Unpleasant sensations in the chest area indicate health problems. The safest cause of discomfort is intercostal neuralgia.
Also, discomfort in the chest is felt with cardiovascular problems, with incipient and prolonged pneumonia, with diseases of the esophagus of the gastrointestinal tract.
Discomfort in the chest area often indicates osteochondrosis. The most serious diseases accompanied by this symptom are tumors of the mediastinal organs. All of these diseases require consultation with a specialist.
Where to go if you have a burning sensation in your chest?
Are you a resident or guest of the capital and are you faced with a similar problem? Contact CELT. Our clinic is multidisciplinary and has departments of various specializations. You can make an appointment with a cardiologist, therapist, neurologist or gastroenterologist and get the help you need.
Our diagnostic department offers ample opportunities for correct diagnosis and identification of pathological conditions in the initial stages of development. Our staff is staffed with highly qualified specialists: doctors of the highest category, candidates and doctors of science with decades of medical practice behind them.
You can find out our prices by going to the “Services and Prices” tab in this section. To avoid misunderstandings, we recommend that you check the numbers with our operators by calling the number.
Treatment
Help before diagnosis
In case of minor discomfort, it is enough to remain calm for several days, avoid physical exertion and overwork. For pain in the mammary glands before menstruation, patients are advised to wear soft, comfortable bras and take NSAIDs. In case of intense pain or the addition of other pathological symptoms, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will find out why the chest hurts. If the pain is accompanied by loss of consciousness, cyanosis of the skin and cold sweat, the person requires emergency medical care.
Auscultation for chest pain
Conservative therapy
Medical tactics depend on the cause of the development of thoracalgia; in the case of diseases of the internal organs, etiotropic treatment is carried out; in case of unbearable pain, it is supplemented with analgesics. The chest hurts less after using warm compresses, electrophoresis with anti-inflammatory and painkillers. To eliminate the cause of pain, the following groups of medications are used:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
. NSAIDs are the drugs of choice for rheumatic processes; they help relieve symptoms and maintain stable remission. For bronchitis and pneumonia, they reduce the production of inflammatory mediators and relieve pain. - Antianginal drugs
. If there is pain in the pericardial area of the chest, medications improve blood supply to the myocardium and increase oxygen delivery to the cell. The drugs also normalize heart rhythm and reduce the risk of heart attack. Calcium channel blockers and beta blockers are used. - Antibiotics
. Etiotropic drugs are indicated for pneumonia, purulent bronchitis and pleurisy. They are selected empirically, and subsequently the prescriptions are adjusted after the results of bacterial culture. Antibiotics reduce the activity of the inflammatory process, due to which chest pain subsides. - Antacids
. The drugs reduce the acidity of gastric juice, therefore they are effective for gastroduodenal reflux and hyperacid conditions. When taking antacids, the irritating effect of hydrochloric acid on the esophageal mucosa is reduced and pain is eliminated. - Hormonal drugs
. Estrogen medications are used to treat severe pain in both breasts during the premenstrual period. Hormones of the adrenal cortex are recommended in cases of severe rheumatic diseases in which the chest and heart hurt. - Cytostatics
. The drugs are used for various oncological pathologies. Their action is aimed at destroying cancer cells and slowing down the growth of tumor tissue. The most effective combinations of 2-3 drugs, the duration of treatment depends on the stage and degree of response to chemotherapy.
Physiological causes of burning in the chest
Experts identify a number of initiating factors for such a phenomenon as a burning sensation in the chest. The most common of these is poor diet, including fatty, spicy, salty foods, carbonated water and fast food, along with frequent overeating or eating food before bed.
The above leads to the contents of the stomach entering the esophagus, where it irritates the mucous membrane, which causes discomfort. They are accompanied by nausea, heartburn and belching, as well as bloating. In order to exclude this, it is enough to change your diet by minimizing the above-mentioned foods, optimizing portion sizes and eliminating the consumption of food before bedtime.
