The term 'chest pain  is a very common term and is usually used in day to day life. Basically, chest pain refers to the pain that may generate in your chest, shoulder and can travel to your ribs, jaws and towards your arms. The feeling of the pain can be sharp or dull, depending on the severity of your condition and cause.

There can be several reasons behind chest pain. You need to conduct a few tests to examine the real cause of the chest pain. It is always advised by health experts to take the symptoms of chest pain very seriously in order to avoid any serious problem in the future. Most of the severe and life-threatening diseases behind chest pain involve lung and heart problems. People having serious heart problems often feel discomfort, followed by pain in their chest area.

Symptoms
Chest pain which is related to any heart disease such as heart attack usually has symptoms like:

Feeling of fullness and tightness in the chest region
Vomiting
Nausea
Burning or crushing pain, which travels from the chest to jaw, hands and back region.
Weakness
Breathing problem
Usually, it is very tough to distinguish whether the pain is associated with a heart problem or not. But generally chest pains which are not related to heart problems involves symptoms like

Sensation in your mouth
Problem in swallowing food
Pain that worsens when you cough
Burning sensation in your chest
Common causes of chest pain

Angina: Angina is a medical condition described as a feeling of discomfort or pain in the chest region. This situation occurs when your heart muscles don't receive blood, which contains rich oxygen. Angina is a symptom of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). The pain can take place in your shoulder, jaw, neck and arms also.
Lung problems: People with lung disorders can encounter various types of chest pains. But some common causes are:
Pleurisy: It is a type of medical condition, which occurs due to inflammation of the lining of chest and lungs. Due to this, you feel a sharp pain at the time of breathing, coughing or sneezing.
Pneumonia: It is a type of lung infection, which causes chest pain.
Pneumothorax: It is a type of lung disorder, which occurs when a portion of your chest gets collapsed.
Asthma: It is a type of condition, which occurs due to shortness of breath and causes chest pain while coughing, sneezing and breathing.
Gastrointestinal problem: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is also a common reason for chest pain such as burning sensation in your heart.
Other causes of chest pain: There are several other reasons of chest pain such as muscle strain, ribs injury, shingles, anxiety and panic attacks. It is always important to visit a physician whenever you encounter any of such chest pain symptoms.

How Chest Pain Related to Heart Problems?

If you thought that chest pain occurred only due to a heart-related issue like a heart attack, you are wrong. Chest pain is one of the most common reasons that people visit the emergency services and it can be caused due to problems with your heart, lungs and digestive system. 

Chest pain can be due to either of these two main reasons:

Heart- related Issues

1. Heart attacks called myocardial infarctions are very common reasons for chest pains. During a heart attack, the blood supply that serves the heart with oxygen is cut off due to plaque build-up in heart arteries causing the death of heart muscles. 

Other reasons for heart attacks are blood clots or torn blood vessels. 
Not all people having a heart attack have symptoms. Usually, people report symptoms like chest pain, upper body pain, nausea, sweating, fatigue, and trouble breathing.
A heart attack is a serious medical emergency for which immediate care is needed.
2. Angina pectoris is a type of chest pain that results from reduced blood flow to the heart. Low blood flow means your heart doesn t get enough oxygen. The angina pain is often triggered by physical activity or emotional stress and feels like a vice squeezing your chest or a heavy weight on your chest. It can also spread from your chest to your neck, arms, and shoulders. Other symptoms are fatigue, dizziness and nausea and these normally last up to 15 minutes only.

3. Unstable angina which causes crushing chest pains suddenly and even when you are not doing anything strenuous is a medical emergency as it can lead to a heart attack. This usually shows that your heart, arteries are narrowing alarmingly.

4. Other heat-related reasons for chest pains are-

Mitral valve narrowing or stenosis
Heart arrhythmias
Coronary Artery disease
Inflammation of heart muscles or pericardium and weakening of the heart muscles. 
All of these are emergencies and need immediate medical attention to prevent a fatality.

Not Heart- related:

1. Lung conditions like Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Pulmonary embolism. 

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. It causes inflammation in your lung s air sacs and makes them full of pus which makes it difficult to breathe and causes chest pains, amongst other debilitating symptoms.
Bronchitis is an inflammation of your bronchial tubes. It can be chronic or acute and it can cause a cough with mucus and chest pains. 
Pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that occurs in the lungs. It can go on to damage parts of your lung due to limited blood flow. Apart from this, it can also decrease oxygen levels in the blood and affect other organs. 
It can be life-threatening due to permanent lung damage. The most common symptom of a pulmonary embolism is gradual or sudden shortness of breath. 

