Heart pain: nature, causes, treatment. Aching pain in the heart: causes and treatment, possible diseases

Chest pain is a sign that may indicate a serious pathology or simple fatigue. The pain can be pulling, stabbing, cutting, burning, aching or dull. The heart hurts at certain periods of every person’s life. In some cases, they can be harbingers of a cardiovascular disaster, and in some - manifestations of intercostal neuralgia.

Intercostal neuralgia

Attention! Heart pain is the most common reason for visiting a medical center. If pain suddenly appears, you need to act clearly and consistently, the main thing is not to be nervous (anxiety creates an excessive load on the heart, which can worsen the patient’s condition). If your heart hurts every day, you should urgently visit your doctor.

Cardiac pathologies often manifest themselves in the form of chest pain. The intertwining of nerve endings, which are located in the center of the chest, are very sensitive to the slightest changes in the functioning of the heart. Insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle (ischemia) or vasospasm are the causes.

Due to local paroxysmal ischemia it is called “angina pectoris”, and if there is pain in the heart area due to tissue necrosis, it is a myocardial infarction. There are three types of coronary heart disease: myocardial infarction (heart attack), atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis and angina pectoris. Heart pain with angina pectoris can occur at rest and under certain factors: excessive physical or emotional stress. Constant pain is a sign of myocardial infarction, but sometimes it does not appear constantly, but occurs suddenly and severely.

Inflammation of the heart

Idiopathic, allergic or infectious inflammatory diseases heart muscle – causes pain that lasts more than a week. The development of myocarditis (damage to the myocardium) can be fatal, especially if the immune system is weakened. Myocardial inflammation is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Arrhythmia.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Difficulty breathing.
• A sharp rise in temperature (with infectious myocarditis).
• Discomfort in the chest.
• Swelling of the face.
• Frequent attacks of dizziness.

When the heart sac (pericardium) becomes inflamed, aching and dull pain occurs that does not depend on the emotional or physical state. In some cases, the disease is asymptomatic and heart failure develops. With severe heart failure, the face swells and weak aching pains appear in the heart area, which do not subside for a long time during the day. Patients' limbs become swollen and may swell.

Malfunction of the bicuspid valve, located between the left upper and lower chambers of the heart, leads to autonomic failures, tachycardia, hyperventilation and paroxysmal vertigo. A third of patients with this diagnosis experience no symptoms. However, the majority experience extrasystoles, tachycardia and pain in the heart area at least once a month.

A rupture of the largest artery in the human body is emergency. Atherosclerosis of the aorta, hypertension, physical stress or closed injury chest cavity– reasons why an aortic aneurysm may rupture. The condition can last from 5 minutes to 2 weeks. It manifests itself as sharp pain and massive blood loss. Often ends in death. Often, aortic dissection is accompanied by a related process in diseases of the esophagus and duodenum. If your heart hurts for a week, and the pain feels like a stake in your chest, call an ambulance.

Non-cardiac causes of heart pain

Complex dystrophic changes in the musculoskeletal system it is commonly called “osteochondrosis.” Man rose to his feet not so long ago (by the standards of the duration of the evolution of primates on Earth), and spinal column not sufficiently adapted to walking upright. Unbalanced load and insufficient muscle training negatively affect intervertebral discs. Incorrect posture, carrying weights on only one shoulder, and a soft bed are factors that contribute to uneven distribution of the load on the intervertebral discs.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

The main causes of osteochondrosis:

• Spinal column injuries.
• Lack of microelements and water in the diet.
• Physical inactivity.
• Foot diseases.
• Excess weight.
• Prolonged uncomfortable posture during the day (when working at a computer).
• Psycho-emotional stress.

Important! Panic disorder is characterized by sudden attacks of panic that are treated with anxiolytics. Often, instead of panic disorder in Russia, the outdated diagnosis of “cardioneurosis” or “vegetative-vascular dystonia” is given. Panic attacks are accompanied severe discomfort in the left sternum, dizziness, derealization, depersonalization and shortness of breath. Panic attack can last a long time: from 5 minutes to one hour. The pain in the heart is burning and dull. Many patients wonder whether a panic attack can be fatal. As a rule, death is possible only in the presence of cardiovascular pathology.

Gastrointestinal problems are accompanied by pain in the heart area much more often than other non-cardiac disorders. Patients often mistake them for a heart attack. Stomach ulcer, gastroesophageal disease, chronic duodenitis, pancreatitis - the causes of pulling and stabbing pain in the sternum, lasting more than two days.

When to see a doctor?

The appearance of some symptoms may indicate a serious pathology. If any of the following symptoms appear, consult a doctor immediately:

• Chills.
• Fear of death.
• Tachycardia or bradycardia.
• Arterial hypertension or hypotension.
• Loss of consciousness.
• Pain in the heart or severe burning in the left sternum.
• Edema of the extremities (with severely swollen legs or arms).

How to treat the reasons that cause constant pain in the heart?

First of all, you need to contact general doctor and undergo a series of examinations to identify the root cause of the pain syndrome. If your heart hurts, you will most likely be given a referral to a cardiologist. After undergoing an electrocardiogram, blood tests, fluoroscopy and ultrasound of the abdominal organs, the optimal treatment option will be considered.

Cardiovascular pathologies that are associated with heavy load on the heart, are treated with beta blockers (metoprolol) and antihypertensive drugs(five milligram enalapril). Acetylsalicylic acid is prescribed to improve the rheological properties of blood. Other antiplatelet agents and thrombolytics are prescribed as needed or if there are contraindications to aspirin. Visit a cardiologist every few months to adjust treatment (if there are side effects) or clarify the diagnosis.

If pain in the heart is caused by damage to the musculoskeletal system, then general recommendations(sleep 8 hours, do not disturb the daily routine, do not slouch and do not overload your back) and medications local application(corticosteroids). For severe pain in the left side of the sternum, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. In some cases, surgery is indicated.

Panic disorder is corrected with antidepressants that affect the circulation of serotonin in the central nervous system. In the short term, benzodiazepines - diazepam, phenazepam or alprazolam - are used. Cognitive behavioral therapy plays an important role in the treatment of panic attacks. Regular sessions with a psychologist will allow you to develop effective strategies to combat the disease. In case of panic disorder, it is necessary to avoid psychostimulants - caffeine, nicotine or amphetamine.

Adaptogens

Folk remedies that will help get rid of heart pain:

1. Plant adaptogens (ginseng or Rhodiola rosea).
2. St. John's wort (herbal antidepressant).
3. Ginger tincture.
4. Pu-erh (stimulates metabolic processes in the body).

Before taking the above remedies, consult your doctor. Adaptogens have a stimulating effect on all organ systems and can increase arterial pressure. St. John's wort in combination with MAO inhibitors can cause serotonin syndrome. Pu-erh contains caffeine and an overdose can increase, rather than alleviate, pain in the heart area.

More:

How does your heart hurt? Symptoms of heart pathologies found in women

Pain in heart- The most common symptom, with which general practitioners most often have to treat older patients. Currently, cardiovascular pathologies are becoming increasingly common due to poor nutrition, low physical activity, frequent stress, and excess body weight.

At the same time, the symptom that people label as pain in the heart area, may not be associated with the pathology of the heart itself. For example, it may be due pathological process from the stomach, spinal column, lungs, ribs and sternum.

Sometimes only at an appointment with a doctor and after an examination can you accurately determine what is causing the pain in the heart area.

What are the causes of heart pain?

There are many reasons why pain in the heart develops. They can be divided into two large groups:
1. Related directly to damage to the heart itself:

• disruption of blood and oxygen flow to the heart muscle;
• inflammatory changes in heart tissue;
• metabolic disorders in the tissues of the heart;
• too much strain on the heart muscle due to high blood pressure or heart disease.

2. Diseases of other organs in which pain is reflected in the heart area:

• the most common situation is stomach diseases such as gastritis and peptic ulcer;
• pain syndrome may be caused by damage to the thoracic spinal column, ribs, intercostal nerves;
• diseases of the lungs and pleura;
• diseases of the esophagus.

