Chest Pain Causes
Chest pain can seem to be heart pain when it is related to the digestive tract. When acid refluxes (flows back) into the esophagus, it can cause a burning sensation in the chest. This chest pain can be mistaken for heart pain - the reason it was named as it was, even though it has nothing to do with the heart. This is a distressing condition because of the immediate suspicion in the mind of the sufferer that they are, or are about to suffer a myocardial infarction (heart attack). When it is caused by stress, your chest pain is not serious. As you respond to unusual demands on your body, emotions, or mind, you may tighten the muscles of the chest. This causes chest pain. As chest pain whether or not a sharp pain is often feared as a heat attack. However, there still remain many other possible causes for chest pains. When some causes are serious and life threatening there are mildly inconvenient causes as well.
Fatty deposits can build up in the arteries that carry blood to the heart. This can reduce their width, and this in turn can cause a restriction of the blood flow to the heart, which is usually more noticeable after physical activity or exertion. Chest pain can be caused by heart attack, probably the most life-threatening condition. Other heart conditions can also cause chest pain, and should receive medical attention. A blood clot can lodge in a lung artery, blocking blood flow to the tissue of the lungs. This condition, a pulmonary embolism, is similar to pleurisy in that the localized chest pain is made worse by a cough or deep breath. Other lung conditions can also cause chest pain. These may include, sweating, dizziness and vomiting. Other symptoms may be pain in you jaw or left arm. You also may experience shortness of breath.
Besides these kinds of causes, chest hurt may also be related to psychiatric conditions and panic disorder. Muscle contractions in the chest wall are likely the cause of chest hurt from panic attacks. Anxiety attacks can cause chest pains because when one feels threatened, adrenaline is automatically released to prepare the body for flight. Adrenaline speeds up the heart and breathing rates and causes muscles to contract.