Chest pain: types, causes and how to proceed in each case

Feeling chest pain is always a cause for concern. Pain can have different origins, but because it is close to the heart, it scares those who feel it.

It is important to be concerned when you feel chest pain, since cardiovascular diseases are the biggest killers in the world. But so you don’t have to rush to the hospital unnecessarily, know how to identify what each type of pain can mean.

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Chest Pain: What Does It Mean?

“Chest pain can have several causes”, says cardiologist Eliane Guimarães. In addition to the most dreaded heart pain, pain in the region can be just muscle pain, or even the irradiation of some abdominal problem, says the doctor.

When faced with chest pain, doctors consider several factors to determine the source of the problem. Even before examinations, the patient’s age and history are taken into account, in addition to the momentary characteristics. Let’s find out more about the type of each pain:

Pain in the center of the chest, in tightness

“Cardiac pain is right in the middle of the chest, behind the sternum, a tight pain”, explains the cardiologist about the most feared type of chest pain. Heart pains can radiate to other parts of the body and are often accompanied by sweating, nausea and vomiting, according to Eliane. Among the diseases that can be signaled by this type are:

• Infarction: “it is the death of heart tissue that was not nourished by the artery”, says Eliane. The cause is usually a blockage – called a lesion – in the artery, which prevents blood from passing through.
• Pericarditis: “it is the inflammation of the cover that surrounds the heart, the pericardium”, defines the cardiologist. This disease can be caused by several factors and the pain is very intense, and can be confused with that of a heart attack.
• Arrhythmia: is the name for the condition of the heart beats mismatch. Eliane explains that in some cases of arrhythmia, the heart may not receive enough blood.

Pain in the left side of the chest

Contrary to what many think, heart pain does not originate from the left side of the chest. The cardiologist explains that this pain is the irradiation effect, a common symptom of cardiac pain: “it can generate irradiation to the left side, left arm, jaw and back”.

Risky, this pain can characterize an aortic aneurysm, which consists of the enlargement of the aorta, the most important artery in the human body. “The blood passes through the layers of the artery, dilating the artery”, explains Eliane, who also explains that the pain from an aortic aneurysm can radiate a lot and is similar to cardiac pain. It is also a serious condition.

Pain in the right side of the chest

According to the cardiologist, pain on the right side of the chest does not have a pre-established cause. To help understand it, it is necessary to take into account the other characteristics of pain: if it is burning, if it only hurts with movement, for example, to fit into other types.

Chest pain and burning

“Pain behind the sternum, burning, which comes from the stomach to the throat region”, describes Eliane. Burning pain is characteristic of problems related to the digestive system, especially in the esophagus, which passes through the thoracic region.

Another characteristic of this pain, explains the specialist, is that it is related to food: “You can feel it after ingesting a specific food”.

It can signal esophagitis. This is inflammation of the esophagus, and it happens in people who suffer from reflux. “The esophagus is not prepared to receive gastric juice, which is acidic, so when it returns, through reflux, it causes tissue inflammation, generating a burning sensation”, says Eliane.

Chest pain when breathing

If you feel chest pain when breathing, accompanied by shortness of breath, the cause is probably pulmonary, says the cardiologist. Attention to risks:

• Pneumonia: This is an infection in one or both lungs.
• Pulmonary embolism: This happens when a vessel in the lung is blocked.

Chest pain when moving

Chest pain that comes on just when you move can be muscular in origin. “Usually when taking a deep breath, this type of pain gets worse,” reports the doctor, who describes the pain as localized twinges.

To diagnose this type of pain – which is not dangerous, if temporary – the cardiologist advises remembering if you have done any exaggerated physical effort, such as working out or carrying weight, in the days before the pain.

pain in the breasts

Breast pain is more characteristic of women and can originate from more than one factor. If you don’t remember hitting the area that is painful, the advice is to look for a gynecologist to investigate if there are no risks of the diseases below:

• Mastitis: Infection of breast tissue. This pain may be accompanied by swelling and a region that is warmer than the rest of the body.
• Tumor: tumors in the breasts can cause pain, so the specialist recommends self-examination and consultation with the gynecologist.

Because it indicates diseases that can be serious, there may be a doubt about how to proceed in these cases.

What to do?

The question that arises in everyone’s mind: what to do when feeling a pain in the chest? The information above is useful so that you know how to differentiate the types of pain and not confuse a simple muscle pain after the gym with the pain caused by a heart attack.

Eliane’s first advice is: if it is a very strong pain, go to a hospital as soon as possible. If the pain is not so acute, it is worth evaluating according to the symptoms and characteristics of pain listed above.

If you experience mild heart pain that, for no reason, “comes back and forth,” make an appointment with your cardiologist for some tests.

If you’ve gained weight or been physically active in the last few days, it’s probably a muscle pain. Wait a few days as it should pass. If it does not pass, it is recommended to see a doctor.

If the pain you are feeling is pulmonary, that is, when breathing and accompanied by shortness of breath, Eliane advises making an appointment with a pulmonologist.

If you have identified pain characteristic of esophagitis, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist for examination and guidance. The important thing is: if the pain persists and is accompanied by other symptoms, do not hesitate to look for a specialist.

Prevention

Fortunately, there are some measures that help prevent problems causing chest pain. Are they:

• Not smoking or at least trying to quit this addiction
• keep eating healthy
• Do physical activities regularly
• Keeping blood pressure under control
• Seeing a cardiologist or other physicians regularly
• Carry out exams as requested by a doctor

Stay tuned for symptoms and try to identify the type of your pain. Don’t be scared in advance: chest pains don’t always mean a heart attack. When in doubt, seek guidance from those who know the most about the subject.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.