Cardiac ischemia

Coronary heart disease is a whole group of diseases and pathological conditions, the main symptom of which is heart pain. The most common types of coronary heart disease are angina pectoris and myocardial infarction.

Angina pectoris

Angina is a very common disease and the main cause of acute pain in the heart in patients over 40 years of age.

The mechanism of heart pain with angina pectoris is quite simple. The blood supply to the heart muscle is carried out through the coronary (coronary) arteries, which intertwine the organ. When their lumen is narrowed (most often by cholesterol plaques in atherosclerosis), an insufficient amount of oxygen reaches the myocardium. As a result, a large amount of lactic acid is formed in muscle cells, which leads to pain. This disorder is paroxysmal in nature. Most often, attacks occur in stressful situations, with increased blood pressure, during intense physical activity - that is, when the heart requires an increased amount of oxygen.

Angina is characterized by severe sharp pain in the heart area behind the sternum, most often stabbing and burning. They come on and get worse very quickly, but usually go away within five minutes. The pain syndrome is quickly relieved by taking tablets or nitroglycerin spray under the tongue. During an attack, pain can radiate to the left arm, shoulder, under the shoulder blade, to the left half of the neck and jaw.

Heart pain due to angina pectoris can occur when different conditions, depending on the course of the disease:
1. Angina pectoris can be considered a more favorable variant of the pathology. In this case, pain occurs only at times of stress or severe physical exertion. The heart begins to contract faster and stronger, it requires more oxygen, but a sufficient amount does not flow through the narrowed vessels.
2. With angina at rest, pain occurs at any time, maybe even during sleep. This variant of the course of the disease is considered less favorable.

A painful attack of angina pectoris is relieved by taking nitroglycerin. The tablet or spray is placed under the tongue, where the drug is very quickly absorbed into the blood. If the pain does not go away, then you need to call an ambulance. Such patients are observed by a local therapist and undergo periodic treatment.

Most reliable method studies to determine the narrowing of the coronary arteries of the heart - coronary angiography, when an X-ray contrast agent is injected into the vessels and an X-ray is taken.

Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction in most cases develops against the background of angina pectoris, and is, as it were, its more severe stage. In this case, the appearance of chest pain is due to the fact that at a certain point in time the coronary arteries narrow so much that the blood flow to the heart muscle completely stops, and its section dies. In this case, pain in the heart and other characteristic symptoms appear:
1. Very strong sharp stabbing and burning pain behind the sternum in the area of ​​the heart, which for a long time(more than 5 minutes) does not go away, does not go away after taking nitroglycerin.
2. In this case, there is a drop in blood pressure, sometimes to such an extent that the patient faints.
3. The patient's skin turns pale and he breaks out in sticky, cold sweat.
4. Appears strong feeling fear of death.
5. This may increase the patient's body temperature.

The pain in the heart during myocardial infarction is so severe that it has to be relieved with narcotic drugs. If such pain occurs, you should immediately call an ambulance. After performing an ECG, the cause of pain immediately becomes clear: myocardial infarction manifests itself very clearly.

The patient is admitted to the intensive care unit. Myocardial infarction is a direct threat to life, so much depends on quality and timely treatment.

Arterial hypertension

Arterial hypertension is an increase in blood pressure above normal levels (more than 120 and 80 mmHg). At the same time, the heart is increased loads, his muscles have to work harder and with greater frequency. In addition, atherosclerosis, which in most cases is the cause of arterial hypertension, also affects the heart vessels. Not only does the myocardium experience overload, it also receives less oxygen.

The most characteristic of high blood pressure in arterial hypertension is pain in the heart in combination with headaches. They can be pressing, stabbing, aching in nature. In this case, the following symptoms simultaneously develop:

• an even more pronounced increase in blood pressure;
• tinnitus, “floaters before the eyes”;
• headache, dizziness;
• unsteadiness of gait, weakness, fatigue, drowsiness;
• redness of the facial skin, feeling of heat;
• swelling, mainly on the legs in the evening.

Pain in the heart area occurs especially often during a so-called hypertensive crisis - a sharp increase in blood pressure to very high numbers.

To understand the origin of heart pain, it is enough to measure your blood pressure. Most often, pain in the heart area occurs with the so-called stage 3 hypertension, when increased blood pressure and impaired blood flow lead to pronounced violations from the heart and other organs.

Myocarditis

Myocarditis is an inflammatory lesion of the myocardium - the heart muscle. The myocardium contains nerve receptors that respond to inflammation by causing pain. This can be caused by viruses, other microorganisms, or an inflammatory process.
Heart pain and chest discomfort are quite common with myocarditis (about 80% of patients with this pathology). In some patients, the disease occurs without any symptoms.

Pain in the heart with myocarditis most often has a pressing or aching character, sometimes it is stabbing. However, it has practically nothing to do with stress and physical activity. Pain with myocarditis differs from angina pectoris in that there is no relief from taking nitroglycerin. Also, no pathological signs were noted during the ECG.

For myocarditis pressing pain in the heart is combined with other signs:

• weakness, lethargy, general fatigue;
• slight increase in body temperature - no more than 37 o C;
• a feeling of interruptions in the work of the heart, rapid heartbeat or freezing.

If myocarditis occurs without pain, then most often the patient does not see a doctor, and the disease goes away on its own. If the treatment is carried out by a therapist or cardiologist, then he may prescribe an ECG, ultrasound of the heart, or chest x-ray. Subsequently appointed medications, aimed at the root cause of the disease.

Pericarditis

This is also an inflammatory disease, but it does not affect the heart muscle, but the outer lining of the heart - the pericardium. It also contains many nerve endings, the irritation of which leads to pain.

With pericarditis, pain in the heart area is characterized by the following features:
1. Pain sensations are noted in the bottom and left of the chest - where the apex of the heart is located. In some cases, they can involve the entire heart area, or the entire left side of the chest.
2. With pericarditis, pain in the heart is uncharacteristic, reflected in the left arm, under the left shoulder blade, in the left half of the neck and jaws.
3. With this disease, pain often spreads to the right half of the chest and right arm.
4. With pericarditis, there is an acute, aching, cutting pain in the heart.
5. Pain sensations do not increase during stress and intense physical activity, but their intensity depends on the patient’s body position. Often, in order to reduce pain, a person takes a sitting position and leans forward.
6. Characterized by pain in the heart during inspiration.
7. The most interesting is the dynamics of heart pain over time. They occur at the very beginning of the disease, with the so-called dry pericarditis, when friction occurs between the inflamed pericardial layers during heart contractions. Then, with pericardial effusion, fluid forms in the heart sac, friction stops, and the pain subsides. But this does not mean that the disease was cured.

If there is pain in the heart and suspicion of pericarditis, the patient is examined, including ultrasound of the heart, ECG, and chest x-ray. Treatment is prescribed directed against the main cause of the pathology: antiviral or antifungal drugs, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy refers to all heart pathologies that are not associated with insufficient oxygen flow, inflammatory processes and valve defects. For the most part, cardiomyopathy is based on metabolic disorders, which, one way or another, lead to pain in the heart area.

With cardiomyopathy, pain in the heart area can be of a very diverse nature. They can be localized only in a specific place, or occupy a vast area. The pain syndrome can bother the patient constantly, and can also be associated with physical activity or stress. Sometimes it can be removed with nitroglycerin, but not always.

To make a diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment, any patient with unknown pain in the heart area must come for examination to a doctor and undergo an examination, which includes a chest x-ray, ECG, ultrasound of the heart, general and biochemical blood tests.

Heart defects

Heart defects can be congenital or acquired, but in any case they are accompanied by heart pain.

Pain in the heart due to a malformation of its development has the following development mechanism. If the structure of one of the valves is disrupted, certain chambers of the heart are forced to constantly pump large amounts of blood, while the filling of others remains quite weak. In this case, the overloaded heart muscle is forced to contract more often and stronger. It experiences an increased need for oxygen, and besides, its resource is not endless - at a certain point in time it stops working adequately. All this manifests itself in the form of heart pain.

Pain in the heart due to its defects is permanent. Most often they are pressing, stabbing, pinching. They may be accompanied by high blood pressure, swelling in the legs and other symptoms.

