Burning and pain in the chest: in the middle, on the left, on the right - what to do?

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Burning and pain in the chest: in the middle, on the left, on the right - what to do?
Burning and pain in the chest: in the middle, on the left, on the right - what to do?
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Burning and pain in the chest: what to do?

Burning and pain
Burning and pain

Burning and pain in the chest are dangerous symptoms that should definitely make a person think about their own he alth. In the chest is the main worker of the body - the heart. His pathologies pose a real threat to life. However, the esophagus, blood vessels, and lungs are also located there. The bones themselves and the muscles that form the sternum can hurt. In addition, in women, the mammary glands are located on top, which have a developed nervous system.

To determine the nature of pain, one should start from the place of concentration of painful sensations, as well as from additional symptoms that accompany the discomfort that has arisen in the chest. The fact is that in some cases, chest pain requires immediate medical attention.

Pain on the right side of the chest

Pain on the right side of the chest
Pain on the right side of the chest

If pain occurs on the right side of the sternum, then this may signal the following conditions:

  1. Pathologies of the liver and biliary tract. Characteristics of pain in violation of the function of the liver and biliary tract:

    • The pain is dull, paroxysmal.
    • Pain has nothing to do with body position.
    • Pain may radiate to the neck, right arm and shoulder blade.
    • Pain will increase when a person has eaten fatty or fried foods. There may be disgust for such products.

    The tongue in case of violations in the hepatobiliary system is covered with a yellow coating, a taste of bitterness appears in the mouth. With stones in the biliary tract, or when a tumor forms in them, the sclera of the eyes will also become yellow, and then the skin. Urine darkens and feces become discolored. According to similar symptoms, hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatosis develop. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis, so you need to seek help from a specialist.

  2. Other pathologies of the digestive system. Various pathologies of the digestive system can manifest as pain in the chest. A person may suffer from gastritis, stomach ulcers, intestinal colic. Nevertheless, pains in the right side of the chest in case of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are not often localized, in the vast majority of cases they are concentrated in the center of the sternum. Such pains are always associated with food intake.
  3. Intercostal neuralgia. With inflammation of the nerve fibers that run to the intercostal muscles, a person will experience chest pain. Often such a pathology leads to herpes zoster, which is a complication of chicken pox. In addition to pain, a person suffers from a blistering rash that appears between the ribs.

    The following symptoms indicate intercostal neuralgia:

    • Intense pain that seems to burn the muscles from the inside.
    • Pain has a clear localization.
    • When turning the body, with a blue-eyed breath, when coughing, the pain intensifies.

    If the cause of inflammation of the nervous tissue is hidden in osteochondrosis, then in addition to pain, a person will notice frequent shootings in the right arm or neck. On palpation of the spinal column, one of its vertebrae will be especially painful.

  4. Inflammation of the lungs. Inflammation of the lungs can cause pain in the sternum. In addition to pain, pneumonia is manifested by the following symptoms: lack of appetite, impaired he alth, fever, severe cough. During a cough, purulent sputum may come out, or sputum with blood impurities. Breathing will be difficult during the peak of the illness.
  5. Intercostal myositis. Myositis is an inflammation of the muscles that are located between the ribs. The pain is concentrated in a specific place, tends to intensify at the time when the person begins to move, breathes deeply or coughs. No pain at rest.
  6. Scoliosis. Scoliosis of the thoracic spine is quite rare. It can be C-shaped or S-shaped. When the bend is directed to the right side, the vertebrae and the nerves coming from them are infringed, which causes pain.

    Other signs that are characteristic of scoliosis:

    • Pain is concentrated in one specific place, a person can easily point to its source.
    • Pain worsens while coughing and breathing.
    • No signs of infectious inflammation or poisoning. The general well-being of a person is not disturbed.
  7. Chest pain and PMS. Chest pain before menstruation may be due to breast swelling. Most often, both breasts become painful, but pain may also appear on one side.
  8. Mastopathy will be indicated by symptoms such as chest pain before menstruation and the presence of nodules in it.
  9. Mental diseases. Chest pain can occur after a strong nervous shock, after stress, or against the background of chronic fatigue syndrome. At the same time, neither the person nor the doctor is able to determine any other cause of pain. There are no symptoms of infection or inflammation, and the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are fully functional.

