Little-Known Causes of Chest Pain

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons for emergency room visits in the UK. Experiencing chest discomfort is scary, and many people assume the worst.

While it’s true that chest pain is a symptom of serious heart problems like a heart attack, it can also be a symptom of other, less serious conditions. Your lungs, muscles in the chest area, and digestive system can also cause chest pain.

If you experience pain caused by extreme pressure or tightness in your chest that doesn’t go away (with or without other symptoms such as nausea, radiating pain, shortness of breath, or sweating), go to the nearest hospital or call an ambulance.

It’s important to learn more about the lesser-known causes of chest pain as well as identify heart chest pain, so you can understand how to treat your chest pain and discomfort.

Causes of Chest Pain

While chest pain is a recognizable sign of a heart attack, it can also be caused by many other less serious conditions such as lung conditions, gastrointestinal issues, or injury/damage to the chest area.  

Heart-related causes of chest pain

1. Angina
2. Heart attack
3. Pericarditis
4. Myocarditis
5. Cardiomyopathy
6. Aortic dissection

Gastrointestinal causes of chest pain

1. Acid reflux or heartburn
2. Problems swallowing
3. Gallstones
4. Inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas

Lung-related causes of chest pain

1. Pneumonia
2. Viral bronchitis
3. Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
4. Blood clot
5. Bronchospasm

Muscle- or bone-related causes of chest pain

1. bruised or broken ribs
2. sore muscles from exertion or chronic pain syndromes
3. compression fractures causing pressure on a nerve

Other causes

Shingles and panic attacks are other little-known causes of chest pain that occur in people of all ages.

Chest pain symptoms      

As mentioned above, symptoms of chest pain can be caused by a variety of different conditions.

Heart-related symptoms

In addition to chest pain, there are many other symptoms that indicate heart problems, (not just heart attacks).

1. chest pressure or tightness
2. back, jaw, or arm pain
3. fatigue
4. light-headedness
5. dizziness
6. shortness of breath
7. abdominal pain
8. nausea
9. pain during exertion

Other little-known symptoms of chest pain

Symptoms that indicate your chest pain isn’t heart-related include:

1. a sour or acidic taste in your mouth
2. Chest pain that occurs after you eat
3. difficulty swallowing
4. pain severity that changes according to your body position
5. pain that’s worse when you breathe deeply or cough
6. pain accompanied by a rash
7. fever
8. aches
9. chills
10. runny nose
11. cough
12. feelings of panic or anxiety
13. hyperventilating
14. when back pain radiates to the front of the chest

Chest pain treatment

Your GP may use non-invasive procedures, medication, surgery, or a combination of these methods to treat your chest discomfort. The course of treatment depends on the severity and the cause of your chest pain.
Treatments for heart-related causes of chest pain include:

1. medication
2. cardiac catheterization
3. surgical repair of the arteries

Treatments for other causes of chest pain include:

1. lung reinflation for a collapsed lung
2. certain procedures or antacids for heartburn or acid reflux
3. anti-anxiety medicine

Pain relief gels or creams (anti-inflammatory and analgesic) such as Movelat Cream, Voltarol Emulgel, or Biofreeze are used to relieve muscular pain in the chest area due to injuries 

Online4Pharmacy is your go-to online pharmacy in the UK for all of your healthcare needs. We carry a full range of OTC pain relief gels and creams and antacids to relieve chest pain caused by gastrointestinal issues and muscular injuries to the chest area.