breath.
- Anxiety and rapid breathing, anxiety causes a lot of tension in the diaphragm.
- Inflammation where the ribs join the breastbone.
Related to the heart
- Angina pectoris: a hassle that occurs when the heart receives deficient blood and oxygen. It presents with chest pain behind the breastbone or slightly to the left of it, which feels like a tightness or strong pressure, and can spread up the arm, shoulder, jaw or back.
- Aortic dissection (tearing of the aortic wall) causes a sudden and severe pain in the chest area and upper back.
- Heart attack: it may be similar to the pain of unstable angina, but more intense.
- Infection and inflammation of tissue around the heart (pericarditis) causes pain in the middle of the chest.
- Zoster Herpes: inflammation or infection of the nerve causing sharp, tingling pain on one side that extends from the chest to the back.
Related muscles and tendons
- Inflammation of the muscles and tendons between the ribs, it hurts when you press them with your finger.
Related to the digestive system
- Esophageal spasm: due to abnormal contractions of the muscles of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach)
- Gastroesophageal reflux.
- Pancreatitis (pain in the upper abdomen and back)
- Stomach ulcer or gastritis
You should be careful with chest pain if:
- The heart beats faster, breathing difficulties or nausea and / or dizziness.
- Occurs with sudden crushing pain in chest compression.
- If the pain remains and persists longer than 4 or 5 days.
- In case of angina, when the pain becomes more severe or occurs suddenly at rest.
- Pain spreading to the jaw, left arm or shoulder blades.
- The risk of heart attack increases if you are overweight, smoke, use cocaine, have high cholesterol, diabetes or hypertension.
Each case can be treated specially, although the basic care in any case is the next:
1. Diet is essential, you should avoid mainly all products with saturated fats such as meats, fried foods, refined oils, processed meats, etc. which are terrible for such important organs as the heart, stomach and lungs. You should also avoid refined sugars and flours and all food that impedes the normal functions of the intestine as a bowel malfunction may degenerate into an endless sufferings. This diet is strictly followed if the person is overweight or has high cholesterol. You should drink at least 2 liters of water daily; avoid heavy meals that combine many foods. Include juices of fresh vegetables and salads, which should have celery, alfalfa, prickly pear, beet, carrot, raw onion and garlic, the last one should be taken either fasting or at night as a dietary supplement to keep the body cleansed and good defenses.
2. You should practice some activity like yoga which, besides helping the body to flow emotions and tension contained, helps to a have a deeper and healthy breathing.
3. Avoid drugs at all costs because, over time, they damage the immune system to defend and self-heal itself. You should avoid using drugs at the first symptom, diseases appear as the result of a series of food and life habits.
4. You should understand the levels of anxiety or depression, as these emotional states often result in severe stresses causing pain in the chest area and malfunction of organs and tissues located here. Anxiety, stress, depression or nervousness should be fixed with a comprehensive therapy such as bio-energy, where in addition to unlocking the body, it helps the person to understand the emotional states and resolve in a more understood and joyful way. Emotions are the root of most localized pain in the chest area.
6. Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol or eating stimulants such as chocolate or coffee.
7. You should be physically active to keep the body well oxygenated and with good circulation of nutrients.
8. In case of infection, inflammation or lung problems: it is necessary to follow the recommended diet before increasing your intake of vitamin C and A, which can be found in citrus, orange vegetables, sprouts, etc.