We may have experienced it but we did not know what it is. If you have had a kind of discomfort within your chest that can be described as tightness around your heart, then you have experienced chest pain that comes and goes. Angina or literally squeezing of the chest in Latin is what it is. It does not last long and usually only last not more than ten minutes.
Some people brush it off as it goes away after resting but others are more worrisome that they take it immediately to the emergency room as it can often be mistaken as related to heart disease. Please note that this is not a disease per se but rather a kind of symptom if a type of heart disease.
Before I share the most common causes, symptoms and remedies for this kind of chest pain, it is still best to check with your family physician to be diagnosed with accompanying medical test, result and prescription.
What are causes?
- The most common cause is Stable Angina and Unstable Angina. The first one, stable angina, happens after physical activities like climbing a stair or going down a stair like in a fire drill done in some buildings, most people experience this at the scene. This passes quickly at rest. Meanwhile, unstable angina happens when you are idle and it can last longer. This should not be put aside as this is the opposite of stable angina. This could lead to heart attack if it is not isolated case such as there was history of inflamed lining of lungs or cartilage near the ribs which can affect area around the chest. In this instance, I highly suggest seeking immediate medical attention,
- The other cause could be what we call heart burn which is not directly refer to a heart disease but GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease. It feels similar to heart attack though this happens due to stomach acid.
- Other causes of this type of pain are due to muscular tenderness around the lining in the lung area. This can be inflamed and can cause the pain on chest that comes and goes. This is almost the same with sharp chest pain and shortness of breath which is caused by blot clot that travels to lungs.
What are symptoms?
- First symptom is the uneasiness or a kind of discomfort near the center of the chest. The pain can range from minor to strong.
- It has an accompanying shortness of breath if it is due to acid reflux or what is called heart burn. It can be eased when taking over the counter antacids.
- There can be pain in the back if it is due to inflamed lining in the lungs that is due to various reason including physical injury and internal inflammation.
- Rapid heart rate is another indication.
- A kind of heaviness in the chest that is not within normal range is another sign that one is experiencing the symptoms.
- Accompanying sweat and dizziness are all symptoms of chest pains that comes and goes depending on the cause.
How to treat & Home remedies?
Rest is the immediate remedy and stop all strenuous activity while experiencing this sharp chest pain. If it is persistent and last longer than 10 minutes, it is something that cannot be taken lightly. Home remedy can go just as far as resting and drinking water but this needs immediate medical attention so that a person experiencing this can go through series of tests to evaluate what is the main cause and therefore be given proper medication.
Meanwhile here are some home remedies gathered that can ease the pain experienced while when medical help is far out and one needs immediate attention real time.
- Garlic and ginger are common household ingredients that when taken can help in the follow of oxygen-laden blood to a person’s heart. Ginger can lower down cholesterol because of its components. As it is also a kind of antioxidant, it can protect damage from cholesterol especially in the blood vessels.
- Turmeric or yellow ginger has an active component that can reduce cholesterol and it has anti-inflammatory properties. It can be incorporated in regular cooking or drink as a tea.
- Alfalfa and basil can be chewed or brewed during chest pain to ease it. It softens the arteries.
The chest pain that comes and goes can be taken lightly but overall should be given urgent attention as this could lead to other disease such as heart attack. It may have a lot of archetypal symptoms which we may take for granted but it is best to consult family doctor. In addition, leading a healthy lifestyle is also the best. Remember, prevention is always better than cure.