Chest Pain – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

If you experience a discomfort in your chest, you should be aware that the pain you’re feeling might indicate a heart problem. However, there are plenty of causes why your pain hurts, and most of them are not threatening your life and are completely non-cardiac.

Costochondritis is one the most common causes of chest pain. This condition can be described as an inflammation found on the breastbone level and can be accompanied by a sharp pain. The experts, respectively doctors, refer to this affection as the costosternal syndrome or Tietze syndrome, so if you hear about any of these names, be aware that they might have something to do with the discomfort that you’re feeling in your chest.

A very important aspect is that this condition will go away on its own but given the fact that usually, this happens in weeks, sometimes months, seek some medical attention to be sure that your problem doesn’t have anything to do with your heart and you’re not in any danger.

Causes

Even if the doctors don’t offer an exact cause of this condition, it’s well-known that Costochondritis can be triggered by lifting heavy weights or by serious injuries. If you’ve been exercising without taking into consideration your limits or you’ve been experiencing a bad cough and you’re feeling pain in your chest, you might suffer from this affection.

Another thing you should know is that Costochondritis is mostly found in women or people who are older than 40 years old. So if you’re in one in these described situations, you should definitely visit your doctor to check if you suffer from this affection.

Symptoms

You’ll know that you are suffering from Costochondritis if you feel pain in your chest, more specifically on the left side of your breastbone. However, there is a difference between this condition and cardiac pain: when you breathe in, the pain given by Costochondritis tends to intensify.

Treatment

As mentioned before, it’s possible for this condition to go away on its own but it will take several weeks for this to happen. If you think that you can’t bear the pain you’re feeling, consult a doctor. He will definitely prescribe you some painkillers that will help you in this situation. However, in severe cases, the prescription can also contain narcotics or drugs that should be taken in order to avoid depression or seizures.

Another thing that doctors recommend to speed up the healing process is physical therapy, respectively some stretching exercises that patients can do in order to decrease the pain they’re feeling. Cold compresses placed on the affected area also help but this action should be accompanied by plenty of rest.

Living with Costochondritis can be hard, especially when you can’t breathe properly. Just remember that now you know all the information you need regarding this affection and you’re outside any danger, giving the fact that this condition is not related to the heart. Go to your doctor, talk with him and rest at home for a few weeks. By doing this, your pain will go away before you realize it!