WHY DO WE GET CHEST PAIN?
There can be variety of problems that cause chest pain. Indigestion, muscular pain, inflammation of joints, chest infections but perhaps the commonest and most feared of all are Cardiac problems. If we have chest pain, which is more like a feeling of compression in the chest it is suggestive of Cardiac problem. The pain quite often radiates down the left arm, to the back and can also affect the jaw and upper abdomen. It is quite common for us to confuse these symptoms with indigestion. In fact, most patients, tend to think that this is due to ‘Gas’. Sometimes this can be due to indigestion. But it is very important to be sure that the Heart is not causing problems.
If pain or discomfort in the chest is persisting beyond 10-15 minutes after, whatever initial medicines were taken we must report to a doctor at the nearest hospital.
After a monitoring of blood pressure, an ECG will be a first indicator if the heart is to be blamed. Sometimes, if we are not sure from the ECG a blood test may be required.
If it is thought to be from the heart then, treatment needs to be started as soon as possible after hospital admission.
The main cause of Chest pain is sudden lack of blood supply to the heart. Out heart never stops from the moment we are born. It beats more than 100,000 times in a day, every day. Unlike mobile devices it does not need recharging! So how does it work? What is source of energy?
Heart has a profuse supply of blood and it gets its energy from the oxygen in the blood.
As it is so active, it has a great hunger for blood and the moment the supply is insufficient the muscles, cry out like a hungry child. Pain from the heart is called ‘Angina’.
Heart muscles will be hungry and unhappy, but manage for some time with the reduced supply. If this is not corrected soon, the precious heart muscles will get damaged. This is the very serious stage of ‘Heart Attack’ or ‘Myocardial Infarction’. To ‘infarct‘ means to die.
Once a portion of the heart muscle is damaged, it is very hard to get it back.
Why causes the blood supply to be reduced?
Blood reaches the heart through small arteries (blood supplying pipes, blood vessels).
In the same way we would not get water in our homes if the water pipes were blocked, – the heart will also be very low on blood supply if the arteries het blocked.
Deposits of cholesterol, fatty substances, causes narrowing’s which over a period of time causes the blockages. Diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol are the commonest causes of blocks.
Regular blood checks with ECG, Echo tests at least twice a year will help us to make sure that all is well with the Heart’s blood supply.
So, let the Heart Checkup programs of Asklepia Health, help you to keep your heart safe and strong.
