chest pain (redirected from Chest pains)

chest pain

Etymology: AS, cest, box; L, poena, punishment

a physical complaint that requires immediate diagnosis and evaluation. Chest pain may be symptomatic of cardiac disease, such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, aortic stenosis, or pericarditis, or of pulmonary disease, such as pleurisy, pneumonia, or pulmonary embolism or infarction. The source of chest pain may also be musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, or psychogenic. The use of illegal drugs such as cocaine may also cause chest pain. Over 90% of severe chest pain in adults is caused by coronary disease, spinal root compression, or psychologic disturbance. Because of its association with life-threatening heart disease, chest pain causes extreme anxiety, which tends to mask other symptoms that would aid in diagnosis and treatment. Reassuring the person being examined assists in proper diagnosis. Evaluation of chest pain requires determining the quality of the pain-dull, sharp, or crushing, locating the site of the pain-in the center or side of the chest, and determining how long the pain has persisted, how it has developed, and whether it has occurred in the past. The patient is asked to describe the spread of pain to other parts of the body and to identify such factors as exertion, emotional distress, movement, eating, or deep breathing that aggravate or relieve the pain. If the pain is reproducible by palpation during physical examination, it is unlikely to be cardiac in origin. Specific cardiovascular conditions associated with chest pain are myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, pericarditis, and a dissecting aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. Musculoskeletal conditions include rib fractures, swelling of the rib cartilage, and muscle strain. GI conditions associated with chest pain include esophagitis, peptic ulcers, hiatal hernia, gastritis, cholecystitis, and pancreatitis.

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pain,

n an unpleasant sensation created by a noxious stimulus mediated along specific nerve pathways to the central nervous system, where it is interpreted. The sensation of pain is a protective mechanism that warns of danger without giving too much information about the specific nature of the danger. It initiates nociceptive reflexes.

pain and suffering,

n an element in a claim for damages in a liability lawsuit. It requests compensation to an individual for mental and physical pain and discomfort as a result of an injury.

pain, assessment,

n an evaluation of the reported pain and the factors that alleviate or exacerbate a patient's pain; used as an aid in the diagnosis and the treatment of disease and trauma.

pain, chest,

n pain that occurs in the chest region because of disorders of the heart (e.g., angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, or pericarditis), pulmonary artery (pulmonary embolism or hypertension), lungs (pleuritis), esophagus (“heartburn”), abdominal organs (aerophagia, biliary tract disease, splenic infarction, or gaseous distention in the splenic flexure), or the chest wall (neoplasia, costochondral strains, trauma, hyperventilation, or muscular tension).

pain clinic,

n a multidisciplinary association of health care professionals devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute and chronic pain.

pain, deep,

n dull, aching, or boring pain originating in muscles, tendons, and joints. It is poorly localized and tends to radiate.

pain dysfunction syndrome,

n in dentistry, a phrase used to describe a condition in patients who appear to have a psychophysiologic basis for stress overload on the temporomandibular joint. The preferred term is
mandibular stress syndrome.

pain, ghost,

n See odontalgia, phantom.

pain mechanism,

n the network that communicates unpleasant sensations and the perceptions of noxious stimuli throughout the body in association with both physical disease and trauma involving tissue damage.

pain, nerve ending,

n a receptor nerve ending that is relatively primitive and ends in an undifferentiated arborization. The nerve ending for the sensation of pain is a protective mechanism that warns of danger without giving too much information about the specific nature of the danger. The danger stimuli give rise to nociceptive reflexes, or defensive, protective, or withdrawal movements. The nociceptive reflexes supersede other, less urgent, reflexes that are thus inhibited.

pain, projected pathologic,

n pain erroneously perceived to arise in a peripheral region because of a stimulus from end-organs supplying the region (e.g., sciatic pain). Actually the stimulus occurred somewhere along the pain pathway from the nerve to the cortex.

pain, reaction,

n the individual's manifestation of the unpleasant sensation.

pain, referred,

n pain caused by an agent in one area but manifested in another (e.g., pain caused by caries in the maxillary third molar may be referred to the mandible, so the source of pain appears to be in the mandible).

pain stimulus,

n an agent that has the potential to induce pain, whether through chemical, mechanical, or thermal means.

pain, tactile stimuli,

n any of a number of physical sources that may aggravate dentin hypersensitivity, such as dental instruments, toothbrush bristles, ill-fitting oral prostheses, and various personal oral habits a patient may have.

pain, thermal stimuli,

n dentin hypersensitivity related to abrupt changes in temperature of teeth as a result of contact with very cold or very hot foods and liquids, rapid intake of air through the oral cavity, and during professional oral hygiene procedures requiring rapid drying of teeth.

pain threshold,

n the point at which a stimulus causes pain. It varies widely among individuals.

pain, tolerance,

n the maximum pain level an individual is able to withstand.