Most often, pain in the heart area accompanies the following defects:
1. Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aorta where it leaves the left ventricle;
2. Prolapse mitral valve, which is located between the left ventricle and the atrium - a very common congenital disorder that is detected in many children and can be expressed to varying degrees, often so weakly that it is considered not a defect, but a small insignificant anomaly;
3. Acquired rheumatic heart defects that occur during a long course of rheumatism.

These pathologies are detected after a chest x-ray, ultrasound of the heart, and ECG. Depending on the type of defect, the severity of heart pain and other symptoms, surgical or conservative treatment is prescribed.

Cardiopsychoneurosis

Neurocirculatory dystonia (vegetative-vascular dystonia, vegetodistonia) is functional disease nervous system, in which the nervous regulation of many internal organs, including hearts. And this often becomes the cause of heart pain. Most often, neurocirculatory dystonia develops in adolescents, which explains the high prevalence of such pain in adolescence.

Depending on the course of the disease, there are four types of heart pain in adolescence.

Simple cardialgia

This is a form of heart pain with neurocirculatory dystonia, which is observed in 95% of all patients. Most often it occurs spontaneously, lasts several minutes or hours, and then goes away. Pain in the heart with simple cardialgia is aching or pinching, occupies the entire area of ​​the heart, or only its apex. No special assistance is required during the occurrence of such pain syndrome. Typically, a neurologist prescribes general therapy aimed at treating the underlying disease.

A separate subtype of simple cardialgia is the so-called angioedema cardialgia. With it, pain in the heart - pressing or squeezing, is always paroxysmal in nature, is very short-lived, but at the same time extremely strong. The pain can go away on its own, without any help, but most often patients use validol drops or nitroglycerin to relieve it. If such attacks occur, you should visit a neurologist who will examine the patient, conduct an examination and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Cardialgia of vegetative crisis

It is also called paroxysmal prolonged cardialgia. Heart pain occurs during the so-called vegetative crisis - acute condition when neurocirculatory dystonia manifests itself especially clearly.

Pain in the heart during cardialgia of vegetative crisis continues very long time, it is pressing or aching, does not go away after taking validol and nitroglycerin. Other symptoms are also observed:

• increased blood pressure, which is why this condition may resemble a hypertensive crisis;
• lethargy, weakness, feeling of fear;
• trembling throughout the body;
• shortness of breath, feeling of lack of air;
• feeling of rapid heartbeat.

Typically, an attack of such pain in the heart is relieved with the help of drugs that lower blood pressure and sedatives.

Sympathalgic cardialgia

With sympathalgic cardialgia, there is pain in the heart of a burning nature, or simply a burning sensation. The pain syndrome is located in the heart area or in the chest area. In this case, if you feel the spaces between the ribs, you will notice an increase in pain. Validol, valocordin and nitroglycerin in in this case do not help, as is the case with other types of neurocirculatory dystonia.

For pain in the heart caused by sympathalgic cardialgia, oddly enough, it is not medications that help, but thermal procedures, for example, mustard plasters or acupuncture.

The cause of heart pain in this case is excessive irritation and excitation of the nerve plexuses responsible for stress reactions in the body.

False angina

It turns out that in some cases, vegetative-vascular dystonia can resemble angina pectoris. Although in reality these two diseases are very different.

With the so-called exertional pseudoangina, as with true angina, pain occurs in the heart area behind the sternum of a pressing, squeezing, aching nature. They become stronger when the patient is under psycho-emotional stress or experiences increased stress.

In this case, the cause of pain in the heart is an inadequate response of the body and heart muscle to physical activity. This condition is often confused with angina pectoris. Therefore, it is very important to distinguish them from each other. The patient must attend an appointment with a doctor and undergo an examination (ECG, ultrasound of the heart, etc.) in order to accurately establish the diagnosis and receive adequate treatment.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia is a disease characterized by a disturbance in the normal rhythm of the heart. There are many various types arrhythmias, and often many of them can be accompanied by pain in the heart area. Pain syndrome occurs directly during an attack and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• weakness, dizziness;
• feeling of disturbance heart rate: interruptions in the heart, fading, frequent and strong heartbeat;
• sometimes the heart, during an attack of arrhythmia, ceases to cope with its function so much that the patient loses consciousness.

Pain in the heart during arrhythmia can radiate to the left half of the chest, left arm and left armpit.

Often, the patient himself can distinguish the pain syndrome of arrhythmia from other diseases, since heart rhythm disturbances are felt quite well.

To clarify the origin of pain during an attack, an ECG is performed: the diagnosis of angina pectoris and its type immediately become clear.

If an attack of arrhythmia is accompanied by acute pain in the heart area, then urgent medical attention is needed. It is necessary to call an ambulance: the doctor will administer the appropriate antiarrhythmic drugs.

Pain in the heart reflected from other organs

In close proximity to the heart there are many important organs: the stomach and esophagus, the lungs and the pleura covering them, the spinal column, ribs, and sternum. Their diseases can create a pain syndrome that is very similar to heart pain.

Gastritis and peptic ulcer

Gastritis and peptic ulcer are diseases of the gastric mucosa, which differ from each other only in that gastritis is an inflammatory process, and an ulcer is inflammation in combination with a defect in the gastric wall.

For gastritis and peptic ulcer stomach, reflected pain in the heart most often occurs after eating or, conversely, on an empty stomach (if the lower part of the stomach or duodenum is affected). They are stabbing in nature, can last a long time and do not go away after taking nitroglycerin and other drugs. The “gastric” origin of heart pain can be suspected by the following additional symptoms:

• feeling of heaviness under the left rib, pain under the heart;
• heartburn, sour taste in the mouth;
• strong belching.

Most often, patients suffering from such “heart pain” are sent to see a cardiologist. Having found no signs of pathology in the cardiovascular system, the specialist will refer such a patient to a gastroenterologist.

Gastroesophageal reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux can confidently be called a disease of the 21st century. Almost 50% of all heart pains of foreign origin are associated with it.

Usually, after an examination has been carried out and all “cardiac” causes of pain have been excluded, there is no doubt about the diagnosis. The patient is most often treated by a neurologist, and to confirm the diagnosis, radiography and computed tomography of the spinal column are prescribed.

Intercostal neuralgia

Many people have experienced this sometimes: it will sting briefly in the side, presumably in the area of ​​the heart, and then almost immediately “go away”. This is how intercostal neuralgia manifests itself, the symptoms of which are often confused with attacks of heart disease.

The causes of intercostal neuralgia are very diverse. These could be injuries, infections, or disorders of the spinal column.

If the attack of intercostal neuralgia was isolated, or happens extremely rarely, then there is no particular cause for concern. If such pain recurs regularly, you need to consult a neurologist.

Psychogenic pain in the heart

Pain in the heart, which actually does not exist, can be felt by patients with neurasthenic neurosis, hysteria, obsessive states, increased anxiety and suspiciousness, mental illness. Reveal the real reason heart pain in such a patient, only a thorough examination and consultation with a psychiatrist will help.

Treatment of heart pain

As can be seen from all of the above, heart pain is a symptom that can occur as a result large quantity for various reasons. Accordingly, the treatment will be very different.

Typically, patients who have suffered from a disease for a long time already have recommendations from their attending physician and are well aware of how to act in such situations.

If severe pain in your heart for the first time in your life, then you shouldn’t risk it - it’s better to call an ambulance.

Heart pain: first aid in road conditions - video

Before use, you should consult a specialist.

A common reason for visiting a doctor is pain in the heart area. They have a different character, duration, and certain irradiation. In addition, discomfort in the chest has a different etiology and its occurrence is not always associated with heart pathology. This article describes the most characteristic features heart pain, pathologies that can imitate it are indicated, and how to distinguish true cardialgia from pain syndrome of another etiology is also described.

Causes of heart pain

The etiology of this unpleasant symptom is very diverse. Heart pain occurs, as a rule, in the presence of coronary disease, which affects the coronary vessels. Also the cause of true cardialgia are inflammatory heart diseases, birth defects, VSD. In addition, there is a wide range of pathologies that are accompanied by pain in the chest, which simulates heart damage. Some of them are described below.

