The Importance of Treating Nonhealing Wounds
Unhealed, untreated wounds run the risk of becoming infected, which can lead to more pain, more discomfort, and more problems. Learn why it’s vital to treat nonhealing wounds as soon as possible.
Is Chest Pain Always Heart-Related?
Chest pain is a worrisome symptom, but it doesn’t always mean you’re having a heart attack or that it’s even related to your heart. Understanding the causes of chest pain can help you determine when you need to seek medical help.
At Heart Vascular & Leg Center in Bakersfield, California, our team of board-certified cardiologists understands how frightening chest pain can be and how anxious you are about the potential cause. That’s why we offer a full range of diagnostic tools and therapeutic options to get to the bottom of your problem and get you back on your feet.
What are some non-heart-related conditions?
We can narrow down what may be causing your chest pain by where you feel the pain. If you feel it in the middle of your chest, you may have a digestive issue such as:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): worse when you lie down or after eating
- Ulcer: burning or aching sensation right under your breastbone; gets worse with acidic foods or alcohol
- Muscle spasms in your esophagus: squeezing feeling under breastbone; may have trouble swallowing
- Esophagitis: burning pain under your breastbone from inflammation
Digestive issues with pain on the right side include gallstones. Digestive issues with pain on the left side include:
- Hiatal hernia: stomach breaches diaphragm muscle
- Gastritis: inflammation may produce pain and nausea
- Pancreatitis: pain in upper abdomen can also make you nauseous
A number of pulmonary (lung) issues can also cause chest pain:
- Pulmonary embolism: blood clot from another part of body blocks a pulmonary artery, causing sharp pain when you breathe
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): chest feels tight
- Pneumonia: lung infection produces pain on either side of chest along with fever, chills, and a cough
- Pleurisy or pleuritis: sharp chest pain and possible pain in shoulder
- Pneumothorax (collapsed lung): sharp pain in chest, neck, and shoulder
Even asthma, which makes it hard to breathe, can cause tightness in your chest.
Chest pain and heart problems
Many heart-related problems stem from atherosclerosis, the buildup of a plaque on the artery or vein walls composed of cholesterol, fats, protein, calcium, and cell debris. Known colloquially as “hardening of the arteries,” it narrows the conduits transporting blood, making the heart pump harder to move the blood your body needs to survive.
Atherosclerosis can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), which can put undue force on the blood vessel walls, leading to bulges and tears and causing a number of symptoms.
Chest pain on the left side, extending into your arm, shoulder, back, and even your jaw, is often an indication of a circulatory system problem. It may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pressure
- Chest tightness
- Cold sweats
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
These symptoms may be caused by a number of heart-related conditions, and if you experience any of them, you should seek immediate medical attention.
- Angina: oxygen-rich blood doesn’t reach your heart due to a plaque buildup in your artery walls
- Heart attack: heart muscle dies when it can’t get enough oxygen
- Coronary artery disease: clogged arteries (plaque buildup) can’t deliver enough blood to heart; typically worse with exercise
- Coronary artery dissection: coronary artery wall bulges and blocks artery; may lead to a heart attack
- Pericarditis: inflammation in the lining around your heart causes sharp pain in your chest that’s worse lying down or with breathing
- Aortic aneurysm: high blood pressure makes aorta wall bulge out
- Aortic dissection: bulge in aorta wall tears, creating sudden, severe pain in chest or abdomen, back, and between the shoulder blades; requires immediate attention
The best way to prevent these serious heart-related conditions is to come into Heart Vascular & Leg Center for periodic evaluations to ensure your circulatory system is the healthiest it can be. If you’re already suffering from chest pain and related symptoms, we offer state-of-the-art treatments that address the underlying problem and help you reclaim your life.
To schedule a consultation with one of our cardiologists, give our office a call at 661-443-5524 to set one up, or book online today.
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