Unfortunately, many symptoms cannot be interpreted unambiguously. In various people, certain manifestations may indicate completely different diseases. That is why in a condition where there is a sharp chest pain and heavy breathing, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Such a manifestation can be evidence of both non-dangerous health problems, and quite serious.
What does such symptomatology speak of?
The chest is conical in shape. It contains the respiratory system, heart, lungs and so on. Those pathologies that can cause breathing difficulties and pain can affect any organs located in the chest. In order to find out the cause and understand what causes the symptoms, you need to conduct a thorough diagnosis.
The doctor must diagnose the place where the pain is felt, what kind of character it is, how long it lasts, what additional symptoms there are, how the patient stops them, after what actions the pain begins to intensify, and so on.
Middle chest pain: causes
If the patient has a condition when there is a pressing pain in the chest and it is difficult to breathe, then this may indicate a large number of serious ailments. Consider briefly the most common:
- Stratification of the aortic aneurysm. This condition occurs if the patient has problems with the aorta. They are caused by injuries, hereditary factors, inflammatory processes. A person has a pressing and tearing pain. Pressure and heart rate decrease, the patient may lose consciousness. Pale skin appears and shortness of breath is observed.
- Injury. If it is difficult to breathe, and severe chest pain does not stop for several hours, you need to remember whether the patient was hit in the ribs or if he fell on them. Tissue rupture also leads to similar symptoms. In some situations, injuries lead to serious complications, such as lung deformities.
- Myocardial infarction. The described symptoms can speak of a heart attack. The manifestation is associated with the necrosis of muscle tissue of the heart muscle. Because of this, the ability to supply blood is reduced. It is difficult for the patient to indicate the localization of pain, since it does not have clear boundaries. He has a burning sensation and chest pain, it is difficult to breathe. Unpleasant sensations can be given to the arm or lower jaw. The pain is long, nothing can be stopped. The patient may have a fear of death.
- Neoplasms. In the event that the pain is pressing, it can be assumed that the patient has a neoplasm. A tumor can be either malignant or benign. Sometimes metastases in cancer of the stomach, breast, lungs can germinate. This is what gives the pain effect. In addition, sarcoma of bones or tissues brings discomfort. There is additional weakness, anemia, fever, the patient becomes irritable.
- Intercostal neuralgia. This condition develops, as a rule, due to hypothermia. It is characterized by compression of the roots of the nerves with ribs. A dangerous disease is not considered, but the fact that a person has chest pain and breathing hard is inconvenient. Unpleasant sensations have a clear localization. With physical activity, deep breathing and coughing, the pain becomes stronger. She is crushing, the condition does not stop. Patients note that the symptoms do not go away during the day, with palpation it becomes stronger.
- Rheumatic diseases. If a person has problems with joints and bones, then he will have the described symptoms. These diseases include arthritis, rheumatism, and so on. In addition, the patient also feels weakness, joint pain, erythema of the annular type and rheumatoid nodules appear. The patient quickly gets tired.
- Bone system problems. When chest pain occurs and breathing is difficult, these can be symptoms of osteochondrosis, sciatica, scoliosis, and so on. Similar problems affect bones and cartilage, so unpleasant sensations can occur. Also, the patient feels stiff, he has edema of the damaged area, meteorological sensitivity increases. Pain sensations intensify during physical exertion. They can be stopped with painkillers.
This list is not complete, as there are other problems that cause the described symptoms.
Left pain: causes
Many patients believe that if they have chest pain on the left and breathe hard, then they certainly have problems with the cardiovascular system. However, already cured patients report that in practice everything is completely different. Consider what leads to pain of a similar nature:
- Pleurisy. As the name implies, the disease affects the pleura. Pain of a pressing nature, shortness of breath occurs. Cervical veins swell, there is a fever and shortness of breath.
- Gastrointestinal problems. Many gastrointestinal diseases lead to pain on the left side of the chest. Often it is felt in the epigastric region. Pain sensations intensify after eating or with hunger. Concomitant symptoms are a violation of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Pulmonary embolism. The disease is characterized by problems with blood flow. Caused by the appearance of a blood clot. This condition often leads to death in a small amount of time. Adverse symptoms may be absent. Sometimes a cough occurs, it can be normal or with blood, tachycardia and fever begin. Patients may lose consciousness.
Additional reasons
Consider the less common causes:
- Pericarditis. A disease that affects heart tissue. The pain is growing. Sometimes it occurs abruptly. Swelling of veins, ascites and edema can be observed.
- Angina pectoris. The patient has difficulty breathing, and chest pain is pressing and burning. As a rule, it is localized near the heart, sometimes in other places. The condition can occur at any time of the day. Some patients suffer from discomfort while lying down. The pain intensifies after stress or physical activity. They affect the epigastric zone. Headache may occur. An attack can develop due to overeating, hypothermia, with an increase in pressure. You can stop with nitroglycerin.
In addition to the above problems, in case of pain on the left side of the patient, intercostal neuralgia, problems with bones, cartilage, tumors, injuries and so on can be suspected.