Cardialgia with osteochondrosis

Clinical manifestations thoracic osteochondrosis very similar to pathologies of the respiratory system or cardiovascular system. Patients complain of pain in the chest, which intensifies when bending over, changing body position, and also after dynamic or static loads. Pain often appears in the shoulder blade area and spreads to the heart, left arm and sternum. It can be bothersome when lying on your side or back, which forces patients to take a forced position, which reduces pain. Unpleasant sensations vary in intensity and occur in different time days.

Shortness of breath is also a common symptom. Patients note that they do not have enough air, since normal inhalation is difficult. Sometimes while eating, patients also note a sensation of a foreign body in the throat and along the esophagus.

Heart pain due to neuralgia

Cardialgia with this pathology occurs in only 10% clinical cases, but characterized by high intensity. A sudden pain syndrome develops. Patients cannot raise their left arm or turn their head. If the pain spreads from the nerves that are pinched during intercostal neuralgia, palpation of the intercostal spaces leads to increased pain. An increase in the intensity of pain is also observed when inhaling, coughing or laughing. The nature of the pain is usually girdling, stabbing, cutting, dull, constant or paroxysmal. Maybe sharp pain, which does not allow you to make a single movement.

Cardialgia with neuroses

Why does the heart hurt during psycho-emotional stress? The main reason is the development of cardiac neurosis. Cardialgia has certain characteristics. So, in most cases it occurs among people who are characterized by negativism, isolation, and emotional lability. Favorable factors in this case we can name bad habits, chronic lack of sleep, accompanying mental disorders. With cardiac neurosis, compression and discomfort in the chest, dizziness and increased sweating, headache and nausea. Patients may lose consciousness. Also characterized by an accelerated pulse, changes in blood pressure, a feeling of shortness of breath, tremors, panic attacks and stabbing pain in heart.

Heart pain during exercise

As a rule, this complication develops after excessive training. During intense physical activity, the heart requires more oxygen. An inadequate reaction of the body manifests itself in narrowing coronary vessels, which impairs blood supply to the myocardium and leads to pain. Typically, athletes may experience heart pain that disappears after rest. If aching pain in the heart area persists for a longer time, you should reconsider your training regimen and reduce the load, as this can be dangerous. In addition, it should be remembered that in cases where after training there is significant tachycardia, excessive sweating and difficulty breathing even after cessation of physical activity, or the left arm becomes numb, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Cardialgia with vegetative-vascular dystonia

Cardiac syndrome with this pathology is mainly characterized by the following symptoms: pain in the heart of an acute and stabbing nature, which appears both after physical activity and at rest, heart rhythm disturbances in the form of tachycardia or bradycardia, changes in blood pressure. The pain syndrome may be moderate.

As a rule, there is paroxysmal or Blunt pain in the heart, but it is accompanied by excessive fear or even hysterical fits, in which a person cannot adequately assess his condition and overestimates the complexity of existing manifestations. In addition, with vegetative-vascular dystonia, temperature changes, general weakness and sweating, tinnitus and excessive drowsiness, headaches, and mood swings are recorded, which is especially pronounced in adolescents.

Heart pain in chronic alcoholism

With constant abuse of alcoholic beverages, myocardial dystrophy is formed. In the initial stages of its development, patients complain of palpitations, lack of air, headache and bad sleep. Also characteristic is pressing pain in the heart, increased irritability and sweating. First, cardialgia occurs in the form of attacks at night, accompanied by tachycardia, extrasystole or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which later becomes permanent. In addition, after drinking alcohol, which is consumed in large quantities, the heart enlarges, its sounds become dull, acrocyanosis appears, the liver becomes denser, swelling of the extremities and signs of heart failure develop.

Heart pain during pregnancy

During this period, a woman’s body undergoes major changes and the normal functioning of many organs and systems, including the heart, is disrupted. As a rule, the cause of cardialgia during pregnancy is an increase in the volume of circulating blood, a constant increase in body weight, an uncomfortable position, iron deficiency in the body, fluid retention and increased blood pressure. We should not forget about significant hormonal changes during this period, which makes women weaker to stressful situations or sudden atmospheric changes.

Cardialgia in lung diseases

When the respiratory system is affected, chest pain has the following characteristics:

• characterized by an acute but short-term nature;
• as a rule, no irradiation of pain is observed;
• the pain intensifies with deep inspiration;
• the presence of such pulmonary symptoms such as cough, sputum production, shortness of breath;
• dry or moist rales, percussion data indicating lung damage.

It is worth noting that most often pain in the heart when inhaling is observed with the development of pleurisy. With this pathology, it can have a different distribution. With inflammation of the parietal pleura, pain is localized in the lower parts of the chest. Pain appears in the area of ​​the shoulder blades if the parietal pleura is affected upper lobe lung If apical pleurisy is diagnosed, then due to irritation of the brachial plexus, concomitant pain in the arm may be observed, and with diaphragmatic pleurisy, pain extends to the abdominal area and is accompanied by vomiting.

That is why for correct diagnosis it is important to clearly determine where it hurts. This helps to distinguish true cardiac pain from clinical manifestations of pulmonary damage. It is important to remember that cardialgia in respiratory pathology cannot be considered a leading clinical syndrome. More specific manifestations are taken into account (cyanosis, fever, signs of intoxication, cough, shortness of breath, sputum production).

How to understand that it is the heart that hurts?

If you experience any discomfort in the heart area, you should immediately consult a doctor for thorough examination. To confirm heart damage, a blood test, ECG, myocardial scintigraphy, angiography, echocardiography and cardiac MRI are done.

How does your heart hurt?

Of course, based on patient complaints, one can suspect one or another pathology, but for correct diagnosis, clinical manifestations are not always decisive, since, as can be seen from the information presented above, pain in the heart area can appear in many other diseases that are not associated with direct damage to the heart.

If we talk about the main characteristic manifestations of heart pain, we can name the following:

• if the cause is angina, the pain occurs behind the sternum, has a compressive, cutting, dull or sharp nature. As a rule, it radiates to the left arm, the scapula, sometimes it may not have a clear localization, and lasts from a few seconds to 20 minutes. During an attack, shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air and fear of death appear. Painful sensations do not depend on body position or breathing and are quickly relieved with nitroglycerin;
• in the case of myocardial infarction, intense anginal pain occurs, which radiates to the shoulder blade, arm, abdomen, left half of the neck, lasts longer than 15 minutes and is not affected by nitrates, accompanied by profuse sweat and fear of death, as well as shortness of breath and unproductive cough. In some cases, myocardial infarction occurs without pain.

What to do with cardialgia?

If an attack of heart pain occurs, you should stop any physical activity, sit comfortably or, if possible, take a horizontal position, unbutton your clothes and provide access fresh air. The patient should be given one nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue. If there is no effect, the drug can be repeated at intervals of three minutes. If the pain lasts more than 20 minutes and does not decrease after taking nitroglycerin three times, you should call an ambulance. Before her arrival, the patient can be given an aspirin tablet to chew. With tachycardia more than 110 beats/min. It is advisable to take anaprilin (if there are no contraindications).

It is important that first aid is provided as soon as possible after the onset of pain. This helps avoid serious complications, including myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac arrest. In addition, it should be remembered that even if you managed to eliminate the pain syndrome on your own, you should definitely consult a doctor to find out its etiology and prevent a relapse.

Scientists have calculated that heart disease and its consequences have taken more lives than military conflicts that have occurred throughout human history. Every year, about 17.5 million cases are added to this number. Thus, every third person who dies becomes a victim of heart disease.

Most of these deaths could have been avoided if risk factors had been reduced. Smoking, being overweight, drinking alcohol and eating a poor diet have a negative impact on heart health.

Plays a significant role in preventing negative consequences timely diagnosis and therapy. At the first unpleasant sensation, it is important to find out why the heart hurts. In some cases, the reason lies elsewhere, and the source of sensations is not the heart muscle. Put accurate diagnosis and only a specialist can prescribe treatment.

Unpleasant sensations emanating directly from the heart must be distinguished from pain in the organ area. Mostly with lesions of the heart muscle, pain is localized in the central part of the chest.

