Are you having episodes of “tightness in chest” feeling? Whether you call it chest pain, tightness, pressure or discomfort, they all tend to send your mind racing to your heart, as in heart attack. Yet, a heart attack is not the only cause for a piqued chest.
Intermittent chest pain is prevalent, and chest discomfort in the younger crowd is often caused by something other than the heart. There are many conditions that cause the symptom of chest tightness, pressure or discomfort, for instance:
- angina
- asbestosis
- pericarditis
- myocarditis
- tuberculosis
- mesotheliom
- aspergilloma
- heart disease
- sore muscles
- panic attacks
- atrial fibrillation
- coxsackie virus
- aortic dissection
- altitude sickness
- low red blood cells
- cadmium poisoning
- pheochromocytoma
- mitral valve prolapse
- esophagus disorders
- coarctation of the aorta
- thoracic aortic aneurysm
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- carbon monoxide poisoning
- Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
- costochondritis ~ chest joint inflammation
- asthma ~ usually along with shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing
When all is not well with your lungs, they are notorious for causing chest pressure, for example:
- COPD
- pleurisy
- bronchitis
- pneumonia
- lung cancer
- pneumothorax
- bronchiectasis
- lung sarcoidosis
- whooping cough
- pulmonary embolism
- pulmonary hypertension
Your tightness in chest discomfort may also be caused by digestive problems like:
- heartburn
- gallstones
- indigestion
- stomach ulcer
- gallbladder disease
- gastroesophageal reflux
Chest pressure can be a side effect of your medications:
Any chest organ or tissue can be a source for your pain, such as:
- ribs
- heart
- lungs
- nerves
- tendons
- muscles
- esophagus
Esophagus being the most common. Esophageal spasms cause a burning sensation in your chest likely due to acid reflux or stress aggravation.
The chest tightness caused by anxiety and panic attacks is typically accompanied by impending doom feeling, dyspnea, heart palpitations, sweating and insomnia.
Your chest pressure and discomfort can be serious. So seek immediate health care, reworded is nearest emergency room or call 911, if:
- chest pain is inexplicable
- discomfort does not go away
- sudden crushing, squeezing chest pain or pressure
- chest tightness during physical activity or under emotional stress
- pain radiates into back, neck, jaw, shoulders, arms ~ especially the left side
- chest pain accompanied by nausea, sweating, dizziness or shortness of breath
These symptoms may or may not indicate a heart attack. But your future health may depend on ruling it out.
