Causes and actions for cutting pain in the heart

Causes

As I said, the causes of cutting pain behind the sternum are not necessarily associated with a violation of the heart. The main factors can be:

1. Diseases of the cardiovascular system (angina attack, heart attack, inflammation of the pericardium, middle or inner lining of the heart, myocardial dystrophy, aortic aneurysm and dissection, pulmonary embolism).
2. A sharp rise in pressure with vegetative dystonia or hypertensive crisis.
3. Problems with the esophagus and stomach (ulcer, gastritis, reflux esophagitis, internal burns, swelling, metastases or damage to the mucous membrane by a foreign body).
4. Severe distension of the intestines when its loops press on the diaphragm and irritate the organs of the mediastinum. This is how pancreatitis, colitis, cholecystitis manifests itself. In this case, pain under the heart is more often localized.
5. Diseases of the pulmonary system can also act as a cause of cutting pain on the left. But only in the case when the pleura is involved, since the lung tissue itself does not have nerve endings.
6. Inflammation, suppuration of other organs or their defeat by a tumor process (mediastinitis, mastopathy, breast cancer).
7. Violation of the integrity of tissues and organs as a result of a blow or bruise, fractured ribs. In this case, the pain is acute and develops immediately after injury.
8. Radiculitis or osteochondrosis in the thoracic segment of the spine, as well as arthrosis of the sternocostal joints.
9. Neurosis, accompanied by many complaints from the patient, including cardialgia.

I do not advise a person who is far from medicine to figure it out on his own and draw conclusions about the nature of the pain. Only an experienced specialist can determine the true cause, and sometimes this requires additional research.

How to tell if the heart is the source of pain

Pain in the region of the heart of a cutting character in cardiac pathology can be distinguished at the stage of careful study of the history and symptoms. To do this, you should find out the provoking factors, duration, accompanying signs, the presence of chronic diseases and problems earlier.

1. Provoking factor. Heart disease occurs as a result of stress or exercise, decreases or goes away with rest (except inflammation and heart attack). A sharp turn, lifting weights may indicate nerve entrapment in osteochondrosis. Pleurisy pain occurs when inhaling.
2. The duration of pain during ischemia of the heart muscle lasts up to 15-20 minutes. With a number of other diseases, it can last for a long time, intensify or subside over time.
3. Angina pectoris is removed by taking "Nitroglycerin". For musculoskeletal problems, relief is achieved through the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics.
4. Heart pain is distinguished by typical irradiation (to the left arm, under the scapula). If the painful sensations are given to the back, then acute pancreatitis can be assumed. Shingles are characteristic of intercostal neuralgia and herpes lesions.
5. In addition to the main symptom, you should pay attention to other signs. If pulmonary pathology develops, then the patient has an increased respiratory rate, fever, dry or wet cough. For cardiac problems, pale skin, blue nasolabial triangle, arrhythmia, a jump or a sharp decrease in pressure are characteristic. Indigestion is accompanied by constipation, nausea, vomiting, plaque on the tongue.

Upon admission of a patient who complains of acute cutting pains in the heart region, I try to assess his complaints as objectively as possible and identify the causes of this condition. This allows you to quickly establish a diagnosis and begin treatment. If cardialgia is noted, which occurs suddenly, accompanied by severe fear, severe shortness of breath, and the patient describes it colorfully and verbosely, then I assume neurosis. But in this case, an acute condition should be excluded and an ECG should be done.

Giving help

When a patient has severe cutting pain in the heart, it is important to give the right help so as not to harm him. To this end, before the arrival of the doctor, you need to do the following:

• try to calm down, offer "Corvalol" or "Validol" if the patient is in an agitated state;
• sit on a chair or lay on a flat surface with a high headboard;
• if a sharp pain caught a person in the room, you should open the window and give access to fresh air;
• unfasten the buttons on the chest, collar, loosen the tie;
• measure pressure;
• put "Nitroglycerin" under the tongue;
• give a tablet "Aspirin", if after two doses of nitrate the patient's condition has not improved.

The causes of pain can be different. But it would be better to assume a heart attack and act according to the proposed scheme. Why is it important? According to statistics, it is as a result of a heart attack that a fatal outcome most often occurs. The right help can save a person's life.

Have you ever encountered cutting pains behind the breastbone? Share your experience in the comments.