Acute chest pain causes a person to postpone everything. First of all, the thought arises whether the heart can prick, or the pain is associated with other organs. Pain cannot be ignored, it can be the cause of cardiovascular diseases, indicate a critical condition of a person, or appear as a result of non-dangerous diseases.
How to understand what hurts the heart
With acute chest pain, a person gives in to panic, begins to worry that something irreparable has happened. To understand whether the heart pricks, or the pain radiates to the chest for another reason, you need to pay attention to the degree of discomfort and the nature of the pain:
- circumstances under which pain appeared - with heart pain, the degree of discomfort will not change with a change in body position;
- temporary changes - if the heart hurts, then the pain increases quickly, and then it can stop abruptly;
- prolonged discomfort of the same intensity for several hours or days may be a reaction to the use of medicaldrugs;
- if the pain eased after the use of nitroglycerin, then most likely the cause lies in the heart;
- if the pain increases with pressure on the ribs, then the cause is intercostal neuralgia.
To find out how critical the situation is, you should assess the degree of pain:
- if a person describes in detail the nature of the pain, determines the place of occurrence, then this is not a heart attack;
- Acute pain across the chest may suggest a heart problem that will require urgent medical attention.
Additionally, you should pay attention to the following symptoms. They may indicate a heart attack:
- increased heart rate;
- sharply pricks in the area of the heart;
- dizziness;
- pallor of the skin;
- shortness of breath;
- excessive sweating;
- fainting;
- Irregular heart rhythm.
Causes other than cardiovascular disease
Stitching pains under the heart are associated with cardiovascular diseases, but the cause may lie in other diseases:
- Intercostal neuralgia - inflammation of the intercostal nerve due to pinching or infection. There can be many reasons for the appearance of the disease - ranging from an uncomfortable posture at the desk to a viral infection. If it stabs in the region of the heart for this reason, then additionally there is a burning sensation in the chest, tingling, muscle twitching. The pain increases with a change in body position, with coughing and sneezing. A sudden movement provokes another strong attack. The pain becomes stronger when probing the ribs, sometimes you can determine where it hurts the most.
- Myositis is an inflammation that affects the muscles. Most often occurs with a long stay in a draft from a temperature drop. The pain is aggravated by cold, possibly reddening of the skin or swelling. Pressing on the chest also aggravates the pain.
- Neurosis is a neurological disease that provokes muscle spasm. It develops gradually, but not always a person notices the first signs. A lump appears in the throat, it becomes difficult to speak and swallow, twitching of the muscles of the face is possible. In some cases, there may be no symptoms, and the disease only shows itself as chest pain.
- Lung disease - inflammation, in which it pricks where the heart is. It can be tuberculosis, bronchitis, pneumonia. The main difference from heart disease is a cough, possibly an increase in body temperature.
- Osteochondrosis is not related to heart disease. Patients with such a diagnosis are interested in whether the heart can stab with osteochondrosis. Indeed, some of the symptoms are similar. With osteochondrosis, there is often dizziness, numbness of the hands, muscle weakness, increased blood pressure.
These are the main diseases that are not related to the cardiovascular system, why the heart can prick. If they are excluded, then perhaps the pain is related to heart disease.
Causes related to cardiovascular disease
Pay attention. Cardiac diseases manifest themselves as pressing or squeezing pains. But inIn some situations, the pain appears in the form of lumbago. Major heart diseases:
- heart attack;
- angina;
- pericarditis;
- neurocirculatory dystonia;
- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
- coronary spasm.
During a heart attack, arterial thrombosis occurs, the work of the heart muscle is disrupted. There is a stabbing pain in the chest, which gives to the left arm, jaw. There is increased sweating, the person becomes pale. Nausea and heartburn are frequent companions of this condition. Possible loss of consciousness. Nitroglycerin does not help with a heart attack.
Angina occurs as a result of vasospasm. Pricks the heart in the chest, the pain gives to the left side of the body. Angina pectoris can be a precursor to a heart attack. blood flow is disturbed, the person feels tired. If you take nitroglycerin, then the pain will decrease.
With neurocircular dystonia, irritability, fatigue appear, the pulse rate changes, the pressure remains normal or slightly increases. This may cause chest pain and pale skin.
Pericarditis is caused by infectious diseases. The outer membranes of the heart become inflamed. With timely assistance, the disease has a favorable prognosis. During illness, the pulse rises, fatigue occurs, and the temperature rises. Sometimes the pain is accompanied by a dry cough.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is not always accompanied by overt symptoms. There may be no chest pain, an increased pulse, and shortness of breath. Coronaryspasm is manifested by pain in the region of the heart in the morning, at rest.