When the heart hurts, the patient most often experiences the following types of sensations:

• burning;
• tearing;
• compressive, etc.

The pain can occur at rest or after physical activity, and the attack can last several minutes or drag on for hours. In some cases, the sensations do not stop after taking nitroglycerin and are accompanied by an increase in heart rate.

Female vessels are less susceptible to atherosclerotic changes due to the effects of sex hormones. With the onset of menopause, the frequency of complaints that the heart hurts increases significantly. In some cases, the cause of the sensations may be. In addition, women often have heart pain due to increased emotionality. This is a feature of the fair sex.

Where does the heart hurt most often in women:

• in the central part of the sternum;
• in the central part of the sternum, with radiation to the left arm;
• in the solar plexus area;
• in the neck area;
• in the central part of the sternum, radiating to both arms, etc.

Causes of angina symptoms

In many cases, men go to the doctor quite late. This is caused by a number of factors:

1. Threshold of pain sensitivity. Men do not always feel that their heart hurts - the symptoms can be veiled and softened. This is due to the peculiarities of the pain-relieving system of the male body and the production of the hormone testosterone.
2. Tendency to physical activity. Men are characterized by stress that leads to the release of endorphins. These opioid peptides are also a natural pain reliever.
3. Pathogenic factors. Smoking and alcohol abuse have a negative impact on the male heart.

One of the most important diagnostic criteria is irradiation. It is the process of spreading pain from the affected area to other areas. In particular, when the heart hurts, the sensations most often radiate to:

• lower jaw (often resembles a pronounced toothache);
• or both hands;
• in one or both shoulders;
• to the peritoneal area;
• in the neck area, etc.

However, organ pathologies do not always accompany the spread of pain. In some cases, other diseases manifest themselves this way. Similar symptoms - warning sign requiring immediate medical attention.

Why does it hurt?

Unpleasant or painful sensations may result various pathologies heart muscle. What makes the heart hurt can only be said for sure after diagnosis. Among the probable reasons:

• (, myocardial infarction, cardiosclerosis);
• inflammatory diseases (pericarditis, endocarditis, myocarditis);
• congenital defects (stenosis pulmonary artery, septal defects, Ebstein's anomaly, etc.);
• acquired defects (mitral valve stenosis, pulmonary valve stenosis, etc.);
• aortic aneurysm (dissection).

Areas of pain irradiation

In some cases, one of the reasons why pain in the heart area may be osteochondrosis. It is possible to distinguish the disease based on certain signs:

1. Pain is felt in a specific area related to the affected area.
2. There may be numbness, burning, or tingling in the same area.
3. Localized increased sweating, pallor or redness of the skin may occur.
4. In some cases, the pain spreads to the limbs, to the shoulder blades, neck area, etc.

Diagnosis of the cause of heart pain due to osteochondrosis is often complicated by nonspecific manifestations of articular cartilage disease.

Many people, experiencing pain in the heart area, immediately turn to a cardiologist. Fortunately, in the majority of cases the cause is not cardiac in nature. Thus, intercostal neuralgia can lead to sensations. You can distinguish it by:

1. Like. The pain has a stabbing, cutting, piercing, encircling form.
2. Localization of sensations. Most often they appear between the fifth and ninth ribs, in the solar plexus area.
3. Increased sensations. With intercostal neuralgia, sensations become aggravated after a change in body position, sudden movement, strong laughter, coughing or sneezing.
4. The sensations do not stop after taking nitroglycerin.
5. The condition may occur due to hypothermia.
6. Prolonged manifestation of pain. The attack significantly exceeds the duration of an angina attack.

At night, sensations in the heart area can be caused by:

• diseases of the respiratory system (pleurisy, pneumonia, etc.);
• peptic ulcer;
• intercostal neuralgia;
• joint pathologies, etc.

In some cases, the pain is actually cardiac in nature. Manifestations may be caused by a special form of coronary artery disease - nocturnal angina. Another provoking factor is the narrowing of the lumen of the coronary arteries - coronary spasm.

If your heart hurts and you feel difficulty breathing, then the probable causes may be:

• pre-infarction condition;
• embolism of the pulmonary artery or its branches;
• cardiac asthma, etc.

Complaints of difficulty breathing combined with pain in the heart indicate the presence of dangerous changes in the body and require immediate response.

Mostly such manifestations are not associated with pathologies of the heart muscle. Most often this leads to:

• traumatic effects on the chest;
• pathologies of the respiratory system;
• diseases of bones and joints;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• malignant and benign formations;
• intercostal neuralgia, etc.

If your heart hurts when you inhale, the reasons related specifically to the organ itself may be the following:

• cardiac ischemia;
• inflammation of the heart sac (pericardium);
• heart rhythm disturbances, etc.

In some cases, without additional examination, it is not immediately possible to differentiate the cause.

If after physical activity there are unpleasant sensations in the heart muscle, then it is necessary:

1. Reduce or completely stop the load until the reasons that led to such manifestations are clarified.
2. Pay attention to what types of workouts lead to heart pain. Exclude them from the program.
3. Do not increase the load suddenly and without preparation. Increasing the pace of training should occur smoothly.

Running is a cardio load for the body, therefore, it requires increased blood supply to the heart muscle. The following can lead to pain during or after running:

• coronary spasms (stenosis);
• atherosclerosis of coronary vessels;
• dystrophic changes in the heart;
• cardiac ischemia.

Non-cardiac causes are also a factor in causing discomfort or pain when running.

If your “heart” hurts after eating, this may indicate serious violations in organism. As a rule, sensations are associated with pathologies and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For example:

• peptic ulcer;
• gastritis;
• hiatal hernia;
• pancreatitis.

Also negative factors Injuries, mechanical impacts, and pathologies of the respiratory system may serve as causes. Cardiac factors include:

• pericarditis;
• myocarditis;
• endocarditis;
• coronary heart disease, etc.

According to researchers, coffee in small quantities is not capable of affecting organs. However, excessive consumption of an invigorating drink can lead to disruption of the body's functioning. Coffee does not lower blood pressure, which makes it dangerous for people suffering from arterial hypertension. In addition, the drink helps remove from the body a number of minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the heart muscle. The consequences of such exposure can lead to unpleasant sensations. Coffee can lead to the development of gastrointestinal diseases, which sometimes leads to pain in the heart area.

Most often, this condition is not associated with organ pathologies, but is caused by an adaptation process. The female body undergoes hormonal changes in order to create optimal conditions for the growth and development of the fetus.

In addition, pain during pregnancy can be caused by:

• changes in the tone of the autonomic nervous system;
• intercostal neuralgia;
• anemia;
• gestosis;
• etc.

Pain in an organ or area can be caused by:

• diseases of joints and bones;
• pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
• kidney disorders;
• injury received;
• neuralgia;
• heart disease;
• inflammatory disease, etc.

The child usually cannot show where the heart hurts (photos of a person can help parents find out the location of the sensations). The reason most often has nothing to do with the cardiovascular system, but is a reason for an urgent visit to a specialist.

Puberty is accompanied by hormonal changes and rapid growth. It is at this time that a teenager may begin to complain that his heart hurts. This may be due to:

• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• rheumatism;
• myocarditis;
• psycho-emotional stress.

The best prevention of negative manifestations in adolescents is healthy image life and adherence to daily routine.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia is special shape disorders of the nervous system, manifested in the form of various symptoms. One of them is pain in the heart.

Typically, these feelings:

• are of a long-lasting nature;
• associated with psycho-emotional stress;
• stop after taking sedatives.

Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia is carried out comprehensively. It is recommended to visit a psychologist, adjust your daily routine and adhere to the principles of a balanced diet.

Excitement and stress can trigger mechanisms that lead to heart pain. Exactly:

1. Spasmodic reaction of blood vessels. Stenosis of arteries and veins, leading to myocardial ischemia or angina. The condition develops as a result of a pronounced reaction of the adaptation system.
2. Cardioneurosis. Soreness of the heart muscle caused by psychological or mental factors.

