Chest pain

Chest pain is a pain that happens between your neck and the upper part of your abdomen (belly). It is commonly due to a heart or lung condition. It is a common symptom seen in the emergency rooms of many hospitals. Different people experience this pain in different ways as chest pain can be burning, stabbing or sharp. You should visit your healthcare provider if you experience chest pain regularly. Especially when it affects your day-to-day activities.

Chest pain may be a sign of serious health conditions. The following are common symptoms that occur together with chest pain:

• High body temperature
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Chest tightness
• Abdominal pain
• Cough or runny nose
• Shoulder or back pain
• Dizziness, weakness or fatigue

Chest pain is commonly caused by problems from different organs such as your heart, lungs, ribs or digestive tract. The following are common causes:

• Conditions that affect your heart such as heart attack, angina (poor blood flow to your heart) or swellings of the muscles or sac around your heart. Pain from the heart is usually left-sided and it is an emergency.
• Conditions that affect your lungs such as infection of your lungs (pneumonia), reduced blood flow to your lungs, collapsed lungs or asthma.
• Digestive tract conditions such as heartburn, swallowing problems or inflammation of your gallbladder or pancreas.
• Injuries to your chest that result in broken ribs or damage to any of the organs in your chest.
• A panic attack when you get scared suddenly.

Factors that put you at risk of chest pain include:

• Smoking, high blood pressure, high sugar level and a family history of heart disease.
• Long periods of inactivity. For instance when you stay in bed for days.
• Little or no exercise.
• Age, as chest pain is more common in people above 40 years.

Visit a healthcare provider if the chest pain is sudden, stops you from doing your daily activities or if the pain does not go away in days. You should also seek medical attention if the pain prevents you from breathing properly. Let your healthcare provider know if you have a family or personal history of heart conditions.

You can prevent chest pain by taking note of the following:

• Eat a healthy diet. Ensure you include plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise routinely. Physical activity helps improve your well-being.
• Keep and maintain the appropriate weight for your age and height.
• Reduce or stop the intake of alcohol.
• Stop the use of tobacco.
• Manage pre-existing medical conditions like high blood pressure, asthma or peptic ulcer properly with your healthcare provider.

Self-care tips

The following are tips you to reduce the pain before getting to a hospital:

• Chest pain resulting from a chest muscle sprain or an inflammation may relieve when an ice pack wrapped in a cloth is placed on it.
• A hot drink may help to reduce bloating and remove any gas that causes chest pain.
• Take over-the-counter (OTC) pain killers like paracetamol.

Treatment options

Your healthcare provider may prescribe the following:

• Medications that remove blood clots from your heart.
• Antibiotics to treat any infections.
• Antacids to treat heartburn.
• Antianxiety medicines to help with panic attacks.
• Surgery may be required to repair defects in your heart, lungs or ribs.

If you are experiencing chest pain, you should seek medical help. Early presentation to the hospital will help determine if the pain has a life-threatening cause or something minor. Ensure you exercise regularly, avoid smoking and maintain a healthy weight.