Pain in the middle of the chest and on the left

Pain in the middle of the chest and on the left
Pain in the middle of the chest and on the left

Causes of pain concentrated in the center of the sternum or on the right side can be very diverse:

  1. When there is a cough. When a person suffers from cough in addition to chest pain, it may indicate the following diseases:

    • Pneumonia with pleurisy The pain is concentrated mainly on the left side, but not behind the sternum and not between 3-5 hypochondrium to the middle of the collarbone. The pain becomes more intense if the person tries to take a deep breath. In addition, his general well-being is disturbed, the body temperature most often reaches high values, shortness of breath appears. It should be taken into account that in case of tuberculous pneumonia with pleurisy, body temperature may remain within the normal range all the time. Sometimes pneumonia is accompanied by vomiting, but respiratory disorders are not observed.
    • Inflammation of the bronchi. Bronchitis pain is concentrated in the center of the chest. During a cough, sputum comes out, which can contain not only mucus, but also pus. In addition, the patient's body temperature rises and appetite disappears.
    • Influenza. When the human body is affected by the influenza virus, pain occurs behind the sternum, and the trachea suffers primarily. The flu is always accompanied by an increase in body temperature, pain and aches in the muscles and joints. Cough appears on the first day of illness, but rhinitis most often manifests no earlier than the third day after the infection has occurred.

    With hemorrhagic pneumonia, body temperature rises, breathing becomes difficult, symptoms of intoxication of the body increase. The pain does not shift, it is always concentrated in the chest area, since the disease is characterized by impregnation of lung tissue with blood. Therefore, when the pain migrates, one can reject such a diagnosis as hemorrhagic pneumonia.

  2. Pain on the background of fatigue. If chest pain appears on the background of overwork, one can suspect vegetative-vascular dystonia or mental disorders.

    With VVD, the pain is concentrated in the region of the heart muscle, it is not too strong, it does not occur after physical exertion. When changing the position of the body or when breathing deeply, the pain does not become more intense. Accompanying VSD symptoms: excessive sweating, hot flashes.

    If the cause of pain is mental illness, then a person can become aggressive without visible motivation, he has depressive moods, his appetite may worsen. At the same time, there are no symptoms of physical distress: body temperature remains within normal limits, nausea and weakness are absent.

  3. Pain after exercise. Pain in the sternum that occurs after exercise can indicate pathology of the heart muscle. They can be signals of diseases such as: ischemia, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy.

    And we are talking about those pains that occur not only after doing hard physical work, but also after walking fast, after going out into the cold and performing simple physical activities there, after climbing stairs.

    When pain appears only after performing certain movements, then one can suspect myositis, or intercostal neuralgia.

  4. Exercising angina

    Symptoms of exertional angina:

    • Pain is concentrated in the region of the right edge of the sternum to the middle of the clavicle horizontally and between the 3rd-5th intercostal space vertically. If you visually draw lines in the indicated direction, you get a square of pain that characterizes angina pectoris.
    • Pain may radiate to the left shoulder blade and to the jaw on the left side. She can also give to the hand and reach the little finger.
    • Pain is dull, the person may feel as if the heart is constricting or pressure is being applied.
    • If you rest a little, the pain decreases, and with physical activity, on the contrary, it intensifies. In some cases, the pain may become more intense after eating or after a nervous strain.
    • Nitroglycerin relieves pain.
    • While coughing or performing certain movements, the pain does not increase.
  5. Myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction is characterized by severe pain, which is always accompanied by angina attacks. Moreover, seizures are becoming more frequent, and for their appearance, pronounced physical activity is no longer needed. Sharp pain during a heart attack occurs unexpectedly for a person, it cannot be stopped by taking nitroglycerin. The pain radiates to the left arm, jaw and shoulder blade, the person is covered with a cold sticky sweat, suffers from shortness of breath and dizziness. The heart rhythm is severely disturbed.
  6. Myocarditis. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. Most often, the pathology develops at a young age. The causes of myocarditis are varied: body poisoning, infectious diseases, autoimmune processes.