Contrary to popular belief that such symptoms only occur with problems with the vascular system, you need to sign up not to the cardiologist, but to the therapist. He will conduct an initial examination, make a possible diagnosis and refer you to the right specialist. This may be a neurologist, rheumatologist, gastroenterologist.
Pain on the right: causes
Pain in the chest on the right and difficulty breathing is a symptomatology that, in principle, may well occur with the above problems. If we talk about additional diseases, then this manifestation may indicate:
- pneumonia;
- oncology;
- bone problems;
- neuralgic diseases;
- respiratory tract infections.
Often, pain on the right can indicate that a person has had a muscle strain or has become too cold. If the discomfort is paroxysmal and regular, then you need to see a doctor.
Chest pain: causes
Another common symptom is chest pain and difficulty breathing. When diagnosing, it is important to understand where the pain gives. It is thanks to this that you can identify the cause. Consider the most common of them:
- Ulcer, gastritis.
- Inflammation and liver disease.
- Pinched nerves.
- Compression of the gallbladder during pregnancy.
- Joint problems.
- Abdominal or chest injury.
- Fracture of ribs.
- Inflammation of the heart muscle.
Sometimes such pain can occur with various chronic diseases.
Why is there not enough air?
If a person begins to experience pain in the chest, in the heart, breathing hard, then you need to think about the state of your health. One point should be noted, the main thing is that you do not have to panic. Consider the common causes that can cause similar symptoms:
- Angina. Along with the pain suffocation occurs. Tonsils enlarge, throat red. Sensations can occur during inspiration and during movements.
- Gastritis of acute form. This disease leads to the fact that the gastric epithelium dies.
- Cerebral atherosclerosis. This pathology is caused by problems with blood flow in the brain capillaries. This condition is caused by blockage of plaques. The patient's blood pressure rises, the heart rate goes astray, tinnitus occurs. With the help of nitroglycerin, you can relieve symptoms.
In addition to these reasons, it is necessary to highlight a number of others: pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, laryngitis, allergic reaction, thromboembolism, pleurisy, myocardial infarction and so on.
What to do to the patient?
First of all, you do not need to diagnose yourself. It is best to call an ambulance. While she is on a call, she should lie down with a pillow under her head. In addition, you need to loosen your clothes to make it easier to breathe. If you suspect that pain provokes heart disease, you need to drink nitroglycerin.
The patient should not be left alone. Even if the situation is not critical, it should be taken to a doctor as soon as possible.
First aid to the patient
If the patient suddenly began to breathe hard, and coughing and chest pain only worsen the condition, then first aid is necessary. Be sure to call a doctor. Before his arrival, the patient must be laid on a horizontal surface. He should relax and not panic. It is important that the patient breathes deeply. If the room is stuffy, you should turn on the fan, air conditioning or open the windows.
If the patient has severe pain, especially on the left side, he needs to be given a nitroglycerin tablet. If discomfort is on the right, then any pain medication. It is not necessary to abuse drugs.
Before the arrival of the doctors, the patient should not be left alone, placed on his stomach or back, this will lead to even worse consequences. It is strictly forbidden to do warming procedures and compresses, since with inflammation this will complicate the course of the pathology.
Treatment and reviews
What should the doctor do if the patient has difficulty breathing and the pain under the chest does not stop? Therapy will be determined depending on the nature of the pain and its causes.
If the patient has an injury to the spine, collarbone or ribs, a sprain of muscles and ligaments was diagnosed, then the doctor should first anesthetize the damaged area. To do this, you can use compresses with ice. They will not only relieve pain, but also relieve swelling. According to patients, this helped to significantly alleviate the condition and normalize breathing.
When stretching the muscles, you can use special ointments, creams, which also relieve pain (Troxevasin, Voltaren, Fastum Gel). Some experts recommend attending a massage, doing physiotherapy, and rubbing.
If there is a problem with the heart or vascular system, then you need to conduct therapy that will relieve the disease. It is not advisable to focus on the elimination of symptoms. Drugs can be prescribed that thin the blood and prevent blood clots from forming.
If symptoms arose due to osteochondrosis, then the basis of assistance is the removal of a “lumbago”, the necessary means are:
- anti-inflammatory non-steroidal (non-hormonal) drugs - "Diclofenac", "Ibuprofen";
- relaxants (will help relieve muscle spasm) - "Midokalm", "Baclofen";
- "Actovegin" - will improve the blood circulation of nerve tissue.
In addition to medicines, massage or acupuncture can relax muscle and nerve tissue. Patients note that such complex therapy helps to quickly deal with the cause of unpleasant symptoms.
If the reason lies in the pathology of a neuralgic nature, then specific treatment for such symptoms is not necessary. A person can be reassured with sedatives (Persen, Fitosed, Dormiplant) and let him rest. Judging by the reviews of patients, this made it possible to quickly stop pain and restore breathing.
Summary
Symptoms in themselves are harmless, the main thing is not to panic. You should consult a doctor immediately when discomfort appears. If pain and shortness of breath become regular manifestations, then treatment should be started immediately.