Middle Chest Pain: What to Know

The article was consulted professionally by Ms. Ngo Dac Thanh Huy, ThS.BS. Pham Van Hung – Cardiologist, Share99 Danang International Health Hub.

Chest pain is a common feeling in the community, especially in older adults and at risk of coronary artery disease. This is a fores warning symptom of many dangerous cardiovascular events. It is necessary to equip the knowledge of chest pain, the orientation of timely and proper handling to protect the health of yourself and your loved ones.

Middle chest pain is when the person feels pain in the middle of the chest or may deviate to the left. Sometimes, patients don't think it's painful, but describe feeling like a strong, squeezed, or strangled sensation; sometimes, accompanied by nervousness, shortness of breath, sweating, drooping limbs.

The most worrying source of repeated chest pains is due to obstruction of circulation of blood vessels that feed the heart. This condition causes issoemia in the myocardialmuscles , if prolonged progress will cause myocardial infarction, increasing the risk of sudden death.

The thoracic cage is a place where many organs are contained. Therefore, any damage inside the body causes the patient to feel chest pain in the middle. Even those in the abdomen such as the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas,… when experiencing pathology, it can still be manifested by chest pain due to the reference pain mechanism, spreading according to the primitive neurodactage. Therefore, the detailed extraction of pain characteristics is extremely important to determine the right cause.

The cause that is always thought of first by doctors is cardiovascular diseases. Coronary abnormalities, atherosclerosis arteries, decreased perfusence, and myocardial deficiency will mostly present the first symptom of chest pain. The patient describes the pain positioned in front of the sternum, deviating to the area in front of the heart, which usually occurs when physical exertion, fast walking, climbing stairs, psychological agitation,…

Pain decreases or stops at rest. A few may suffer even during rest, sudden chest hengges of intense intensity, with sweating, shortness of breath, rest without pain, causing the patient to hold their chest because of pain, it is necessary to think about the possibility of myocardial infarction, coronary artery is completely blocked. In addition, other cardiovascular diseases such as coronary spasms, arrhythmias, heartfailure, myocarditis,… also often manifested by pain between the chest.

Besides the heart, diseases belonging to the respiratory body such as pneumonia, asthma, obstructive pulmonarydisease, thick pleural inflammation, effusion, pleural effusion,pulmonary embolism, lung cancer,… In addition to the symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, the person can declare chest pain attached.

In some cases, patients feel that the pain position is shallow on the chest wall, local or spread by the ribs, it is thought that it is caused by pain of the intersentular nerve or pain caused by muscles, bones in the chest wall after injury, pressing position.

Chest pain is also a symptom of diseases of the upper gastrointestinal system. Patients with vague chest pain and accompanied by poor appetite, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, belching, belching, flatulence, abdominal obstruction ,… Common causes are peptic ulcer,gastroesophageal reflux, colitis,… In addition, chest pain can also be caused by diaphragm anesthose, liver anethracnose.

Cases of chest pain are relatively "benign" rather than seen in women around premenausal age, the mechanism of which is due to changes in female sex hormones, or psychological causes, fear, nervousness.

Due to the various causes of pain, the effects of this symptom depend on the body that causes the disease.

If the middle chest pain is indeed cardiovascular, this is a dangerous, life-threatening condition at any time. With stable angina pectoral pains, which occur only when the patient exerts exertion, a decrease in rest is a sign of the coronary artery that has begun to narrow, reducing perfusions to the heart. If there is a subjective attitude, this condition lasts without any intervention that will result in myocardial infarction, necrosis of the heart muscle and otherwise timely emergency will lead to sudden death due to the heart.

Chest pain caused by other body systems also proves that the disease is progressing with severeness, requiring active treatment, avoiding further spread of the disease, causing unpredictable complications.

Chest pain with heart causes is the most common and worrying condition, especially in subjects at high risk of atherosclerosis.

These are older people, who have hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, chronic kidneydisease , total obesity, smoking and lead a sedular, sedular lifestyle. Women will increase their risk of coronary artery disease when they reach menopause. If the family history has parents, siblings, grandparents suffered cardiovascular events at a relatively young age such as myocardial infarction, issy local issentiemia, cerebral infarction,… before the age of 55 for men, before the age of 65 for women, there is a higher risk of coronary artery disease.

When chest pain occurs during exertion, it is necessary to immediately stop activities, find a place to rest and take deep breaths. If medications are available, immediately use the vascular relaxant by sucking or spraying under the tongue. The drug helps increase blood flow to the heart muscle and the pain will calm down slowly. After that, it is necessary to closely monitor the patient, if after 20 minutes without remission, the pain is more, the patient is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, drooping limbs,… should be admitted to the hospital immediately for timely handling.

However, patients should visit a specialist, actively diagnose the cause and adhere to treatment, prevention is really necessary. It is necessary to take medications for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, blood fats, blood pressure,… every day and re-examine when the medication runs out if you have these diseases.

Besides, a proper diet, a variety of vegetables and fruits, limiting grease, fat, living, practicing, resting in mode also help improve angina. Do not smoke, limit the use of stimulants such as alcohol, beer, coffee,… Choosing an active lifestyle, optimistic thinking, less sorrow, anger is also a way for the pains to quickly cool down.

In summary, chest pain is an alarming sign of cardiovascular diseases as well as diseases on the respiratory and digestive systems. Do not be subjective, need early examination and treatment to prevent unfortunate risks.