Pain is concentrated in the region of the heart, while there are violations of its rhythm, shortness of breath, swelling of the lower extremities. Periodically, the pains pass, and then recur with renewed vigor.

Dr. Berg - 11 Non-Heart Causes of Chest Pain:

Chest pain and eating

If chest pain appears after or before eating, then it indicates a pathology of the digestive system. It can be reflux esophagitis, gastritis, gastric ulcer, inflammation of the pancreas, intestinal colic, cancer of the esophagus, or a foreign body in the throat. Depending on the specific type of disease, its symptoms will differ.

If the esophagus is affected, then the pain is concentrated mainly in the center of the sternum. She will disturb a person when he makes swallowing movements.

If the patient's stomach is affected, then the pain appears after eating and is localized in the lower part of the chest.

When the duodenum is involved in the pathological process, the pains manifest on an empty stomach.

With inflammation of the pancreas, pain will appear about 1.5 hours after eating. Discomfort will be felt just below the ribs.

If there is a feeling of heat in the chest when lying down

If pain and burning occurs after a person has eaten and taken a horizontal position, then this is a symptom of reflux esophagitis. In this case, from the stomach, its contents are thrown into the esophagus, which is expressed by severe heartburn. A person does not experience a deterioration in appetite, his body temperature does not rise, his general well-being is not disturbed.

The danger of this disease lies in the fact that the acid damages the wall of the esophagus, forming a non-healing defect on it. In this place, a cancerous tumor can begin to form. As the neoplasm grows, the patient may notice that hoarseness has appeared in his voice, and coughing has begun to bother him. Difficulty swallowing solid food first, then liquid food.

Chest pain while inhaling

If the pain is localized in the left side of the chest and occurs during a deep breath, then this may indicate a pathology of the heart muscle. Its inflamed membranes are in contact with the chest, which is reflected in pain. Also, pain that occurs on the left when inhaling can be a sign of pleurisy and intercostal neuralgia.

Pericarditis

Pericarditis
Pericarditis

Pericarditis occurs in two forms:

  • Dry pericarditis. The outer shell of the heart muscle becomes inflamed, but it does not secrete inflammatory exudate. Symptoms of such pericarditis: cough, pain in the heart, which tend to intensify while taking a deep breath, when swallowing food. When a person sits, the pain is muffled, and when he lies down, it becomes stronger.
  • Exudative pericarditis. In this form of inflammation, the lining of the heart muscle produces an inflammatory fluid. It accumulates inside the bag and puts pressure on the vessels of the heart, as well as on the heart itself. Symptoms of exudative pericarditis: pressing heart pain, fever, hiccups, shortness of breath, sensation of a lump in the throat when swallowing food.

Pleurisy

Pleurisy is an inflammation of the lining of the lung. This process can be accompanied by the release of exudate and take place without it. Pleurisy is not an independent pathology, but a consequence of pneumonia, lung cancer or tuberculosis.

If the left lung is affected by dry pleurisy, then the pains are localized on the left side, radiating to the peritoneum and hypochondrium. The pain becomes more intense when taking a deep breath, as well as when turning the torso. If a person lies on his left side, it becomes easier for him.

When fluid begins to accumulate between the layers of the lining of the lungs, it will put pressure on the heart and chest muscles. In this case, chest pains will be dull, shortness of breath and weakness will appear. The person will begin to suffer from lack of air, the temperature will rise to feverish levels.

