Jakarta –
Left chest pain can be a symptom of a serious health problem. Starting from indicating problems with the heart, lungs, and digestive system.
Reported by the Cleveland Clinic website, chest pain on the left side has many causes and is not just a heart attack. It can also be caused by problems with the lungs, blood vessels, digestive system, and muscles and bones.
If it is related to the heart, left chest pain can feel strong and sharp, like pressure. This pain can also be accompanied by nausea if digestive problems occur.
For lung problems, symptoms of chest pain on the left side can coincide with difficulty breathing. Apart from that, chest pain in this area can also be caused by injury to the bones and muscles.
For more details regarding the causes of left chest pain, detikers can check the explanation in the following description.
Causes of Left Chest Pain
There are various problems or diseases that can cause chest pain on the left side. The following are quoted from Healthline:
1. Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when the heart muscle is damaged because it does not get enough blood that carries oxygen.
Some of these conditions can start with mild chest pain which then increases slowly. A heart attack can also be characterized by sudden, severe pain in the left or middle side of the chest.
Heart attack symptoms vary from person to person. People who experience this condition can usually also feel; tight pressure in the chest, pain in the left or right arm, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, stabbing pain in the neck, back and stomach.
2. Coronary Heart Disease
Left chest pain can be caused by angina. Where the chest feels heavy and pressured due to the heart muscle not getting enough oxygen from the blood. Angina is often a symptom of coronary heart disease.
Uncomfortable chest pain in angina generally includes; pain in the left arm, left shoulder, left side of the neck, and left jaw. Sometimes the left side of the back also feels pressured.
3. Pericarditis
Pericarditis is a condition where the pericardium area surrounding the heart becomes inflamed or irritated. This condition can then cause sharp pain in the chest on the left or middle side. You may also feel pain in one or both shoulders.
Pericarditis can be caused by infection, heart surgery, heart attack, injury, and consumption of certain medications.
4. Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is heart muscle disease or enlargement of the heart. This condition can occur without symptoms, and can also cause pain in the left side of the chest. Other symptoms felt by people who suffer from this disease include shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting, palpitations, fatigue, and swelling in the legs, hands and stomach.
5. Hiatus hernia
A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach pushes through the large muscle between the stomach and the diaphragm. This condition causes less blood to flow to the stomach.
Hernia sufferers often have difficulty swallowing. Apart from that, this condition can also have symptoms such as stomach pain, pain in the solar plexus area, and regurgitating food from the mouth.
6. Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can occur suddenly and tend to peak within 10 minutes. Because they often cause chest pain and tightness in the chest, panic attacks are almost similar to heart attacks.
Apart from left chest pain, panic attacks can also cause symptoms such as; shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, shaking, dizziness, sweating, nausea, and experiencing intense fear.
7. GERD
People with stomach acid can feel chest pain and discomfort when the acid levels in their stomach rise into their esophagus. In addition, a person may also experience a burning sensation in the upper stomach and chest as well as a sour taste in the mouth.
Severe stomach acid conditions can develop into gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The main symptoms of GERD are usually pain in the pit of the stomach, coughing, wheezing, and difficulty swallowing.
8. Pneumonia
Left chest pain that is sharp and can worsen when inhaling or coughing, could be a sign of pneumonia. You need to be careful about this condition, especially if you have recently experienced bronchitis or influenza.
Other symptoms of pneumonia include coughing with mucus, fever, chills, shortness of breath, headache, fatigue and loss of appetite.
9. Pneumothorax
Sharp chest pain on both the left and right sides can also indicate a collapsed lung or pneumothorax. Other symptoms of this condition include; shortness of breath, rapid breathing or heartbeat, blue skin, dry cough, even fatigue.
10. Lung Cancer
Chest pain can also be a symptom of lung cancer. Other symptoms that someone affected by this can experience, such as coughing up mucus or blood, pain in the shoulders or back, shortness of breath, repeated attacks of bronchitis or pneumonia, as well as loss of appetite and weight loss. A number of these symptoms may not appear in lung cancer that is still in the early stages.
11. Chest Injury
Apart from what was mentioned previously, pain in the left side of the chest can also be caused by pulled, tense or sprained muscles in the chest or between the ribs.
Not only that, any injury to the chest is said to cause pain. Including bruising on the chest wall, sternum and cracked ribs. This injury can also be felt when taking a deep breath or coughing.
These are a number of diseases and conditions that can cause left chest pain. To identify the exact cause of chest pain experienced, detikers can consult and get a diagnosis from a doctor, OK?
Watch the video “Ouch! When Fasting GERD Relapses”
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2023-11-07 22:00:50
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