Alcoholic drinks have a toxic effect on the entire body as a whole. The heart also suffers from their use. Long-term consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to the following changes in the organ:

1. Development of fatty degeneration. Characterized by excessive accumulation of fat cells in the tissues of the heart muscle.
2. Dilation. This is a stretching of the cavities of the organ, leading to disruption of its functioning.
3. Hypertrophy. Excessive development and thickening of cardiac tissue.

People who drink alcohol regularly over a long period develop alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

After a stormy evening, your heart hurts for a number of reasons. Most often in connection with:

• with coronary artery stenosis associated with the end of the vasodilator effect of alcohol;
• toxic effects of acetaldehyde;
• , which often occurs against the background of angina pectoris.

The sensation can occur both in people who regularly drink alcohol and in those who rarely allow themselves strong drinks.

Unpleasant sensations in the left half of the sternum may be the result of the most various diseases. Manifestations are recorded in people of any age, have different shapes and duration. At the first such manifestations, you should consult a specialist. An experienced doctor, based on a description of the nature of the pain, in many cases will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis.

Useful video

How bad habits affect a person’s heart, watch the following video:

Conclusion

1. Life and health largely depend on ourselves. That is why it is so important to understand how and where a person’s heart hurts, and in what cases there is another reason.
2. Preventive examinations, regular examinations and self-monitoring can identify many dangerous conditions at the initial stage.
3. Early contact with a doctor increases the chances of success of subsequent therapy.

In this article you will learn how pain in the heart manifests itself in heart diseases, the main factors in the appearance of unpleasant sensations. Nowadays, pathology of the cardiovascular system is the main cause of mortality. Doctors are sounding the alarm about this, creating new drugs and technologies to combat diseases.

Most people have complained of chest pain at some point. They do not always indicate heart problems. Everyone needs to know how the heart actually hurts, what the symptoms may be. You will learn the causes and methods of combating heart pathologies.

This article will be useful to all readers, since heart pain can occur to any of us. After all, timely diagnosis is the key to a healthy heart.

The human heart, the cardiac muscle, is the central organ of the circulatory system. Every day, the human heart performs more than 80,000 contractions, constantly being in an active mode, cyclically changing the phases of rest and active contractions.

The human heart is located in the chest cavity, where it lies on the dome of the diaphragm. It is represented by a special type of muscle tissue. The human heart consists of four chambers, the activity of which falls on different period cycle. Between the chambers there are valves that close and open in different phases abbreviations.

The heart always hurts unpleasantly. This organ is so sensitive that heaviness in the heart can occur due to poor ecology and gas pollution. As soon as there is not enough oxygen in the heart muscle, a feeling of heaviness occurs.

Heaviness in the heart muscle can occur due to frequent experiences, stress, and nervous conditions.

Distress signals are always given by a feeling of heaviness and slight tingling in the heart area. Panic can occur even when there is no reason to worry. But in order to protect yourself from disturbances in the functioning of the body in case of any unusual sensations in the heart area, you need to visit a doctor.

The heart is an organ that does not tolerate self-medication. You cannot put off going to a specialist if the feeling of heaviness in your heart is constantly present.

Classification of causes

Heart pain is the most common reason for calling an ambulance or urgently visiting a doctor. According to genesis, doctors distinguish two large groups of heart pain:

• angiosis, which is experienced by a patient diagnosed with coronary artery disease at different stages of the disease;
• cardialgia that occurs against the background of inflammation, congenital diseases or heart disease, as well as VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia).

Angious pain in the heart is associated with insufficient blood supply to the myocardium; they are also called ischemic or angina pectoris. Usually they are paroxysmal in nature and occur during physical effort or stress, that is, when there is a need for increased blood flow; To relieve pain, a person usually just needs to calm down, relax and take medication.

Most often, angiotic pain is felt as a burning sensation, pressure, squeezing; it arises in the retrosternal region, radiating to the left arm, shoulder, and mandibular region. May be accompanied by a disturbance in the rhythm of breathing, a feeling of lack of air (shortness of breath).

If the patient has very severe pain in the heart area, he complains of burning, tearing, squeezing or pressing sensations - it is necessary to suspect myocardial infarction in the acute stage and provide urgent medical assistance.

Cardialgia is caused by rheumatic heart disease, damaged heart muscle (myocarditis), and inflammation of the pericardium. The patient complains that his heart has been hurting for a long time: stabbing, aching, painful sensations spread on the left side of the sternum, aggravated by coughing and simply deep breathing. Taking painkillers may provide some relief.

Another large group of reasons why a person’s heart hurts has nothing to do with the heart itself; in these cases, pain is provoked by damage to other organs:

• Pain in the heart area can be caused by thoracic radiculitis (or intercostal neuralgia), as well as pathologies of the costal cartilages. Such pain intensifies or weakens when a person bends over, turns his body, breathes deeply, or moves his arms. In this case, standard “heart” medications have no effect on the intensity of the pain syndrome.
• Quite severe pain spreading along the intercostal spaces may be the first symptom of the infectious disease Herpes zoster - herpes zoster.
• Patients with neuroses also often have pain in the heart area; attacks occur periodically, do not last long, and are localized in a small area. Patients define their condition as “stabbing in the chest”, “ache”, or find it difficult to characterize the sensations.
• If a person is stressed or depressed, he may experience pain localized in the neck and shoulder area. Fear of having a “heart attack” usually only makes the condition worse; in fact, such pain is associated exclusively with muscle tension, and any cardiologist can explain this to the patient.
• A swollen intestine can also cause pain in the heart area: physical pressure causes disruption of some cardiac functions.
• It happens that pain in the cardiac region is caused by diseases of the stomach and pancreas. In this case, a person can trace a clear dependence of pain on the intake of a particular food or on periods of hunger.
• Pain in the heart area can appear due to osteochondrosis, curvature or weakening of the spine in the thoracic region, pinched nerve root (cardiac nerve), etc.

To verify the presence or absence of heart and cardiovascular diseases, the patient should know how the heart hurts.

Diseases of cardiac origin that may cause chest pain:

• Heart attack.

This disease can have different symptoms. Most often, a person experiences pressing pain in the center of the chest, which radiates to the left side of the body.

In addition, symptoms such as nausea, increased sweating, irregular pulse rhythms, a feeling of weakness, anxiety, and often dizziness may be observed.

In some cases, a heart attack may develop without any external manifestations, even unpleasant sensations in the heart area may be absent. With a large heart attack, the patient loses consciousness, his lips and fingertips turn blue, he has difficulty breathing, and suffocation may occur.

If you suspect a heart attack, you should immediately call an ambulance, because delay can cost a person his life.

• Ischemic disease hearts.

IHD is usually associated with angina pectoris. In this case, the heart may work intermittently, the pulse becomes frequent and irregular, dizziness and difficulty breathing occur. The patient feels heaviness and tightness in the chest. Possible irradiation to the shoulder blade, shoulders, arms, throat.

These symptoms most often appear during strong emotions or heavy physical activity. When pain occurs at night or at rest, this is a dangerous sign.

• Pericarditis.

This disease is associated with inflammatory processes occurring in the outer membranes of the heart. Painful sensations are most acute when coughing and inhaling; they are usually concentrated in the middle of the chest. They are often accompanied by difficulty breathing and an increased pulse.

• Myocarditis.

In this case, the pain may be stabbing, pressing or aching. It often occurs in the absence of physical stress. It also cannot be neutralized with nitroglycerin.

• Cardiomyopathy.

Pain in the chest with this disease varies depending on the stage of development of the disease. Initially, they occur in the absence of stress, can last for quite a long time, and are felt in different parts of the chest.

It is not possible to overcome such an attack with nitroglycerin. Over time, the pain may occur in attacks as a reaction to overexertion. It also increases the possibility of stopping it medicines.

• Mitral valve prolapse.

The unpleasant sign in this case is not a reaction to stress or emotions. The area of ​​localization of pain becomes the left side of the chest.

The sensation may be pressing, aching or pinching, and is not affected by nitroglycerin. This disorder is accompanied by dizziness, shortness of breath, rapid pulse, and difficulty breathing. Fainting also occurs.

• Stenosis.

When a patient tends to this pathology, a feeling of chest tightness may appear. A person quickly gets tired, has difficulty breathing, experiences weakness, becomes dizzy and faints.