There is also- 

bluish skin tone 
anxiety
fainting
hest pain that extends into your arm, jaw, neck, and shoulder
lightheadedness
2. Rib cage inflammation or Costochondritis is also known as Tietze s syndrome. It is an inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage. Patients experience chest pain in the upper and middle rib area on either side of the body due to this. The pain can also radiate to the back or the abdomen, getting worse if you move, stretch, or breathe deeply.

3. Food pipe disease or Esophagitis is any inflammation or irritation of the oesophagus, a tube that sends food from your throat down to your stomach.

Common causes of food pipe disease are acid reflux or GERD and bacterial or viral infections. 

GERD- This condition occurs when the stomach contents and acids back up into the oesophagus. This causes chest pain that can mimic a heart disease. There may also be oesophagal spasms due to GERD.

Chest Pain - Reasons and Treatment

Chest pain may be caused by multiple problems within the body and while being a problem in itself, may also be a symptom of a bigger underlying problem. Chest pain may be caused by anything from simple chest congestion due to a cold to something far more serious such as the onset of a heart attack. While it is important that life style changes be made to prevent major issues, homeopathy can provide relief for many symptoms till extensive medical steps are taken to correct the problem.

Some causes of chest pain
1. Angina
2. Onset of a heart attack
3. Atherosclerosis
4. Weakness of the arteries
5. Weakness of the heart muscle
6. Palpitations
7. Bradycardia
8. Chest congestion or cold

Symptoms associated with chest pain

Stable angina   Vice like constriction or choking, pain may be spread to right or left arm or both, dyspnoea before pain.
Unstable angina   Chest pain occurs at rest.
Pericarditis   Pain radiates to the left side of the shoulder which gets worse by lying in a flat position.
Pneumothorax   Severe chest pain along with shortness of breath, cyanosis, restlessness and collapse.
Pneumonia   Sharp pain which, gets worse by taking deep breath and coughing.
Pulmonary embolism   Short rapid breathing, sharp pain in middle of the chest that is worse by deep breathing.
Gastroesophagial reflux disease   Difficult painful swallowing, pain in the middle of chest which, extends to neck, back and shoulders.
Myocardial  Vomiting, dyspnoea features of shock, profuse sweating, fever, low blood pressure, pulse small rapid and irregular
Homeopathic remedies for various kinds of chest pain

Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which a patient is suffering.

The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat chest pain, but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility of the patient. For this patient s current symptoms, past medical history and family history are taken into account. There are many homeopathic remedies which cover the symptoms of chest pain and can be selected on the basis of cause, location, sensation, modalities and extension of the pain. For individualized remedy selection and treatment of chest pain, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. In medical emergencies like myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism, immediate hospitalization is usually required. Some important remedies are given below for the treatment of chest pain:

Arnica mont.   Chest pain with sore and bruised feeling.
Ranunculus b.   Good remedy for intercostal rheumatism, sharp stitching pain in the chest along with dyspnoea.
Kali carb.   Stitching pain in the chest,  which gets worse between 2-3 A.M
Actea racemosa.   Pain worse on the right side.
Bryonia   Chest pain is of stitching, burning and stabbing in nature, is worse by motion and better by rest and pressure. Thirst for large quantities of water and dryness of mucous membranes often accompanies.
Rumex c.   Sharp stitching pain through the left lung, often with cough.
Stannum   Knife like stitches, worse on bending forward and left side.
Phosphorus   Violent tickling cough, chest pain due to tuberculosis of lungs or pneumonia along with oppression of the chest.
Aconite   Chest pain due to pneumonia of first stage along with anxiety and restlessness.
Robinia   Burning pain behind sternum due to hyperacidity.
Strophanthus   Chest pain is of stitching and twitching in nature and often of cardiac origin.

Chest Pain - Can Homeopathic Remedies Treat it?

In addition to pumping blood to various organs, the heart also has its own blood supply, through which it receives its oxygen and nutrient supply. In patients with coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis, there is a narrowing of the blood vessels which reduces the amount of blood flow to the target organs, including the heart. 

When this happens in the heart, there is chest pain due to overexertion of the heart muscles. There could be two patterns to this chest pain. With regular exertion like exercise, there would be chest pain, and most patients are familiar with this pattern.

This is known as angina pectoris or stable angina. In some people or in some instances, chest pain occurs which is sudden and not of a predictable pattern. It could be related to extreme exertion or stress. This is known as unstable angina and can lead to heart attack and be life-threatening.

Stable angina or angina pectoris has a stable, predictable pattern which most patients get familiar with over a period of time and learn to manage. Read on to know more about the signs and symptoms and management techniques.

