Punctures in the heart: should I worry?

Feeling sudden and intense punctures in the heart is something quite common among the population. Now, no matter how recurrent it is, it always raises some alarm and even fear. Am I having a myocardial infarction? What if it is angina? These are usually the most frequent questions that arise when we experience that sudden chest pain.

Chest pains can be due to multiple causes, including anxiety, digestive problems, and even certain muscle and bone conditions such as costochondritis. By this we mean that it is always correct to have a diagnosis that allows us to rule out diseases and ailments.

On the other hand, there is a fact that usually occurs frequently. When physical and organic problems are ruled out and the origin is revealed to be anxiety, many people experience some perplexity. The symptoms associated with these disorders are very intense, and hence it is difficult to assume that this intense pain has a mental trigger. Therefore, let’s look at more data below.

Punctures in the heart, a symptom of anxiety

As we have already mentioned, this manifestation is a common symptom of anxiety disorders. It usually lasts between 5 or 10 minutes and disappears on its own. Now, the most appropriate thing in all cases is to rule out possible cardiac ailments or disorders. Therefore, it is advisable to go to our doctor for an examination.

An investigation published in the magazine American Family Physician demonstrated the incidence of heart punctures during panic attack and anxiety disorders. The study suggests that 1 in 4 people with these disorders will experience chest pain associated with difficulty breathing.

The data in itself is significant, which undoubtedly indicates the great impact that anxiety disorders have on the population. That chest pain associated with anxiety lasts a short time. It is a brief experience, but it is often experienced intensely and more so if it is accompanied by other symptoms of panic attacks.

Chest pain caused by anxiety disorders usually appears suddenly, however, its duration rarely exceeds 10 minutes.

Why do I feel that stabbing pain in my chest?

The cause of this experience is basically due to two reasons:

Muscle tension. The heart is still just another muscle in our body. When we have been feeling anxious for days or weeks, that emotion tends to accumulate, to remain impregnated in our body. Activation of the nervous system can cause chest discomfort in these situations.Breathing and anxiety disorders. Another aspect we should take into account is our breathing pattern when we are anxious. It is more accelerated, the intercostal muscles and those around the chest can become fatigued and manifest as pain. Likewise, this altered breathing generates excess gases that also translate into stinging pain.

What other causes can cause chest pain?

The most appropriate thing when we suffer punctures in the heart is to go to our doctor. Anxiety is a psychological disorderso it does not show up on x-rays or blood tests.

This will be the diagnosis that we will receive if all those ailments and diseases that also present with this symptomatology and that, for their part, do present concrete and observable clinical signs are ruled out.

Below we explain the organic causes attributable to this type of pain.

1. Heart disease

When a person has a heart condition (myocardial infarction, angina, etc.) it is common for them to experience the following symptoms:

Pressure, burning or tightness in the chest.Pressing pain that extends to the neck, jaw, and usually the left arm, As suggested by this study from the journal Internal medicine of Mexico.The pain does not disappear, but becomes more intense to the point of losing consciousness in some cases.Drowning and shortness of breath.Cold sweat.Dizziness.Nausea or vomiting.

2. Digestive problems

Digestive problems are another common cause of chest pain that requires medical evaluation.

Punctures in the chest can also be due to disorders of the digestive system. A magazine publication Latin American Gastroenterological Act establishes that esophageal problems are the most common cause. Other common causes include the following:

Heartburn.Problems in the gallbladder or pancreas (inflammation, gallstones, etc.). Peptic ulcer.Gases that are blocked in the digestive systemwhich could be related to the consumption of foods that cause flatulence, such as soft drinks, legumes or vegetables.

3. Muscle and bone causes

When you finish doing intense physical exercise, lactic acid is generated, which is the culprit of causing muscle pain. In this case, the micro-tears of the muscles that are noticeable in the chest are usually experienced in the form of spasms. In general, This discomfort is usually short-lived and acute.but it is not accompanied by other symptoms.

Other similar causes are the following:

Costochondritis. It is a disease located in the cartilage that joins the ribs to the sternum, which becomes inflamed and causes pain. Diseases such as fibromyalgia, herpes zoster and problems in the cervical spine also cause chest pain, according to research published in the Las Condes Clinic Medical Magazine.

4. Respiratory problems

Chest pain of respiratory origin has its origin in the pleura in most cases, this is suggested by a study published in the journal Medical Clinics of North America. In this sense, among the most common causes are the following:

Pulmonary embolism. It consists of a sudden blockage of the pulmonary artery, resulting in punctures in the chest and heart associated with difficulty breathing.Pleuritis. In simple terms, it is nothing more than inflammation of the pleura that generates pain.

There are many causes of chest pain

This clinical reality can have multiple origins. However, in most cases it is due to anxiety. Let’s always try to have a good diagnosis and learn to manage this stress and anxious processes as soon as possible. from day to day life that so clouds our quality of life.

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