WHAT IS CHEST PAIN? 

Chest pain ranges from a sharp stab to a dull ache. Sometimes it can feel crushing or burning in nature. While in a few cases, the pain travels up the neck, into the jaw, and then radiates to the back or down one or both arms. The most life-threatening chest pain causes involve the heart or lungs. 

Causes Of Chest Pain. Chest pain has many possible causes, such as: 

• Heart-related causes ( Heart attack, Angina, Aortic dissection, Pericarditis, etcetera) 
• Digestive causes (Heartburn, Esophagus, Gallbladder or Pancreas problems)
• Muscle and Bone disorders ( like, Costochondritis, Sore muscles, Fibromyalgia, et cetera)  
• Injured ribs (Bruised or broken ribs due to accident or other injury )
• Lung disorders ( Pulmonary embolism, Pleurisy, Collapsed lung, Pulmonary hypertension)
• Panic attack
• Shingles 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CHEST PAIN?

Heart-related chest pain

• Pressure, fullness, burning or tightness in chest
• Crushing or searing pain that radiates to the back, neck, jaw, shoulders, and one or both arms
• Pain that lasts more than a few minutes, gets worse with activity, goes away and comes back
• Shortness of breath
• Cold sweats
• Dizziness or weakness
• Nausea or vomiting

Other types of chest pain

Chest pain that is less likely due to a heart problem is more often associated with:

• A sour taste in mouth
• Trouble swallowing
• Pain that gets better or worse with  change of body position
• Pain that intensifies while breathing or coughing deeply
• Tenderness on pushing on the chest
• Persistent pain for many hours

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT 

Diagnosis: Though the Chest pain doesn't always signal a heart attack. But that's exactly what doctors on emergency duty will test for first including the life-threatening lung conditions like a collapsed lung or a clot in the lung. Some of the Immediate diagnostic tests may include: 

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Blood tests 
• Chest X-ray
• Computerized tomography (CT scan)
• Stress tests

Treatment: Treatment varies largely depending on the cause of the chest pain.

(a) Medications ( Artery relaxers, Aspirin, Thrombolytic drugs, Blood thinners, Acid-suppressing medications, Antidepressants, etc) 

(b) Surgical and other procedures ( Angioplasty and stent placement, Bypass surgery, Dissection repair, Lung reinflation)  

(c) Psychological therapy might be recommended in case chest pain does not have a physiological cause. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: 

Chest pain can be life threatening, seek immediate medical help in case of a new or unexplained chest pain or it is suspected as a heart attack.