The same can be said about excessive consumption of coffee and alcoholic beverages, as well as smoking. All of them can cause a burning sensation in the chest, which will stop as soon as their consumption is reduced to a reasonable limit. It is important to understand that it is not the norm and its appearance is a reason to visit a doctor.
A number of reasons are associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, characterized by the inability of blood vessels to provide the heart with a sufficient volume of oxygen. This occurs with ischemia, which is manifested by a local decrease in blood supply due to narrowing or blockage of the arteries, due to which the most important organ of the human body suffers.
Do not forget about neurological factors, when a burning sensation occurs due to compression or damage to the nerve ending or in stressful situations, with neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, it can be caused by pathological conditions characterized by damage to the bronchial mucosa or trachea.
If you have discomfort when inhaling
When inhaling, unpleasant sensations in the chest are felt with pulmonary diseases, with cardiovascular problems, with gastrointestinal pathologies. The source of such sensations is sometimes chest injuries. These include fractured ribs, bruises or ruptures of soft tissue, and cartilage injuries. The main sign of injury is a sharp or dull pain when turning the body, an unpleasant sensation when inhaling. Other symptoms of injury include swelling, redness, and bruising. The diagnosis is made by a traumatologist after an x-ray.
Diseases that cause burning in the chest
Only a doctor who has everything necessary for diagnosis can identify the cause of a burning sensation in the chest in the middle, right or left. You should not engage in self-diagnosis, as it is fraught with the risk of complications.
| Diseases | Triggering factors |
| Hearts | Sharp pain and burning in the chest near the heart may be a sign of a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. This occurs with the following diseases:
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| Liver | Experts identify a number of diseases of the liver and biliary tract, the symptoms of which are manifested by a burning sensation in the sternum. These include:
Other clinical manifestations of the above diseases are as follows:
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| Gastrointestinal tract | A phenomenon such as heartburn always leads to a burning sensation and pain symptoms due to irritation of the walls of the esophagus by gastric juice. As for diseases, one of the symptoms of which is a burning sensation in the chest, they are as follows:
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| Intercostal neuralgia | It is a pain syndrome that develops as a result of damage to the intercostal nerves due to various reasons, ranging from compression to infection or intoxication. This syndrome is a sign that the patient has diseases of the organs of the chest wall, mediastinum, and spinal cord. Clinical manifestations are as follows:
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| Pneumonia | Acute inflammatory infectious lesion of the lungs, which can be lobar or focal. Symptoms of the first include a cough, a sharp increase in temperature, burning and pain in the sternum, and weakness. As for the second, its onset is hardly noticeable; it appears after acute respiratory diseases. Clinical manifestations in addition to pain on inspiration, shortness of breath, cyanosis, wet cough. |
| Scoliosis | Persistent sideways curvature of the spinal column relative to its axis. A burning sensation in the chest occurs due to the fact that with this disease, abrasion of the intervertebral discs and compression of the nerve endings occurs, which provokes serious discomfort. |
| Intercostal myositis | Inflammatory processes of skeletal muscles located between the ribs. On palpation, pain symptoms appear along the entire intercostal space. Experts identify three pain points: the spinal column, the sternum and its lateral surface. In addition, there is swelling of the affected part, redness or, conversely, paleness of the skin, sore throat, cough and headache. |
Coronary heart disease (CHD)
This ailment is often indicated by tingling in the left side of the chest. IHD is a functional and organic damage to the myocardium, caused by cessation or lack of blood supply to the heart muscle. About 97-98% of cases are caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries.
The disease is usually asymptomatic and can last for decades. But the manifestations are still present. Most often the symptoms are as follows:
- Pain in the lower jaw, arm and back.
- Increased heart rate.
- Dyspnea.
- Nausea.
- Dizziness and weakness.
- Blurred consciousness.
- Excessive sweating.
- Fainting.