Chest pain not related to external circumstances

Chest pain
Chest pain
  1. Atrial fibrillation and mitral valve prolapse are manifested by sudden pain in the chest. Moreover, the pain is not intense, has no relationship with breathing, and does not increase with a change in the position of the body. However, both of these conditions require emergency medical attention, otherwise the person is in danger of death.
  2. Pathologies of the aorta and pulmonary artery are expressed by severe pain in the chest. These include:

    • Aortic dissection. This disease is a direct threat to life. If you do not call an ambulance, then the person will die. The condition is characterized by intense pain, which is localized in the center of the chest, with a shift to the left side.
    • Pulmonary artery blockage by a thrombus is manifested by acute pain in the chest. It cannot be stopped by taking nitroglycerin. Other symptoms of thromboembolism: cough, shortness of breath, brown sputum. The patient is often unconscious.
  3. Cancer diseases. These include:

    • Tumours of the cardiovascular system. Pain is constant, at first it is weak, but over time its intensity increases. Similarly, a tumor of the respiratory organs can manifest itself. Therefore, with the appearance of pain in the chest, one can suspect cancer of the lung, bronchi, pleura, myxedema of the heart.
    • Cancerous lesion of the breast when the tumor grows into the sternum, it will be painful. The breast itself becomes deformed, a knot can be palpated in it, discharge appears from the nipples.

Treatment for burning and chest pain

Treatment of burning and pain
Treatment of burning and pain

There can be many diseases that can lead to chest pain. Each of them is treated differently. Therapy should be prescribed only by a doctor, after a full diagnosis.

Until you contact a specialist, you can use the following recommendations:

  • Pain is concentrated in the center of the chest, or on the left: you need to stop any physical activity and rest. You can take a Nitroglycerin tablet. When the pain is relieved, you should make an appointment with a cardiologist.
  • If there is difficulty in breathing against the background of chest pain, then you should immediately call an ambulance team.
  • If the pain is very intense and is concentrated in the left side of the chest, or in its center, you need to take a Nitroglycerin tablet, open the window and call an ambulance. While waiting for the doctors, you can take 1 tablet of Aspirin or another drug based on it.
  • If the pain is concentrated in the mammary gland, then you need to go to an appointment with a mammologist.
  • When pain occurs with a cough, a lung x-ray or CT scan should be done. With the results ready, you need to go to an appointment with a therapist and follow the doctor's recommendations.
  • If the pain appeared after an infection, or occurs against the background of physical exertion, you should make an appointment with a cardiologist as soon as possible. You will definitely need to undergo an ultrasound of the heart and an ECG.
  • When the pain is very strong, it bursts the chest from the inside and arose against the background of general well-being, it is necessary to call an ambulance.

Until the moment the doctor examines the person, you should try to stop taking any painkillers. Otherwise, making a correct diagnosis can be significantly difficult.

To minimize the risks of developing various pathologies, you need to eat right, take walks and give up bad habits.

If acute pain appeared suddenly, what should I do?

Pain in the upper abdomen due to a perforated gastric or duodenal ulcer

Pain in the upper abdomen
Pain in the upper abdomen

If the ulcer has perforated, the pain will be very sharp, patients report feeling as if they were pierced with a knife. The pain forces the person to press their knees to their stomach and bend over.

At the same time, there are signs of a state of shock:

  • HR increases to 100 beats/min.
  • Blood pressure plummets.
  • Cold sweat breaks out.
  • Consciousness becomes fuzzy.

The anterior wall of the peritoneum in the upper part is pulled inward, and after a short time the abdominal muscles become hypertonic, becoming hard as a board.

When the gastric wall ruptures, the contents of the stomach, which contains hydrochloric acid and pepsin, come out into the hole. This leads to the development of chemical inflammation of the abdominal cavity.

Most often, perforation of an ulcer occurs at a time when the disease is exacerbated, although sometimes the so-called "silent ulcer" can behave in this way. The average age category of patients is 40 years. Moreover, women suffer from such a violation much less often.

If there is a suspicion that a person has had a perforation of the ulcer, then it is necessary to call the doctors as soon as possible. Treatment is surgical only.

Myocardial infarction and acute chest and upper abdominal pain

myocardial infarction
myocardial infarction

Gastralgic form of myocardial infarction is expressed in the occurrence of intense pain in the upper part of the sternum. Pain in the abdomen occurs when the left ventricle and the interventricular septum are damaged. It is these parts of the heart that are closest to the diaphragm, which causes the corresponding symptoms.