• Thromboembolism.

The main symptom of this serious disease is severe pain, which becomes worse when trying to take a deep breath.

In this case, there is no irradiation. A person’s blood pressure decreases, the skin may acquire a bluish tint, the pulse increases greatly, and difficulty breathing occurs. The use of nitroglycerin does not bring results.

• Aortic dissection.

If a person has this problem, he experiences severe pain, which may even cause him to lose consciousness. This disease requires immediate medical care, otherwise the patient may die.

• Arrhythmia.

There are several types of arrhythmias, and some of them are characterized by pain radiating to the left. In addition, there is a feeling of weakness, difficulty breathing, and dizziness.

How to understand that your heart hurts

As we have already found out, pain in the chest area can be caused not only by cardiac pathology. This occurs due to the fact that all internal organs are connected to each other by nerve endings.

To make sure that it is the heart that hurts, you need to go to a medical institution for examination and confirmation or refutation of the diagnosis. The manifestation of heart pain directly depends on the reasons that provoked it; we will talk about the characteristics of pain later. Such pain may be:

• pulling;
• tingling;
• aching;
• squeezing;
• cutting;
• with impact in the hand, under the shoulder blade.

In both sexes, heart pain is similar, and the differences in this symptom are dictated not so much by gender as by individual characteristics. However, the pain sensitivity threshold is different for men and women. The pain threshold of men is influenced by the degree of activity of the antinociceptive system.

Neurotransmitters-endorphins, which belong to the group of endogenous opiates, dampen pain. Since men have certain character characteristics and are more prone to systematic physical activity, they release endorphins more regularly and in greater quantities than women.

The threshold is also positively influenced by the hormone testosterone, which by definition is several times higher in men. Such gender-specific characteristics of the perception of a pain signal lead to a late visit to the doctor, which delays the onset of adequate therapeutic activities. Of course, it is not just one symptom that is treated, but the disease itself as a whole.

How earlier treatment begins, the more effective it will be. Notably, regular alcohol consumption also increases the pain threshold, which increases the risk coronary death, because the heart begins to hurt weakly and often after the onset of irreversible ischemic changes.

Typical soreness behind the sternum means clinical manifestation ordinary angina. The heart hurts behind the sternum and radiates to upper limb, collarbone, neck, lower jaw on the left. For determining painful area patients point to the mid-left region of the chest. These symptoms are very similar to myocardial infarction.

There are situations when a man focuses attention on areas of irradiation and describes them first, which is already regarded as atypical angina. Sometimes the individual characteristics of the innervation of internal organs determine the fact that it hurts at the level of the stomach, in the subcostal area. The nature of this symptom in this case is more diffuse, bursting, pressing.

And sometimes they come to the fore autonomic symptoms when the heart hurts, but not so much. With dextracardia, the pain is more on the right side.

How women's hearts hurt

In most cases, the pain syndrome is not fundamentally different from men, however, women react to pain in the heart earlier and more actively, which is associated with their physiological high sensitivity and, accordingly, a lower pain threshold.

Women are less likely to use substances that increase the pain threshold and are less likely to engage in activities requiring physical exertion, which makes them more low level endorphins.

Their testosterone is several times lower than that of healthy men, which contributes to the formation of the pain sensitivity threshold. Most often, women experience the following symptoms:

• ordinary cough;
• general weakness and pallor;
• elevated temperature;
• high or low blood pressure;
• general swelling;
• dizziness in crowded places and motion sickness in any transport;
• frequent shortness of breath;
• occasional vomiting and nausea;
• pain in the neck or shoulder blades, reminiscent of ordinary osteochondrosis;
• pain in the chest area;
• strong and frequent heartbeats.

Typically, cough is a symptom of viral diseases, flu, colds and bronchitis. However, it is worth giving Special attention such a minor symptom if expectorant medications do not help. A dry cough that suddenly appears in a patient while lying down is a reasonable cause for alarm.

Concerning general weakness body and pallor, then such symptoms are signs of disorders and disorders of the nervous system. Such symptoms are characteristic of neuroses of the heart muscle, although they are often associated with other diseases.

Heart pain in young children and junior schoolchildren occurs for the same reasons as in adults. However, some causes are diagnosed more often in children than in their parents, others much less frequently, and still others are not found in adults, and disappear in children as they grow.

• If the vessels in the baby's heart grow faster than the organ itself, and its blood supply is too intense, the child feels pain.
• Active, emotional children complain that their heart ache after fast running or walking.

Their vegetative system has not yet matured, and the body does not know how to quickly adapt to changing physical loads. But as soon as the child catches his breath and rests a little, the pain goes away. In adolescents, heart pain accompanies vegetative-vascular dystonia: tingling in the left chest and armpit.

You should not hesitate to visit a doctor if your child has pain in breathing deeply or coughing, especially if complaints appeared several weeks after a cold, flu or streptococcal infection (scarlet fever, sore throat). This is how viral myocarditis or rheumatism begins. Inflammation of the pericardium or cardiomyopathy can be suspected if the child complains that his heart is pressing.

However, there is no need to panic ahead of time! At the initial appointment, you will tell the doctor what worries you about the baby’s health, he will examine the child and ask questions, do a cardiogram, if possible, and conduct an exercise test. Small child does not yet know how the heart hurts, he cannot always show exactly where he feels the pain.

The baby cries and points to his chest, but it is quite possible that his gallbladder is bothering him, and the pain radiates to the sternum; In younger schoolchildren, pain is caused by incipient scoliosis or osteochondrosis. If a cardiac examination shows that the child is healthy, the doctor will refer the baby to a neurologist, gastroenterologist or orthopedist.

Tingling

If your heart sometimes tingles, don't terrible diagnoses. It often appears as a result of injuries or problems with the musculoskeletal system. Tingling may occur with the following heart pathologies:

• angina pectoris;
• dystonia;
• pericarditis;
• myocardial infarction;
• pulmonary embolism.

Diseases not related to the main human motor can lead to “false” symptoms in the form of tingling:

• intercostal neuralgia - differs from cardiac pinpoint localization;
• osteochondrosis - such pain, unlike heart pain, goes away after taking antispasmodics;
• instability of the nervous system - in addition to pain, there is insomnia and constant fatigue.

Also, we should not forget that tingling in the heart area can be caused by overexertion during physical activity, fast walking, or the presence of a cold (flu, acute respiratory viral infection).

The main “culprit” of chest pain radiating to the left arm is called ischemia. This symptom is also very often noted when:

• angina pectoris or, as it is popularly called, “angina pectoris”;
• myocardial infarction;
• myocarditis;
• atherosclerosis (plaques reduce the lumen of blood vessels, thereby preventing the heart from working normally).

Pain in the heart and left arm can be caused by diseases not related to the main organ, namely:

• inflammation in the anterior part of the middle chest cavity, usually due to injury to the digestive organs. Pain is transmitted to the left arm during inhalation/exhalation and swallowing;
• periarthritis, arthritis, tendinitis of the shoulder joint, with such disorders the center of pain is the left shoulder joint, which irradiates it into the arm and chest;
• intercostal neuralgia located on the left side. Usually a painful spasm is caused by an awkward turn of the body or raising an arm;
• all kinds of pneumonia, pleurisy, tumors located on the left side of the respiratory tract. Usually, in addition to pain, there are: shortness of breath, cough, lack of oxygen;
• in women - formations of a different nature and inflammatory processes in the mammary glands. With such problems, tissues are compressed, to which nearby lymph nodes react, spreading pain to nearby tissues;
• diseases associated with disruption of the autonomic nervous system, the manifestations of which can be pain in the sternum and aching in the left arm.

How does the heart hurt with angina?

With angina pectoris, the patient complains of pain, as if someone had stepped on his chest. Chest discomfort is described as a tight feeling that interferes with breathing. It was this feeling that prompted in ancient times to call this disease angina pectoris.

It can be localized not only near the heart, but also radiate to the left arm, shoulder, neck, jaw. Basically, the pain syndrome appears suddenly, and it can be provoked by strong physical and emotional stress, eating, or taking a deep breath. The duration of such pain is up to 15 minutes.

