Anxious sensations of pain in the chest area are often perceived as a signal of any disturbances in the functioning of the body. And, for the most part, suspicions are confirmed. This area contains many organs that are vital: the heart, for example. Also, there are many vessels, including large ones. Their disease does not bode well if you do not contact a specialist in time and undergo an examination. So, pain in the middle of the chest when inhaling indicates a possible pathology and, having found such signs, you should immediately go to the hospital.
What causes pain
Pain in the middle of the chest when inhaling is a fairly common occurrence and can be the result of numerous diseases. Finding out exactly what violations caused unpleasant sensations is difficult on your own. Therefore, it is better to entrust it to a professional. So, for example, pain in the chest when inhaling on the right cantestify availability:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- pathology of the respiratory organs;
- problems in the gastrointestinal tract;
- diseases of the spine;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- mechanical damage due to injury.
The above reasons are the most common, but the list is not limited to them. The final cause of pain can only be determined after a complete diagnosis, including examination and additional research.
Symptomatics
When contacting the hospital, the main complaint of patients is an increase in chest pain when inhaling, which can be characterized:
- according to the location: on the left, in the center, in the back, between the ribs or under them;
- according to the nature of the pain in the chest: shoots, stabs, squeezes, whines, burns, pulsates;
- by intensity: weak, moderate or strong;
- by duration: short or long-term;
- according to the nature of occurrence: acute and gradually increasing pain;
- for effects on other organs and tissues: pain radiates to the neck, left arm or upper abdomen;
- incorporating changes resulting from deep breathing, severe coughing, emotional or physical exertion, or movement.
The manifestation of symptoms in chest pain is quite diverse and may vary depending on the individual characteristics of the organism, the subjective perception of the patient, the placelocalization, duration of the disease and mechanisms of progress of the pathology itself. However, in most cases, the symptoms are similar, and due to the peculiarities of the symptoms of any disease, after the initial examination and questioning, the doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis.
Chest pain due to cardiovascular disease
The most dangerous cause of pain at the top of the chest when inhaling are pathologies of the cardiovascular system, as they can cause serious consequences. For example, a heart attack, stroke, or aortic aneurysm can be life-threatening and need urgent attention.
Pain caused by diseases of the heart or blood vessels, usually has a compressive or pressing character and is given to the subscapular region in the left hand. The pain is very intense and lasts longer than ten minutes. In addition, she is accompanied by:
- change in blood pressure (pressure can both rise and fall);
- appearance of arrhythmia;
- shortness of breath even at rest;
- cyanosis above the waist;
- pale skin and cold sweating;
- coughing up blood;
- anxious feelings.
When listening, as a rule, muffled heart tones, the presence of pathological noises and changes in the normal rhythm are detected. Moist rales in the lungs are also noted. The patient is often in critical condition.
Pain in diseases of the respiratory organs
If there is pain in the middle of the chest when inhaling,accompanied by a cough, it is possible that pathology develops somewhere in the respiratory tract. This may be a lesion of such organs as the lungs, bronchi, trachea or pleura. You may also find the following symptoms:
- cough (dry or wet);
- appearance of shortness of breath;
- presence of fever;
- sputum discharge (it can be purulent, bloody or mucous);
- feeling of general weakness.
Intensification of painful sensations can be observed during a deep breath and cough. The doctor can make a conclusion only after a survey and auscultation.
Pain in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
In the chest area, only the esophagus is located from the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, so pain under the chest during inhalation may be due to a hernia of the diaphragm and lesions of the mucous membrane of the esophagus. But do not forget that the pain can be reflected and appear due to ulcers, cholecystitis or pancreatitis. All these diseases have different symptoms, but among them are:
- feeling sick, gagging;
- presence of heartburn and belching;
- bitter taste in mouth;
- changing stool consistency;
- bloating.
The manifestation of such signs is a consequence of a violation of the diet and does not depend on physical activity and respiratory movements.
