When someone presents in the ER with chest pain, it seems that each patient has a little different way of describing it. Some examples are, “pressure in my chest” , “left side chest pain“, “right side chest pain“, “a squeezing sensation in my chest”, “chest and arm pain”, “pain radiating from my chest”, “chest wall pain”, “neck and chest pain”, “chest pain and cough”,”muscle pain”, and the list goes on and on. The trick is for the doctors and nurses to take any description of symptoms and come up with the correct diagnosis. We are fortunate that the science of cardiology is so far advanced as to take the guess work out of the diagnosis and treatment of a heart attack.
Is My Chest Pain Serious?
Chest pain can be an early sign of a serious medical problem, or in some circumstances a symptom of an imminent health emergency. We all know that chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack but what would you do if you felt a tight, painful chest develop?
For most people, it is a good idea to call for emergency medical assistance if they suddenly develop chest pain, particularly if it is severe. Whilst there are perfectly normal explanations, there is a chance that it could be a symptom of a heart attack, so it is never a good idea to ‘wait and see’. Should you call a paramedic and subsequently feel better, they will not consider you a waste of time, quite the opposite as they will regularly treat people who would stand a much better chance of recovery if they had just made the call a little earlier.
Some people have been diagnosed with conditions such as angina, which most commonly describes chest pain caused by heart disease. Coronary heart disease is irreversible, so it is important to follow medical advice to prevent any further damage, which can keep the risk of a future heart attack at bay.
Heart attacks are caused by a build-up of fat in the arteries around the heart, which builds up to a point where the heart is starved of blood and oxygen. Just like the other muscles around the body, the heart needs oxygen to function, so if it loses its supply from a lack of blood flow, it will begin to die. As a result, the sensation of tightness and pain in the chest is caused, which is the reason that chest pain must be taken very seriously.
In summary, if you only take one thing from reading this article, make sure that it is the knowledge that chest pain requires fast action in calling for emergency medical help. It could save your life.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor.
