Experts agree that it is important to not hesitate to do the right thing in the meantime. Here are some of the most common causes of chest pain and guidance on when to seek help as soon as possible and when you can wait.
Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people go to the emergency department or doctor’s office, according to Martha Gulati, a cardiologist and president-elect of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology.
Chest discomfort may be the result of gas. heartburn, inflammation or anxiety of the costal cartilage. However, it is important to be aware of serious and fatal problems that can cause pain.
for example, heart attack risk — blockage of the arteries that bring blood and oxygen to the heart — increases with age. Aortic dissection, which is a tear along a blood vessel that supplies blood to the rest of the body, also causes chest pain. Pain can be a warning sign of a blood clot in the lungs called a pulmonary embolism, or it can be a rupture of the esophagus, the tube that connects the throat to the stomach. Both of these issues are emergencies.
What doctors call chest pain is generally focused in the chest, but it can involve other sensations and even extend to other areas of the body. American Heart Association Guidelines For the diagnosis and treatment of chest pain, it lists “pain, pressure, tightness, or discomfort in the chest, shoulders, arms, neck, back, upper abdomen, or jaw” as potentially serious symptoms. Another sign of a possible emergency is chest discomfort plus fatigue and shortness of breath.
Your symptoms can help determine if you need immediate help. Also, there are some important factors to consider when deciding what to do.
when to see a doctor
If you have been diagnosed with an illness such as angina pectoristhere may be discomfort that has not changed significantly and your doctor has already evaluated it. You may have talked to your doctor about heartburn, but recently you’ve noticed that heartburn is becoming more severe and frequent.
In such cases, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, but not necessarily to the emergency room. “If it’s a symptom you’ve had in the past and it feels similar and has already been evaluated, a non-urgent evaluation is appropriate,” says interventional cardiologist and assistant professor at Yale University. says one Michael Nanna. Faculty of Medicine.
Acute chest pain, or sudden, never-before-experienced discomfort, always requires emergency treatment. If in doubt, call 911.
Don’t look up your symptoms online or call a doctor’s office when you have chest pain like this, says Nanna. It’s impossible to diagnose serious problems over the phone. Your health care provider will likely send you to the emergency department.
“There is no way a patient can distinguish between a heart attack and reflux, so it is always advisable to evaluate the patient as soon as possible,” says Nanna.
For potentially serious causes, Prompt treatment may be important to survival. This is one of the reasons why it’s best not to drive or go to the hospital if you have acute chest pain. When you call 911, paramedics will begin administering the necessary medications in the ambulance, and a team will be waiting when you arrive at the hospital.
If a serious cause has been ruled out, Nanna says your provider will work with you to manage the cause of your chest pain and discuss ways to prevent future problems. please don’t
“Yes, it’s not heart or life threatening for the majority of people, but I don’t want to miss anyone,” Gulati says. would rather you joke about it.”
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