chest pain for last 4-5 days
| Discussion in 'All Categories' started by BHARAT - Mar 31st, 2012 10:14 am. | |
BHARAT
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i am having pain in chest upper center, while breathing sometimes it happens, happening from last 4-5 days as i have left smoking also 5 days back only, is that an issue? else what should i do |
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re: chest pain for last 4-5 days
by Dr M. K. Gupta -
Apr 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
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Dr M. K. Gupta
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Dear Bharat Chest pain is one of the most frightening symptoms. It is sometimes difficult even for a physician or other healthcare professional to inform what is causing chest pain and whether it's life-threatening. Any part of the chest could possibly be the reason for the pain sensation such as the heart, lungs, esophagus, muscle, bone, and skin. Because from the complex nerve distribution in the body, chest pain may actually result from another area of the body. The stomach or any other organs in the belly (abdomen), for example, may cause heart problems. Potentially life-threatening causes of chest pain are as follows: Heart attack (acute myocardial infarction): Cardiac arrest occurs when blood flow to the arteries that supply the heart (coronary arteries) becomes blocked. With decreased blood circulation, the muscle from the heart does not receive enough oxygen. This can cause damage, deterioration, and death from the heart muscle. Angina: Angina is chest pain related to an imbalance between the oxygen demand of the heart and the quantity of oxygen delivered through the blood. It's caused by blockage or narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Angina differs from a heart attack in that the arteries are not completely blocked, and it causes little if any permanent harm to the heart. "Stable" angina occurs repetitively and predictably during exercising and disappears with rest. "Unstable" angina leads to unusual and unpredictable pain not relieved totally by rest, or pain that really occurs at rest. Aortic dissection: The aorta is the main artery that supplies blood towards the vital organs from the body, like the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and intestines. Dissection means a tear in the inner lining from the aorta. This can cause massive internal bleeding and interrupt blood circulation to the vital organs. Pulmonary embolism: A pulmonary embolus is really a blood clot in one of the major arteries that supplies the lungs. It is a potentially life-threatening cause of chest pain however is not linked to the heart. Spontaneous pneumothorax: Often called a collapsed lung, this problem is the place air enters the saclike space between the chest wall and the lung tissue. Normally, negative pressure in the chest cavity allows the lungs to grow. When a spontaneous pneumothorax occurs, air enters the chest area cavity. When the pressure balance sheds, the lung is unable to re-expand. This cuts off the standard oxygen supply in your body. Perforated viscus: A perforated viscus is really a hole or tear within the wall associated with a area of the gastrointestinal tract. This allows air to go in the abdominal cavity, which irritates the diaphragm, and can cause heart problems. Cocaine-induced chest pain: Cocaine causes the blood vessels in the body to constrict. This can decrease blood flow towards the heart, causing chest pain. Cocaine also accelerates the advancement of atherosclerosis, a risk factor for a heart attack. Reasons for chest pain that aren't immediately life-threatening include the following: Acute pericarditis: This is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that covers one's heart. Mitral valve prolapse: Mitral valve prolapse is an abnormality of one of the heart valves in which the "leaves" from the valve bulge into the upper heart chamber during contraction. When this happens, a small amount of blood flows backward in the heart. This is believed by some to be a cause of heart problems in a few people, even though this has not been proven with certainty. Pneumonia: Pneumonia is definitely an infection from the lung tissue. Chest pain occurs due to inflammation towards the lining from the lungs. Disorders from the esophagus: Chest pain from esophageal disorders is definitely an alarming symptom because it often mimics heart problems from a cardiac arrest. Acid reflux disease (gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD, heartburn) is the place acidic digestive juices flow backward in the stomach in to the esophagus. The resulting heartburn is sometimes experienced as chest pain. Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus. Esophageal spasm is defined as excessive, intensified, or uncoordinated contractions of the smooth muscle of the esophagus. Costochondritis: It is really an inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs. Pain is usually located in the mid-chest, with intermittently dull and sharp pain that may be increased with deep breaths, movement, and deep touch. Herpes zoster: Also known as shingles, this is a reactivation from the viral infection that causes chickenpox. With shingles, a rash occurs, usually only on one small part of the body. The pain, often very severe, is usually limited to the area of the rash. The pain sensation may precede the rash by 4-7 days. Risks include any symptom in that the immune system is compromised, such as advanced age, HIV, or cancer. Herpes zoster is extremely contagious to individuals who have not had chickenpox or haven't been vaccinated against chickenpox for that 5 days before and the five days following the appearance of the rash. So in this situation you should never start smoking again and if the chest pain persist please tell your doctor to investigate it properly and do the needful. With regards M.K. Gupata |