Pain in the chest is caused by a huge number of diseases. If the pain is concentrated in the chest in the middle, this may indicate minor problems in the body, but it can also be a very dangerous, life-threatening symptom.
Causes of chest pain
Of course, the sensation of severe pain in the chest always gives cause for concern. To find out its causes, and also to exclude serious illnesses is the task of physicians. Knowing the localization of pain, its intensity, nature and periodicity, frequency and duration, the doctor will diagnose, which if necessary is confirmed by in-patient examinations.
Depending on the nature, the pain in the middle of the chest can be felt like:
- dull pain in the chest;
- aching pain in the chest;
- acute pain in the chest;
- compressive pain in the chest;
- burning pain in the chest.
Diseases that cause these or other painful symptoms in the chest are very diverse.
The most dangerous of them:
- cardiac ischemia;
- aortic dissection;
- myocardial infarction;
- oncological diseases of the heart, respiratory organs, spine;
- thromboembolism of the lungs;
- acute pancreatitis;
- Penetration (rupture) of a stomach or duodenal ulcer.
To time to identify this kind of disease, do not wait with a visit to the doctor at the first manifestations of discomfort in the chest in the middle. If the pain in the chest is burning or pressing, you should immediately call an ambulance - perhaps, it's an attack of angina (if periodic pains in the chest have a clearly defined duration) or a heart attack.
Do not refuse from hospitalization, even if the attack is past, and the electrocardiogram produced a negative result. The indicators of such a home survey are not always effective and accurate. Typically, an attack of angina passes 15-20 minutes after taking nitroglycerin, the ECG made at the time of an attack can be relatively normal. But, at the same time, it is important to remember that patients with angina are within two steps of a heart attack. In turn, myocardial infarction has the same pain symptoms, but the pain is more intense, not passing after taking nitroglycerin and can last 8 or more hours. It is very important to remember that every lost minute can cost a further normal way of life, or become fatal.
One of the frequent causes of pain in the chest are diseases of a psychogenic nature. Symptoms of such diseases can be stabbing, sharp, dull and pressing pain. Localization is often concentrated in the upper left side of the breast, but in some cases, pain can be felt in the middle of the chest.
One of the distinguishing factors in the diagnosis of psychological illness with such symptoms are:
- high duration of pain, which ceases after taking sedatives;
- frequent changes in the nature, intensity and localization of pain.
Constant chest pain
Feeling of constant pain in the middle of the chest can
- the digestive tract;
- stomach;
- pancreas.
Caution should intensify over time, constant pain. Such symptoms of pain in the chest indicate a progressive development of the disease.