In some cases, pain may occur when taking medication. For example, can a heart be pricked after taking Picamilon? The drug is used to improve blood circulation and as a fight against hypertension. The drug itself usually does not cause chest pain, but it can increase the pulse rate.
Colet during pregnancy
During pregnancy, the load on all organs of a woman increases. including the heart muscle. Can a heart prick during pregnancy, and what should I do in this case?
The amount of blood in a woman at 4-5 months of pregnancy increases, the heart rate becomes faster, which leads to chest discomfort. Intermittent mild pain may be normal. A pregnant woman must undergo an electrocardiogram, so the doctor notices the primary violations immediately.
Reasons due to which the load on the heart increases and stabbing pains may occur:
- fat stored by the body;
- an enlarged uterus shifts up the diaphragm, and with it the heart;
- heart muscle gets bigger;
- great stress on the cardiovascular system.
During pregnancy, the reason why stabs in the heart area may be hiding in an increase in ambient temperature. And also during stress and physical exertion.
Regardless of whether the heart can often prick during pregnancy or not, a woman requires additional medical supervision to exclude the developmentserious illness.
Attacks of heart pain, accompanied by changes in blood pressure and swelling, may be the first signs of preeclampsia. Oxygen starvation is dangerous for the mother and fetus, therefore, if such symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor. Anemia during pregnancy causes pain in the heart.
When pain occurs, a woman needs to get fresh air, get out of a stuffy room or open a window. If possible, lie down with your head slightly raised. Dry off with a damp towel and drink some water.
When smoking
If a smoker has chest pains, the question arises whether smoking can stab the heart. Nicotine has a negative effect on the heart muscle. Many people experience vasospasm and high blood pressure. The smoker has heaviness and burning in the heart area.
During cigarette smoking, oxygen deficiency occurs in the body. The blood does not receive enough oxygen, a signal comes from the brain. The pulse rate increases to give oxygen, there is a greater load on the heart.
Excess carbon monoxide appears in muscle cells, which occurs after smoking. The additional load on the cardiovascular system has a negative effect on the general condition. If pain occurs, you should visit a therapist to rule out and prevent the development of serious diseases.
Oxygen deficiency in the heart muscle provokes the development of a heart attack,atherosclerosis. By absorbing a large amount of harmful substances, the smoker poisons himself with poison. Carbon monoxide in the blood combines with hemoglobin and is transferred to the heart, causing nausea and dizziness. Constant smoking leads to narrowing and spasm of blood vessels, contributes to the formation of fatty plaques.
If a smoker has pain in the heart, and the tests and examination results are normal, then the pain is the first alarm signal that smoking will soon lead to the development of serious diseases.
What are the dangers of pain in the heart
Pain in the heart requires a mandatory diagnosis. And find out why. Is it safe to stab the heart? Quite, in children, pain occurs during the period of active growth. But it is necessary to investigate. To exclude dangerous diseases that can be cured at the first sign.
What are the dangers of pain in the heart:
- Pain caused by the herpes virus can lead to a general weakening of the body. Herpes can be defeated with medicines.
- Intercostal neuralgia without proper treatment leads to circulatory disorders and insomnia.
- Myositis causes difficulty in movement. A person cannot fully move, lift objects, drive. Restriction of movement forces a person to take sick leave.
- Prolonged neurosis loosens the nervous system, changes the character of a person. Constant nervous condition and heart pain can exacerbate chronic diseases or provoke new somatic diseases.
- Heart pain caused by lung disease worsensbreath, cause cough, fever. Pneumonia and tuberculosis can be fatal if left untreated.
- Osteochondrosis requires treatment. If you let everything take its course, then loss of mobility and disability are possible. One of the signs of the disease are stabbing pains in the heart.
- Neurocircular dystonia in a neglected state interferes not only with constant pain in the region of the heart. Thermoregulation is disturbed, dizziness, fainting, convulsions appear.
- Chest pain during a heart attack will be fatal if the patient is not given urgent medical attention.
- Angina pectoris is a precursor to a heart attack. If you experience heart pain, you should see a doctor.
- Decrease in cerebral blood flow, oxygen deficiency lead to arrhythmia, disruption of the ventricles of the heart and provoke coronary disease.
- Spasm of the coronary vessels increases the risk of heart attack due to narrowing of the lumen. Left untreated, the disease can lead to spasm and death.
Diagnosis
When the question arises whether a heart can prick for no reason, a diagnosis should be made. To begin with, visit a therapist who will listen to the complaints of patients and give him a preliminary diagnosis. Based on the patient's condition and clinical picture, the doctor may refer him to the following tests:
- Magnetic resonance imaging shows the degree of damage to nerve fibers. Based on the results, various changes in the state of the intervertebral discs can be determined. Attheir shift causes stabbing pains in the chest.
