Chest Pain and Heartburn

Chest | Cardiology | Chest Pain and Heartburn (Symptom)


Description

The heartburn or chest pain is one of the most common complaints that lead a patient to the emergency room. The pursuit of immediate lifesaving and public education has been made to get patients to access medical care when they have a chest pain.

Causes

While the patient may be concerned about a heart attack, there are many other causes of chest pain that health care should be taken into account. Some diagnoses are life threatening, while others are less dangerous. Any organ or tissue in the chest can be the source of pain, including the heart, lungs, esophagus, muscles, ribs, tendons or nerves.

Pain can also spread to the chest from the neck, abdomen and back. Heart problems that can cause chest pain may be associated with angina or heart attack is pain that occurs because the heart is not getting enough blood and oxygen. The most common symptom is chest pain that may feel like tightness, heavy pressure or crushing pain. The pain may radiate to the arm, shoulder, jaw or back.

Pain within the chest may be caused by pleurisy, as a result of bronchitis, pneumonia, or, rarely, pulmonary embolism. Cancerous tumours of the lung may cause pain as they grow and press on the pleura and ribs. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) may lead to heartburn, a burning pain behind the sternum.

...