In addition to the pain, the person will experience nausea, he may vomit. You can suspect damage to the heart muscle by the following signs:

  • Shortness of breath that occurs during complete rest, or against the background of minor physical activity.
  • A person feels his own heartbeat. The heart is erratic, the pulse is unstable.
  • Blood pressure high or low.

Pain is always aggravated during excitement or during physical overexertion. To clarify the diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo an ECG. All patients with myocardial infarction should be urgently placed in the intensive care unit for intensive care.

Pain due to acute inflammation of the pancreas

Pain due to acute inflammation
Pain due to acute inflammation

If a person develops inflammation of the pancreas, then the pain will cover the body like a belt. The attack happens unexpectedly, it is not preceded by any prerequisites. Pancreatitis is associated with the fact of a gross violation of the diet, when a person eats very fatty foods in combination with alcohol.

The pain is diffuse, it radiates to the subclavian region on both sides, shoots into the lumbar spine and under the shoulder blades. Other symptoms of pancreatitis: nausea, episodes of vomiting, after which the pain only becomes more intense.

When the digestive system is working properly, the pancreas secretes enzymes that enter the intestines and stomach and participate in the digestion of food. If the organ becomes inflamed, these enzymes begin to eat away at the gland. When the disease has a severe course, then pancreatic tissue necrosis and general intoxication of the body develop.

Pain in the upper abdomen and symptoms of intoxication suggest pancreatitis even before special studies have been carried out. Signs of toxemia in inflammation of the pancreas:

  1. Blue face and torso. Cyanosis of the extremities is less common.
  2. Subcutaneous bruising in the form of irregularly shaped spots that appear on the abdomen on both sides.
  3. Small bloody rash around the navel and buttocks.

Symptoms of pancreatitis require immediate hospitalization of the patient. Most often, it is possible to do without surgical intervention. The operation is carried out with the development of necrosis of the organ, or with its suppuration.

Pain due to acute inflammation of the gallbladder and hepatic colic

Pain in the background
Pain in the background

Hepatic colic is manifested by severe pain, the cause of which is obstruction of the biliary tract against the background of cholelithiasis. Stones prevent the normal outflow of bile, which leads to vasospasm.

Pain will be concentrated under the ribs on the right side. It proceeds according to the type of fights. May radiate under the shoulder blade, under the collarbone and above.

The person will feel sick, vomiting will not bring relief. If an attack of hepatic colic has an uncomplicated course, then it can be eliminated by taking antispasmodics.

When pain can be stopped for a short period of time, and in parallel, a person's body temperature rises and signs of poisoning of the body increase, then acute cholecystitis should be suspected. This pathology is an inflammatory process in which the gallbladder is involved. Cholecystitis is often the result of cholelithiasis. Exacerbation develops at night, a few hours after ingestion of fatty foods. There are statistics that women who have gone through childbirth and have fair skin and blond hair are more susceptible to attacks of cholecystitis.

If symptoms of acute cholecystitis occur, the patient must be hospitalized. Further treatment regimen directly depends on the patient's condition. In some cases, it will not be possible to do without surgery. If there are no indications for immediate surgical intervention, then drug therapy with the use of antibacterial drugs and antispasmodics is possible. Provided that after a day there is no improvement in well-being, an operation is necessary.

Subphrenic abscess as a cause of acute pain

Subdiaphragmatic abscess
Subdiaphragmatic abscess

Subdiaphragmatic abscess is a formed purulent bubble that is located in the upper part of the peritoneum, but limited by the diaphragm. Pathology is manifested by pain in the abdomen, which radiates under the collarbone and under the shoulder blades. The pain can be aching, but not too intense, or it can be sharp and strong. It increases during deep breathing, laughing and coughing.

The cause of an abscess may be an operation on the stomach or duodenum, removal of the gallbladder or part of the pancreas. It can also develop against the background of acute infectious inflammation in the body, for example, with pneumonia or pleurisy, against the background of inflammation of the gallbladder or appendix.

Besides pain, the person will suffer from elevated body temperature, lack of appetite, lethargy.

It is impossible to hesitate in seeking medical help, the patient needs urgent medical care, namely, an emergency operation. Otherwise, the pathology will end in death.