- An electrocardiogram shows the work of the heart muscle. If violations are detected during the initial examination, a daily ECG is prescribed in the hospital. The examination allows you to make an accurate diagnosis and choose the necessary method of treatment.
- Ultrasound of the heart muscle shows the condition of the organ. Thus, inflammation of the walls, violation of the structure of blood vessels, thickening and compaction can be detected.
- Consultation of a neurologist is required after the exclusion of major pathologies in the work of the heart. An examination by a specialized doctor allows you to identify pinching, find out the cause of the disease, get a referral for testing.
- If a neurosis is suspected, a visit to a psychiatrist will be required.
Finding out why the pricks in the heart area is necessary for an accurate diagnosis. The patient's well-being will depend on the quality of treatment. In case of severe pain, you should immediately consult a doctor and, if possible, provide first aid.
What to do
Acute chest pain requires monitoring. The reason can be anything. Even if in doubt whether a heart can stab with osteochondrosis or another non-cardiological disease, a person should be observed for a long period of time. If the pain increases with inhalation and intensifies each time, then first aid should be given.
It is necessary to determine why the heart is tingling. If a person cannot determine where and how the heart hurts, then help should be provided immediately:
- stop exercising;
- calm down;
- ensure peace;
- put or plant, unbutton the top buttons on the chest;
- release waist belt;
- give a nitroglycerin tablet;
- give 300 g of aspirin;
- if within 5 minutes the pain has not subsided, then increase the dose of nitroglycerin;
- call an ambulance.
Pain that lasts more than 5 minutes indicates a heart attack. Before the arrival of an ambulance, it is necessary to ensure the flow of fresh air and free the person from pressing objects. Remove excess clothing. If possible, it is necessary to measure blood pressure. If systolic pressure is reduced, do not give nitroglycerin anymore, because it helps to lower blood pressure. Aspirin must be chewed by the patient himself, this will significantly speed up the absorption process.
When losing consciousness, it is necessary to quickly return the person to consciousness. If breathing has stopped, an indirect heart massage is urgently required. You cannot leave one person. Artificial respiration will help keep the patient until the ambulance arrives, which hospitalizes him in the intensive care unit or cardiology department, depending on the severity of the patient.
Medicated treatment
Treatment with medicines should take place as prescribed by a doctor. Self-administration of medications can aggravate the situation. Emergency medication is possible in a critical situation when the patient's life is at stake.
Can a heart prick due to cardiac problems, and what to taketo comfort him? "Validol" is sold in a pharmacy without a prescription and is indicated for mild chest pain. It has a calming effect on the nervous system, the condition stabilizes within 5-15 minutes. The tablet is placed under the tongue and sucked. A special effect is achieved during a stressful situation or with discomfort in the chest.
"Corvalol" is sold in the form of an alcohol tincture or tablets. Calms the person, dilates blood vessels. A few drops are dissolved in water and drunk. The tincture works faster than tablets, but negatively affects the liver.
"Valocordin" dilates blood vessels. The number of drops taken should be appropriate for the age of the patient.
"Nitroglycerin" quickly affects the body, calms the nervous system and relieves spasms. Take it if you suspect a heart attack. The drug is used in a critical situation as prescribed by a doctor. The tablet is placed under the tongue and sucked.
"Cardiomagnyl" is prescribed as a preventive measure in violation of the heart. Allows you to reduce the intensity of pain and is used as first aid. If necessary, combine with aspirin.
With pronounced pain, analgesics "Ketanov" or "Sedalgin" are used. It is important to call an ambulance to determine the patient's condition.
Folk remedies
In addition to traditional medicine, you can use folk remedies. Their reception should be in agreement with the attending physician. Compatibility with medicines should first be clarified.
During treatmentyou should give up coffee, strong tea and alcohol. The following recipes bring the effect:
- Daily intake of garlic will prevent heart pain and strengthen the heart muscle. This method is prohibited for diseases of the pancreas and digestive organs.
- Hawthorn tincture has a calming effect on the nervous system. A teaspoon of hawthorn fruits and lemon balm is poured with a glass of boiling water, brought to a boil and left in a steam bath for 20 minutes. The infusion is taken 20 minutes before meals for 2 days.
- Mint and lemon balm relieve pain and have a calming effect on the central nervous system. It can be added to tea or drunk separately. A tablespoon of raw materials is poured with boiling water and infused under a “fur coat” for an hour. The solution is taken 20 minutes before meals.
- Rose hips improve blood circulation and strengthen the heart. Half a cup of rose hips is poured with 2 cups of water, brought to a boil, simmered for 15 minutes. Drink a glass 3 times a day.
You can even use walnuts. They need to be crushed properly, poured with water and left in the sun for 2 weeks. Drink one tablespoon before meals.
