Why do I have chest pain?

Most people believe that the heart is in the sternum, but this is fundamentally wrong. There is a fairly large list of diseases in which such pain can occur. Very often, chest pain occurs with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers and gastritis. Such pain is also caused by various diseases of the bronchi and lungs (tracheitis, bronchitis, tuberculosis, influenza, pleurisy, lung tumors), and even some blood diseases. Pain in the sternum can have completely psychological reasons: VSD and hysteria.

How to determine what hurts

It often happens that a person realizes that it is necessary to go to a doctor, but only can not determine to which. Very many causes cause bouts of pain in the chest. Sometimes the pain in the stomach is given significantly higher, and the heart "hurts" at a time when the spine actually hurts. As for neuroses, they can "hiccup" in any part of the body. Some pains in the chest are not at all dangerous and sometimes do not need treatment at all. But it happens that the first manifestation of pain syndromes in this area should be rushed to the doctor. Let's try to understand these pains.

Sudden pain in combination with dyspnea

This is a clear sign that you urgently need to call a doctor. Perhaps, this is angina: the pain arises from the lack of blood supply to the cardiovascular system. As a rule, such attacks occur after physical exertion. A person feels burning or tightening pain behind the sternum or on the left, it happens that he gives in the arm or neck. Associated signs may be nausea and weakness.

It can also be a sign of massive pulmonary embolism. There is a sharp sharp pain and interrupted breathing. In addition, it can be an inflammation of the heart shell, which hurts somewhere in the depth of the chest. A clear sign of this disease is increased pain in the sternum in a supine position. If the pain gradually passes, it's not a reason not to go to the doctor, tk. With this disease, it means that a fluid has accumulated, which can lead to heart failure.

Such pain in the sternum can serve as a sign of inflammation of the myocardium. Then they are accompanied by a temperature and shortness of breath. With pneumonia, such pain is accompanied by fever, cough with sputum, in addition, it is usually located in the part of the sternum where the lung is inflamed. Localization of pain in the right breastbone or in the left, which increase with inspiration and decrease, if you lie on the sore side, is a sign of pleurisy.

Pain giving in hand

This can be, first of all, a sign of acute myocardial infarction. Among the attendant signs - dyspnea and pallor, loss of consciousness. Such an attack is not removed by nitroglycerin and requires an immediate call of a doctor.

It can also be a sign of osteochondrosis of the thoracic or cervical region. The attack associated with osteochondrosis can very much resemble angina pectoris, the pain gives to the shoulder and shoulder blade.

Shooting pain

Such attacks are characteristic for diseases of nerves. With intercostal neuralgia, there is pain between adjacent ribs, which increases with inspiration or bends. With shingles, pain is accompanied by a rash along the nerves and numbness.

Pain under the scapula

If it hurts under the left scapula, it can be osteochondrosis, angina pectoris, pneumonia, intercostal neuralgia. Pain in the right breastbone and under the scapula, which occurs after eating and is accompanied by nausea, serves as a clear sign of diseases of the biliary tract. Also, such pain can be caused by kidney disease.

If it hurts on the left side of the chest

Such a pain should always be alarming. Most often she talks about heart disease. Among other causes may be vegetative-vascular dystonia, which, as a rule, is "masked" for serious heart disease. It can be distinguished by the fact that it does not disappear after taking nitroglycerin and does not depend on physical exertion.

If the pain in the chest is in the back between the shoulder blades

Very severe pain in the sternum, which is given in between the shoulder blades, can be a sign of rupture of the esophagus. This can happen after severe vomiting and requires an immediate call of a doctor. They can also be a sign of rupture of the aortic aneurysm.