Myocardial infarction is ischemic necrosis of heart tissue:

• during the process (during an attack), necrotic areas appear on the myocardium, a sudden sharp pain appears, radiating to the left arm and back;
• there is numbness in the limb;
• with a small area of ​​necrosis, the patient feels a burning sensation and compression in the sternum, but can stand on his feet.

The insidiousness of the pathology lies in the fact that symptoms may be completely absent. The patient may only occasionally complain of chest discomfort. With extensive tissue damage, a person loses consciousness and requires immediate resuscitation followed by hospitalization.

Pericarditis pain

Pericarditis is an inflammatory lesion of a certain lining of the heart. Basically, this pathology is a consequence (complication) of other diseases:

• Pain with pericarditis is felt in the middle of the chest and can radiate to the back or arm.
• It is felt especially strongly during swallowing, during deep inhalation/exhalation, coughing, and while lying down.
• It feels like a dull, aching pain in rare cases with a cutting sensation.

If you sit down or bend slightly forward, relief comes. People suffering from this pathology have shallow breathing and rapid heartbeat.

In case of pericarditis, doctors come with complaints of stabbing, pressing or aching pain in the area of ​​the heart that occurs spontaneously, regardless of physical activity, and taking nitroglycerin does not lead to improvement.

How to distinguish pain from non-cardiac origin

Any tingling, pain, or compression in the left side of the chest suggests heart problems. Is it so? It should be noted that the nature of cardiac pain differs from non-cardiogenic manifestations.

1. Pain not related to the heart is characterized by:

• tingling;
• shooting;
• acute pain in the chest, left arm when coughing or sudden movement;
• do not disappear after taking nitroglycerin;
• constant presence (not paroxysmal).

As for heart pain, they differ:

• heaviness;
• burning;
• compression;
• spontaneous appearance, come in attacks;
• disappearance (subsidence) after taking nitroglycerin;
• radiating to the left side of the body.

What to do if the engine hurts

Heart pain terribly frightens a person; it seems to him that the condition is catastrophic. This can lead to unnecessary stress, making the situation even worse.

It is in order to prevent negative consequences that, at the slightest ailment in the functioning of the cardiac system, the patient needs to visit a doctor. Here are some tips if you can't see a doctor:

• The first thing to do in this situation is to calm down. In this case, being nervous is strictly prohibited.
• An infusion of valerian or motherwort is an excellent sedative. You can take another soothing herbal infusion.
• If you have heart pain, it is not recommended to lie down; it is best to sit in a comfortable position. sitting position and relax.
• A nitroglycerin tablet placed under the tongue until completely dissolved will help reduce pain in the chest area.
• As a sedative, you can drink a mixture of warm milk and iodine (10 drops of iodine per glass of milk). Drink 3 times a day, for 2 weeks.
• Also, foot baths with the addition of powdered mustard will help relieve heart pain.

When you have heart pain, it is very important to watch your diet. The daily menu should contain dishes rich in calcium and potassium. It is necessary to completely exclude alcoholic beverages, strong coffee and even tea from the diet. In addition, it is necessary to limit the consumption of flour, sweet, fatty and fried foods.

Preference should be given to boiled food. If the disease manifests itself regularly, then the person needs to take care of his physical condition. To do this, it is recommended to avoid nervous and stressful situations, play sports, and have quality rest - often walk in parks or forests, where there is fresh air.

It is important to remember that sharp pain in the heart is a sign serious illnesses, which should only be treated by a specialist. At home, you can relieve an attack of pain, but after that a visit to a cardiologist is still necessary.

When a patient consults a doctor with a complaint of heart pain, you should carefully study the symptoms and perform diagnostic procedures. This will help identify the cause of the deviation and prescribe the most correct and effective treatment.

The patient must strictly follow medical recommendations and under no circumstances self-medicate - this can be dangerous. When studying the activity of the heart, the following methods are used:

• Stress ECG (performed during physical activity using exercise equipment).
• Holter monitoring (data is recorded throughout the day, while the patient performs his usual activities).

Phonocardiography helps identify diseases associated with the activity of the heart valves. If there is a need to study the condition of the heart chambers, cardiac ultrasound is used. The functioning of blood vessels is examined using coronary angiography.

Since heart pain can occur due to problems with other organs, you may need to additional ways diagnostics This:

• MRI of the spine.
• Radiography.
• Blood test (general and biochemical).

In addition, a cardiologist can refer a person with such symptoms for examination to a neurologist, orthopedist, gastroenterologist and other specialists. Based on all this, conclusions will be drawn about the reasons painful sensations. Cardiologists say that certain conclusions can be drawn from the way a patient describes his condition.

When the patient is able to accurately characterize the sensations, the cause is usually not related to the heart. But if few symptoms are described, and the person’s story is laconic, this indicates cardiac pathology.

Most drugs are sold without a prescription and should be taken at home. You can find out more about the types of medications in the article:

• Validol.

It has a calming effect and is useful for eliminating stress. In the fight against angina pectoris, the drug is ineffective; to enhance the effect, simultaneous use of nitroglycerin is recommended. Both products are placed under the tongue and dissolve.

• Corvalol.

It has a strong calming effect and helps with intercostal neuralgia. Available in tincture and tablet form.

Attention! It has been proven that Corvalol negatively affects the functioning of the liver. When using, consult a doctor.

• Acetylsalicylic acid.

The familiar aspirin can cope with heart pain; one tablet is enough. Chew the drug well.

• Cardiomagnyl.

It has an analgesic effect and does not cause harm to the stomach. One-time dose of one tablet. These remedies will help when your heart hurts at home.

Important! Any drug must be approved by a specialist.

In ancient times, when there were no modern medical treatments, people successfully treated heart ailments with the gifts of nature. How to help a sick heart? Many recipes have survived to this day and help when the heart hurts and the hand goes numb.

1. Garlic. Eating two cloves of garlic daily will help prevent heart pain.
2. Hawthorn. An infusion of berries will help treat heart pain. To prepare you need:

• take red hawthorn berries – 20 g and lemon balm herb – 15 g;
• put in a glass, add boiling water and place in a water bath;
• cook for 20 minutes, then cool and strain through cheesecloth.

You can drink 20 ml of the infusion before each meal. The course of treatment is two days. You can also make a hawthorn tincture: the berries are poured not with water, but with vodka and infused for 14 days in a dark place.

Herbal collection.

For cooking dosage form you will need string herbs, motherwort, lingonberry leaves and chamomile flowers with hawthorn, take 20 g of them and mix thoroughly.

Now take 25 g of the composition, place it in a glass and pour boiling water over it. Leave for 4 hours, then strain through cheesecloth, squeezing out the infusion. Drink 50 ml at a time, morning, afternoon and evening. The duration of treatment is 14 days.

Wild carrots for heart pain.

The recipe is useful because it can be prepared at any time. The medicine is in the form of an infusion; to prepare it, you need to pour 60 g of wild carrot seeds into 250 ml of vodka.

The product is infused for 20 days in a cool and protected place. sunlight place. To prevent pain, use 6 drops per 20 ml. water. Drink three times during the day. If severe pain occurs in the heart area, then drink 3 drops every 30 minutes.

Heather grass.

An infusion is prepared based on the plant, which will help eliminate pain. During the preparation process, 10 g of dry plant is poured with 200 ml of boiling water and infused in a water bath for 5 minutes. Drink 50 ml every 4 hours.

May lily of the valley.

This recipe is time-tested; it has reached our days from ancient times. How to prepare: take a liter jar and fill three-quarters of the plants with flowers; pour vodka up to the neck and cover with a lid; leave for 20 days, then strain.

To use, you need to dissolve 20 ml of tincture in water. Take water in a ratio of 1:10. Drink no more than three times a day.

Attention! The plant is very poisonous and should be used with caution.

Mint and lemon balm.

These plants will not cope with heart pain, but will calm the nerves, which will have a beneficial effect on treatment. The recipe is simple:

• 25 g of herbs are poured into 250 ml of boiling water;
• leave for an hour, then filter;
• drink 25 ml 20 minutes before meals.

Attention! Mint lowers blood pressure.