IHD often leads to heart failure. Therefore, if a person feels a suspicious tingling sensation in the left side of the chest, he should go to a cardiologist.
Diagnosis is carried out in a dispensary or hospital. They prescribe the study of specific enzymes, ECG, echocardiography, stress echocardiography, functional exercise tests, 24-hour monitoring, transesophageal electrocardiography, coronography.
The treatment is specific. It can be non-drug, drug, surgical or endovascular. It all depends on the specific case.
Which doctor should I contact if I have a burning sensation in my chest?
Regular repetitions of this symptom are a reason to contact a therapist. He will conduct an examination, collect anamnesis, ask questions that interest him - and either prescribe treatment or refer him to:
- gastroenterologist - if gastrointestinal diseases are suspected;
- orthopedist - if osteochondrosis is suspected;
- neurologist - if osteochondrosis is suspected;
- cardiologist - if you suspect diseases of the cardiovascular system.
They, in turn, will prescribe diagnostic tests to make an accurate diagnosis.
Myocardial infarction
A sharp, dagger-like pain in the middle of the chest, radiating to the lower jaw, collarbone, ear, teeth, neck and shoulder, indicates an acute violation of coronary circulation.
An attack can last from 30 minutes to several hours, or even days, and cannot be stopped by taking nitroglycerin. The patient feels severe weakness, but at the same time excitement. There is pallor of the skin, shortness of breath, anxiety, and high blood pressure.
There is only one indication here - emergency hospitalization in the cardiology department. After emergency assistance is provided, treatment will continue there. And in the first 24 hours, perfusion is restored through emergency balloon coronary angioplasty or thrombolysis.
How is the diagnosis done?
In order to diagnose a symptom, the doctor only needs to conduct a survey and hear the patient’s complaints. The disease causing it can be diagnosed by conducting comprehensive studies. First of all, the patient is examined and a medical history is collected, after which laboratory tests of blood and urine, a detailed blood test, and determination of hormonal levels are prescribed. In addition, hardware tests are prescribed, the selection of which is based on preliminary studies. It could be:
- X-ray of the sternum;
- Ultrasound scanning of the internal organs of the chest cavity;
- Electrocardiography;
- Gastroenterological studies.
Preventive actions
In order to prevent the development of this unpleasant symptom, you need to take a number of measures:
- Treat inflammatory processes in a timely and correct manner;
- Eat right, minimize the consumption of salty, spicy, excessively fatty foods;
- To live an active lifestyle;
- Avoid stressful situations;
- Follow a daily routine, set aside enough time for sleep;
- Regularly undergo preventive examinations.
Don't forget: a burning sensation in the sternum can be a sign of serious illness. Its occurrence is a reason to seek professional medical help!
Make an appointment through the application or by calling +7 +7 We work every day:
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- Saturday: 8.00–18.00
- Sunday is a day off
The nearest metro and MCC stations to the clinic:
- Highway of Enthusiasts or Perovo
- Partisan
- Enthusiast Highway
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Myocarditis
Another common reason why tingling sensations are felt in the chest area. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the muscular lining of the heart. It is usually caused by viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal diseases.
Clinical symptoms depend on how severely the myocardium is damaged, where the damage is localized, how quickly the inflammation progresses, etc. In any case, there is a disturbance in the heart rhythm and insufficiency of contractile function.
Mostly, patients who are subsequently diagnosed with myocarditis complain of increased fatigue and weakness, increased sweating and joint pain. Attacks of atrial fibrillation occur less frequently.
In addition to the diagnostic methods listed above, bacteriological blood culture is also required to identify the pathogen. They may prescribe PCR diagnostics, endomyocardial biopsy, scintigraphy, MRI and radioisotope studies.
The acute stage is an indication for hospitalization. The patient is prescribed bed rest for 4-8 weeks, a diet enriched with proteins and vitamins, as well as therapy in 4 areas - metabolic, etiological, symptomatic and pathogenetic.