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chest pain

A general term for any dull, aching pain in the thorax, usually referring to that of acute onset, which is often regarded as being myocardial in origin unless proven otherwise

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Patient discussion about Chest pains.

Q. It feels like I cannot breath properly, my chest feels heavy and Whenever i eats something it gets even more. If i don't eat much i get gases problem. I am regularly having constipation if i don't take proper medicine. Mostly i have been diagnosed as Digestive System problem, stomach problem, dryness in body and no Problem with my breathing system just cause of gases which causes my chest to remain heavy. I am worried because i never gets my real power in breathing and my digestive system is not getting well. Kindly suggest.

A. I take milk regularly have no problem with it nor with any specific food or i have never tried to look at this aspect. However i do feel stomach problem with foods heavy for stomach like burger or too much oily things..

Q. DEAR SIR/ MADAM I HAVE CHESTPAIN I SMOKE AND ITS LIKE THERE IS FOAM INSIDE MY CHEST IS IT CANCER OR TB HELP. I HAVE SMOKED FOR 10YEARS BUT DUE TO THE PAIN I HAVE REDUCED TO ATLEAST 4 CIGARATES ITS KILE THERE IS FOARM INSIDE MY CHEST.AS SMOKING IS DIFFICULT TO GUITE I AM TRYING MY LEVEL BEST TO STOP BUT I AM WORRIED ABOUT LUNG CANCER AND TB PLEASE ADVISE ME OTHERWISE I AM NOT FEELING WELL.THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE

A. I suggest,you go for some pulmonary function testing to see how far gone your disease is,if you have a pulmonary doctor,ask him for a --spirometer to use at home,he will teach you how to use it.chronic bronchitis is almost exclusively a smokers disease,the method of its prevention seems to be obvious and can be summerized in two words--NO SMOKING-there are an increasing number of young individuals taking up this potentially lethal habit,,spread the word to the young people in your family.the most important phase of treatment of chronic bronchitis is -outpatient management- which should include measures to control the progression of the disease,maybe even to reverse pathological changes in your lungs,to control or at least alliviate the symtoms.,,,you should be instructed about proper bronchial hygiene by adequate hydration(water)humidification of inspired air,postural drainage,and other respiratory maneuvers.,,,keep trying to stop,because none of this will work if you dont...peace....

Q. Is my chest pain related to anxiety? I get shart pains in my chest that last for about a minute and come on without any warning. I've been to about 3 doctors. One has said it was asthma, but I don't think that's it because an inhaler hasn't worked. Another didn't know what to tell me! The last one said they may be anxiety attacks, but I've never heard of anxiety attacks causing so much pain. And I rarely am anxious when they come on. They feel like heart attacks, but I am a 26 year old female and weigh 120 pounds at 5'5". Has anyone else had chest pain when they have anxiety attacks?

A. Your chest pain may very well be related to anxiety, but then again you could be in the early stages of a heart problem. 8 years ago at age 44 (I'm a woman) I thought I was just having an anxiety attack which I never had before. It did seem like something sitting on the center of my chest, with pain that came and went. I then went to the hospital after some coaxing by friends just expecting them to do a few tests and send me home, as I was talking and joking with the doctors and nurses but after blood work and EKG they confirmed that I did indeed have a heart attack. But at the same time I felt fine. That is not saying that is your problem but getting it checked out by your doctor or a cardio doctor will really give you peace of mind. Don't take no for an answer tell them you want an EKG, blood tests and a standard stress test. Better safe than sorry. None of those tests are expensive and if you have insurance they all should be covered. If your doctor doesn't believe you and dismisses