Pain due to diseases of the spine
In the event that pain is also accompanied by stabbing in the areaback and chest, it is necessary to check for the presence of pathologies of the spinal column, such as hernia, osteochondrosis or spondylarthrosis. In this case, there may be pain in the chest on the left when inhaling, when moving the body, during deep breathing, laughing or sneezing. Also indicative of neuralgic diseases:
- decrease in sensitivity of the left limb;
- feeling numb or tingling in her;
- muscle weakness;
- appearance of dermographism;
- changing the color of the skin.
Often chest pains in the middle when inhaling are accompanied by signs of vegetative changes in the functioning of the organs of internal systems: bloating, fluctuations in blood pressure or rapid heart rate. This is possible due to functional changes that disappear upon completion of the elimination of the source - compression of the nerve root.
Intercostal neuralgia
Intercostal neuralgia can also be accompanied by pain in the middle of the chest when inhaling. This pathology often appears as a result of hypothermia or strong physical stress. In this case, the pain in the chest increases with inspiration, and it can be characterized as sharp, located on one side or girdle. In addition, pain may occur during trunk movements. Palpation does not reveal pain.
Pain in the chest area as a result of mechanical damage
Pain in the chest area can also be due to the presence of mechanicalinjuries resulting from injury. In this case, painful sensations appear during breathing and body movements. Associated symptoms depend on the severity and type of injury. Mainly distinguished:
- edema and bruising of soft tissues;
- bruises and abrasions on the skin;
- changing the shape of the chest;
- discomfort when probing.
As a result of violation of the integrity of the ribs, damage to the lungs and pleura is possible, which in turn can cause bleeding and pneumothorax. To reduce the intensity of pain, it is recommended to limit the patient's movements and try to reduce the depth of inhalation and exhalation.
Chest pain after smoking
The appearance of pain in the chest after smoking can be a good indicator for identifying pathologies in the body. So, there are 2 reasons why pain occurs:
- Pulmonary. Pain occurs because tobacco smoke damages lung tissue. This can lead to chronic bronchitis, asthma, or lung tumors.
- Extrapulmonary. These reasons are due to the presence of pathologies in the work of the heart or blood vessels, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or the musculoskeletal system, including joints.
If the process of smoking is accompanied by pain in the sternum, you should pay attention to this and go to the doctor.
In what case and when to call an ambulance
When acute pains appear that can interfere with normal breathing, including pain when inhaling in the middle of the chest, there will naturally be a desire to call an ambulance. It is mandatory to do this in certain cases:
- If, together with a feeling of pain when inhaling in the chest area, there is a feeling of squeezing under the chest, the pain spreads to the left arm, the area of the shoulder blade, the lower jaw and the appearance of shortness of breath.
- When nausea occurs, changes in heart rate, dizziness, skin discoloration to gray, low blood pressure, decreased heart rate, fainting.
- When there is no improvement 20 minutes after taking nitroglycerin, there was a cough with sputum, chills, difficulty swallowing.
You should call an ambulance immediately after detecting the signs described above in order to get qualified help in a timely manner.
Diagnosis
In order to make a final diagnosis and find out the cause of pain in the chest with a strong breath, it is necessary to conduct additional studies, depending on the data obtained during the survey and the initial examination. Taking into account the preliminary diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe the following types of diagnostics:
- biochemical blood test;
- complete blood count;
- coprogram;
- examination of fluid from the pleura;
- x-ray of lungs and spine;
- ECG (cardiogram);
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- gastroscopy;
- analysissputum (clinical and bacteriological).
This list of studies is not final and may be supplemented by a specialist depending on the results obtained and the course of the disease. In addition, you may need to contact specialists of any profile: a cardiologist, pulmonologist, neurologist, traumatologist, gastroenterologist and vertebrologist, for a more detailed examination.
As a result, the cause of pain during inhalation in the middle of the chest will be clarified and adequate treatment will be prescribed that will relieve the disease and its consequences.
