Top 6 Reasons for Your Chest Pain

Chest pain can make your life miserable. But the good news is that the pain can result from some causes that are easy to treat; however, according to the Plano chest pain specialists at Heart and Vascular Care, any chest pain that you experience requires medical attention as soon as possible. Although several reasons can be behind your chest pain, it is good to rule out cardiovascular problems first, which only an expert can help you with. Although it is normal to have some chest pain at some point in your life, it’s not something to excuse, as it can be caused by the following.

1. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is an infirmity where your stomach acid flows back into your esophagus frequently and can cause chest pain. If you experience mild reflux at least twice a week or it becomes moderate or severe, it becomes a gastroesophageal reflux disease. This condition can irritate your esophageal lining, causing chest pain alongside other symptoms such as swallowing difficulties, heartburn, or regurgitating sour Liquid.

2. Asthma

Asthma is not just about breathing complications, as many people may tend to think. It is a potential cause of chest pain. This is because it affects the airways that connect from your nose to your lungs through your mouth. If you have asthma and get exposed to triggers such as dust, pollen, cold air, or mold, your airways can become narrow, making it difficult for you to breathe. The triggers can also make your muscles that surround the airways constrict and inflame your airways. This is why you can experience tightness and pain in your chest.

3. Pneumonia

This is an infection that inflames the air sacs in your lungs, and when the sacs are packed with pus or fluid, it causes a cough, chills, fever, and breathing difficulties. Besides, if you suffer from pneumonia, you can experience sharp, stabbing chest pain that worsens while you breathe deeply or cough.

4. A Collapsed Lung

When the air gets into the area between your lungs and your chest wall, known as pleural space, the air can push on the outside of the lungs and can make them collapse. Although in most cases, only a small portion of the lung collapses and causes little to no symptoms, a large portion of your lung also can collapse. If it happens, your body responds through sudden chest pain, accompanied by shortness of breath.

5. Angina

This is pain or discomfort you experience in your chest as a sign of heart disease. This occurs when your heart muscles don’t get enough oxygen-rich blood, and you can feel pressure or squeeze in your chest.  You can also experience this feeling as discomfort in your shoulders, jaw, neck, back, or arms.

6. A Panic Attack

Sometimes you may experience chest pain as a result of sudden sessions of intense anxiety or fear. These terrifying episodes can also come with psychological symptoms. Although everyone experiences anxiety differently, the symptoms are always heart palpitations, shortness of breath, feelings of impending doom, and chest pain.

All these are potential causes for your chest pain. However, you never know, and therefore the only way to go about your chest pain is to seek medical assistance from experts who can diagnose your condition and get to the root of the pain.