Intermittent Chest Pain
Intermittent Chest Pain - What are the Possible Causes?
Intermittent chest pain can be a symptom caused by several diseases, illnesses or condition. Sometimes the pain is intermittent, but it often develops into a permanent pain which is a sign for a more serious cause. Diseases in the heart, lung, esophagus and muscles or bones in the chest area can cause pain. It is important to find the trigger to ensure that the pain is nothing to worry about - at times, intermittent chest pain can be a very harmless thing, at other times it can be a symptom indicating a heart attack. It largely depends on the type of pain.
It is not always easy for a doctor to determine right away what is going on because people experience pain differently, use different descriptions and may not be able to properly locate it. It is usually advised to see a doctor right when the pain begins and you notice that it keeps coming back. Generally spoken, it is always better to see the doctor and see that it is false alarm rather than risking the spread of a more hazardous disease. Here is a list of possibilities and severe causes for intermittent chest pain.
Heart Attack: The pain is mainly described as very hard pressure that spreads throughout the neck, throat, left arm and upper stomach. The trigger is often heavy physical work or an extreme situation that makes the heart race. The pain may come in intermittent cramps but it can also be an ongoing and slowly spreading type.
High Blood Pressure: Patients who suffer from high blood pressure can experience intermittent chest pain. It can also feel like pressure and can commence at any given time.
Tear in the Esophagus: A sudden pressure in the esophagus can cause it to tear which certainly causes pain. This can happen when a patient has had a chronic inflammation in that area which causes them to vomit. This is very rare and the pain is very agonizing.
Gallbladder: This organ can cause pain in the chest when it is infected. While the pain is often starting as an intermittent symptom, it can spread to the stomach and other areas.
Lung Cancer: Intermittent chest pain that becomes stronger and more permanent over time can be a symptom for lung cancer. It can also spread over bones, nerves and muscles.
Tension: If you have tense muscles, chest pain can be triggered by certain movements. Small nerves may be blocked or inflamed, and it is a burning sensation rather than pressure. This is one of the more harmless types, and it can easily be fixed.
Herpes Zoster: We know herpes primarily from STD's or the nasty looking pimples some people get all over their body, but it can also happen internally. The pain is caused primarily by a nerve that is affected by the zoster and you may notice blisters on your body as well. This can really appear anywhere in your body, but it is mostly a disease in the chest area.
Psychology: Some people experience intermittent chest pain once in a while, and it is often controlled and caused by the brain. In situations where the patient experiences extreme fear, it can come to tachycardia and shortness of breath. For instance, claustrophobia can cause chest pain when a patient feels trapped or has a fear of suffocating. This type of pain disappears as soon as the fear is gone as well. People who suffer very badly from anxiety disorder etc can treat this medically to prevent their heart from laboring dangerously hard.