Signs and symptoms: Stable angina usually occurs after a round of physical exertion. The patient feels a feeling of tightness in the chest which feels like the chest being squeezed. The pain can gradually spread to the shoulder, arms and even the neck. The pain can also be induced by eating, exposure to cold, emotional stress. It lasts for about 15 minutes and is relieved by rest and sublingual nitroglycerin. The pain intensity does not change with position or coughing. In addition, the patient may also experience shortness of breath, fatigue, profuse sweating, nausea, and dizziness.
The patient may be able to detect signs on further testing including ECG, echocardiography and stress testing. Features like cardiomegaly, altered ejection fraction would be detected based on the severity of the disease.

Treatment: Immediate treatment to relieve the pain includes resting and sublingual nitroglycerin. On an ongoing basis, the treatment would include 3 approaches   lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery.

Lifestyle changes: Regular exercise, smoking cessation, reduced fat intake, reduced alcohol consumption, weight loss, and stress management are some lifestyle changes to be made to improve symptoms.
Medications: A number of medications would be used depending on patient s symptoms. Aspirin to prevent clotting, medications to control blood pressure and cholesterol and diabetes.
Surgery: In patients with advanced coronary artery disease, revascularization methods may be required, which includes angioplasty and coronary bypass.
In a person with known risk factors, it is advisable to have regular checkups so that the disease progression can be controlled and symptoms managed with minimal intervention.

Predictable Chest Pain Pattern - What Does It Indicate?

A sensation of pain in the chest is almost automatically associated with having a heart attack. While it is true that it is one of the best indicators of a heart attack, there are quite a few other things which can cause one s chest to pain and not all need to necessarily be as time critical as a heart attack. So, what are the various things one should be aware of when it comes to pain in the chest? In order to understand chest pain better, it is first very important to understand the various types of chest pain better! So, there is a sharp pain, its opposite which happens to be a dull pain, burning, aching, stabbing pain, as well as a crushing sensation.

Let s start with the elephant in the room, which is medically known as myocardial infarction or referred to as the infamous heart attack. This occurs when the muscle cells, which are located in the heart die on account of not enough blood flowing through the heart. In simple terms, the best way to get to know that one is having a heart attack is when the person feels a seriously crushing pain in the centre or the left side of the chest. What could be said to be unique about this type of pain is that resting does not make it better.

Another condition of the heart which is often mistaken by the layman for a heart attack happens to be myocarditis. Inflammation of the heart muscle leads to fatigue and a fast beating of the heart. The person would also experience some difficulty breathing.
Heart disease can come in multiple forms and one of those is known as CAD or Coronary Artery Disease. When there is a blockage in the blood vessels of the heart, the pain [which is known as angina] is caused by this blockage. The probably solitary source of good news is that permanent damage to the heart is not caused by CAD!
That being said, a heart attack is a greater possibility. The pain in the chest could spread to the jaw or the back, or even the arm. The sensation is that of the body part being squeezed. The first thing to be done when angina occurs is to rest in order to lower the pain.
While these conditions have focused on the heart, pneumonia affecting the lungs can cause deep chest ache. It causes a cough and chills. There is also likely to be pus from the respiratory tract which is coughed up!
Asthma is yet another respiratory issue which could cause chest pain!

Chest Pain - Reasons Behind It!

My child complains of Chest Pain. Should you be worried?

Chest pain is a common complaint among children. For a parent, it can be worrisome because there is a natural tendency to associate chest pain with the heart. The good news is, in more than 95% of cases, chest pain is non-cardiac in origin.

What signs will tell me that the pain may be related to the heart?

Chest pain that occurs in association with certain pointers needs a thorough evaluation. Some of the features that may suggest a heart-related condition include:

Associated breathing difficulty or dizziness
Chest pain that is brought on by exercise
When cardiac disorders run in the family or there have been sudden deaths at a young age in the family
A past medical condition like Kawasaki disease or connective tissue disorder
The following features suggest that a non-cardiac cause is likely:

If the pain follows direct trauma to the chest or is worsened on local pressure: the muscles or bones that form the chest wall are the likely origin of pain
Wheezing or fever and cough: a lung problem is likely
A burning pain beneath the breastbone, especially in relation to certain types of food: may be related to the digestive system
A stressful situation at school or home: a psychological cause of chest pain may be considered.
What can I expect at the doctor s visit?

If your child complains of chest pain, it is important to take him or her to the doctor. Your doctor will first take a detailed history and examine the child. ECG, a record of the electrical activity of the heart, gives an initial idea whether or not the pain may be related to the heart. Other tests that may be ordered include a chest XRay, a  heart-scan  (echocardiogram), a stress test, or further tests based on the findings on evaluation.

Chest Pain In Children - Should You Be Worried?

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