Closed liver injury as a cause of sudden pain

Closed liver injury
Closed liver injury

Rupture of the liver due to an injury is a serious complication that requires emergency care. This condition manifests itself in sharp pains.

The liver has a fairly large weight and high density, but the elasticity of its walls is low, so it is very easy to injure the organ. The anatomical location of the organ also contributes to this.

The most common causes of liver damage:

  • Falling from a high-rise building.
  • Unsuccessful fall from height.
  • Having an accident.
  • Work injuries.
  • A strong blow to the stomach and right side.

Any pathology of the liver contributes to the fact that the organ will be damaged even with a minor injury. The pain in this case occurs on the right side, radiating to the collarbone and shoulder blade. The more severe the injury, the more intense the pain. It is unbearable for a person with a liver rupture to lie down, some relief comes in a sitting position, with an emphasis on hands.

Internal bleeding will be indicated by the following signs:

  • Pulse becomes very fast.
  • Blood pressure plummets.
  • Skin turns pale.
  • The person breaks into a cold sweat.
  • Bradycardia develops when bile enters the systemic circulation.

Bleeding on its own in case of liver injury cannot stop, since the blood, when interacting with bile acids, loses its ability to coagulate.

A patient with a liver injury needs emergency surgery. The prognosis is determined by the severity of the injury.

Sometimes it happens that the capsule of the liver remains intact, and the organ itself has suffered an injury. In this case, for some period of time, the blood will accumulate inside the capsule, and then it will break. This condition is dangerous primarily because it is very difficult to diagnose internal bleeding that has begun. A person with a liver rupture will be in a state of shock, so, despite the pain, he may not seek medical help, but go home. Such a gap is called a two-stage gap.

Despite the severity of the condition, the victim will not experience pain adequate to the situation. This period is called the light interval. It can last several hours, and even several days. This condition often leads to death. Therefore, after receiving any, even at first glance, frivolous abdominal injury, you must go to the hospital and undergo an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

Rupture of the spleen as a cause of acute pain

Spleen rupture
Spleen rupture

The spleen ruptures much less frequently than the liver, as it is smaller and located deeper in the human body, which means it is better protected. When an organ breaks, the pain will be concentrated in the upper abdomen, on the left. It radiates under the left shoulder blade and into the left collarbone. The rest of the symptoms are similar to those of liver rupture.

To make a correct diagnosis, an ultrasound is necessary. Sometimes a rupture of the spleen can happen not from injury, but as a result of an illness, when the organ increases in size. In this regard, various types of blood cancer, malaria, tuberculosis, etc., are dangerous. Even a slight push to the left hypochondrium, a sharp turn of the body, strong laughter or coughing can provoke a rupture of an organ against the background of the disease.

See a doctor if you have signs of a ruptured spleen immediately. The organ must be removed if the gap was massive. With minor damage to the spleen, it can simply be sutured. If assistance was provided in a timely manner, then the prognosis is favorable. A person is able to live without a spleen for as long as a person who does not have this organ removed.

Inflammation of the lungs and pleurisy as a cause of acute pain

Pneumonia
Pneumonia

Pain in the upper abdomen can signal the development of pneumonia. The right lung borders on the right dome of the diaphragm, so the pain is localized in the right side of the peritoneum.

Pain can be severe, accompanied by tension in the abdominal muscles. This is often the cause of misdiagnosis, such as cholecystitis or appendicitis. To correctly recognize pneumonia, it is necessary to focus on such a sign as high body temperature. In addition, the patient will suffer from shortness of breath, the face will become red, and rashes resembling herpes may appear on the lips, cheeks and neck.

If treatment is started on time, the prognosis is quite favorable.

With pleurisy, pain is localized in the upper abdomen, as inflammation of the pleura provokes irritation of the intercostal nerves. The pain becomes more intense during deep breathing, so people with pleurisy intentionally breathe shallowly to reduce its intensity.

Pleurisy requires a comprehensive examination of the patient, since the cause of its development may be a malignant tumor of the lung, a heart attack of its tissues and other serious pathologies. The prognosis is determined primarily by the etiology of pleurisy.

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