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Chest Pain Overview:
Chest pain plagues millions of Americans a year. It is one of the most pervasive and frightening symptoms that a person can ever experience. It is the result of irritation and inflammation in the chest area. But the cause of this pain could vary from organ to organ, due to the amount of anatomical structures located in the chest. In there chest there are lungs, a heart, the food pipe, and the wind pipe. If there is any issue with any of these structures then you will have chest pain. If any of these structures are damaged, it is an immediate emergency. We want to give you the information that is necessary to be able to talk to your medical care provider in an informed fashion. That is why we will list the emergent and non-emergency causes of chest pain. If you have questions about chest pain then call our toll free number now.
Acid Reflux: The stomach is filled with acidic juices that are able to melt glass completely. This is a very powerful solution that the stomach possesses, and if it is misplaced in the wrong area of the digestive tract there can be immediate issues associated with pain, nausea, and gas. The food pipe is the tube that leads to the stomach. The stomach is typically closed to the food pipe unless there is food immediately available like during breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food pipe will open up temporarily to allow food to enter. When this food enters the stomach can bubble and the acid can reflux into the food pipe. This will cause a burning sensation as the acid reacts with the covering of the food pipe causing severe chest pain very similar to that of a heart attack. Acid reflux is often mistaken for heart attacks for this reason. But this is no reason to not get evaluated if you are having chest pain. It is very difficult to distinguish chest pain from a heart attack in many instances. This means that it is always best to be safe rather than sorry. If you think you are having a heart attack call 911 immediately. If you have any more questions about acid reflux and its symptoms call our toll free number now. Food Pipe Spasms: The food pipe connects the mouth to the stomach. It is also known as the esophagus. The food pipe is a soft and stretchy structure that is made of smooth muscle. This muscle is just like any other muscle in that it contracts and relaxes to do a mechanical job. That job is to move food from your mouth, to your stomach. But like any other muscle, the food pipe can spasm and cramp causing pain very similar to a heart attack. If you have been given nitrates for chest pain of cardiac nature these nitrates will also cure food pipe spasms. So it will make it much harder to differentiate the two diseases based on nitrate treatment. Because the food pipe spasm is so much like a heart attack it is best to be evaluated by a trained medical profession in order to gain insight into the true cause of your chest pain. Call now if you have more questions about food pipe spasms. For questions call us at 1 336-252-2215. |
Heart Emergencies
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Arrhythmias: These are another cause of chest pain that is heart related and possibly an emergency. The heart is the most reliable biological structure known to human beings. It beats continuously from the first 8-10 weeks of inception in the womb/birth canal, and continues until a human being dies which is on average 78 years. This is the result of an electrical system that powers the heart and the entire circulation. This electrical system lets the heart beat rhythmically, but when it is disrupted the heart can cease to beat in any sort of functional fashion causing symptoms from chest pain, a racing heart, passing out, or even sudden death. This is why it is important to get evaluated immediately for any sort of chest pain. If it is due to an arrhythmia your local doctor can measure the electrical impulses from the heart and make the proper diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is made your doctor can make the appropriate intervention to make sure your heart keeps beating the correct way.
Heart Murmurs: Heart murmurs are the sounds that are made when there is something anatomically out of place in the heart. The heart is a one way pump that pushes blood forward in a rhythmic beating fashion. This blood passes through the lungs picking up oxygen and pushes this oxygen out to the rest of the body. This process can be compromised if the heart has problems with its walls and its one way valves. The valves keep blood going forward. If there is a tendency for blood to come back through the one-way valve then the valve keeps the blood in check. If a valve fails the entire forward flow of blood can be compromised and parts of your body can suffocate causing symptoms of a racing heart, chest pain, passing out, and even sudden cardiac death. It is difficult to diagnose an issue like this if you are not a trained medical professional. That is why it is imperative to get consultation whenever you are having chest pain to make sure you will be ok. Call our toll free number now if you have any more questions about heart emergencies. |
Heart Attack
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Heart attacks are the condition most thought of when a person experiences chest pain. Heart attacks are the result of an artery meant to feed the heart failing. This artery is called the coronary artery. Reasons it could fail are most likely due to wear and tear on the artery, as well as plaque/gunk build up on the artery. If this artery is compromised then the entire heart can suffocate due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. This results in the classic symptoms of chest pain, nausea, vomiting, sweating and radiation of chest pain to the neck and jaw. This is the most likely and typical chest pain to be encountered during a heart attack, but patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Diabetes, and patients with a female gender can all experience a multitude of atypical and abnormal symptoms. That is why it is always best to call 911 and get to your nearest dispatcher if you are having chest pain. People with high blood pressure, diabetes, and older patients, are at risk for heart attacks. If you have a family member who has had a heart attack you may be at higher risk as well. If you are having chest pains it is always best to get an evaluation by a medical professional in order to make sure everything is healthy and normal. Call your local 911 dispatcher if you are having chest pains. If you would like to know more about chest pains then call our toll free number now. For questions call us at 1 336-252-2215.
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