Chest pain that comes and goes: 5 Causes, 4 Prevention Tips
Are you experiencing severe chest pain that comes and goes? It could be a cause of concern for many people out there. It scares you, and the first thought in your mind is to visit the doctor and check whether your health is on track or not.
Severe chest pain that lasts for a long time is a serious and one should rush to the hospital immediately. However, we are going to talk about the chest pain that comes and goes.
There are some people, who take it lightly and think of it as a passing phase. The truth is that you should never take your health lightly. Sometimes, it is the relatively small symptoms which turn out to be serious at a later stage.
If you are experiencing chest pain that comes and goes, you must know the causes and treatments for the same. When should you seek medical attention? Should you be scared of this condition?
Here’s a post which talks about chest pain that comes and goes. We have listed the causes, the right time for seeking medical attention, and much more. Why don’t you find out yourself through this post?
Causes of Chest Pain That Comes and Goes:
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We shall disclose the different causes of chest pain that comes and goes. Do note that chest pain that comes and goes and heart-related chest pain is different. You will find the difference between the two in this post. Before we move on to the differences, it is advisable to check the causes of chest pain that comes and goes.
Pleuritis:
When there is an inflammation in the lining of the lungs, it causes a condition called Pleuritis. The patient will feel a sudden pain or heaviness in the chest. The condition becomes worse when the patient tries to take a heavy breath. This could be one of the causes of chest pain that comes and goes.
Costochondritis:
This is a condition in which there is an inflammation of the cartilage. The patient will feel pain and discomfort near the breastbone. It could be a result of a viral infection that the patient might be having.
Many people suffer from this condition, and it is best to check with a doctor about the severity of the same. They will be able to prescribe you the right treatments and drugs for the same.
Unstable Angina:
Inactivity causes unstable angina. When you are not doing any activity for 30 minutes, it may result in chest pain that comes and goes. However, do not take this condition lightly because it could be an indication that you are going to get a heart attack.
The patient will feel severe pain in the middle of the chest. There will be discomfort, and the patient may feel a squeezing pressure in the middle of the chest.
One should visit the doctor in such cases. Keep your family doctor’s number handy because you might need to act quickly in such circumstances.
Stable Angina:
We talked about unstable angina which is caused by inactivity. When we speak of stable angina, it is caused by exertion via physical activities.
You may experience chest pain that comes and goes due to physical activities such as climbing stairs, running, or walking. The pain lasts for a short period of time, and it is advisable that you must rest. When you are resting, the pain will dissipate.
We would advise you to take breaks between workouts or climbing stairs. Sometimes, we consider ourselves fit but climbing too many stairs, or a lot of physical workouts could be taxing for the chest.
GERD:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD can be the cause of chest pain that comes and goes. Do note that it may feel like a heart attack and it might even scare you for a while. However, you should relax because GERD is non-cardiac chest pain.
GERD is only caused by the stomach acids or contents which flow back into your food pipe. This, in turn, irritates the oesophagus. Your chest will feel the discomfort, and you might even pass it off a heart attack to your friends and family.
There is nothing to worry about! It is just stomach acids and not related to your heart. Yes, the GERD causes shooting pain in the chest, but it is not related to your heart.
Prevention is better than CURE:
We have to admit that chest pain that comes and goes is not favourable for a human being. It causes discomfort and pain which is not a pleasant feeling. It scares us, and you might even feel that you just had a heart attack. It has happened with us, and it is the same case with others.
There are some prevention tips which would help you to lead a better lifestyle and avoid such chest conditions. You can follow the tips mentioned below:
Balanced diet:
Eat a low-fat diet but do not go on extreme diets. It is essential for you to eat a balanced diet. A person on a strict diet can become unhealthy! It is best to eat healthy foods and drink a lot of water.
Quit smoking, please:
We have often seen boards telling us that cigarette smoking is injurious to health. We never take the advice seriously because we find it refreshing to smoke. Some people believe that it reduces stress. The cigarette smoking could be the cause of your chest pain! Mark our words and quit smoking NOW!
Control cholesterol and BP:
Managing your cholesterol and blood pressure is essential. If you are a blood pressure patient, it is necessary for you to take your medicines and follow a diet which your dietician has given you.
Exercise:
Working out is great for your body. However, you must warm up before working out. Also, it is your body and also your responsibility to not overdo! Do not do strenuous workouts which could harm your health. See your fitness level and then perform workouts.
Whenever you feel tired or have shortness of breath, you must stop working out. Give yourself a break! Eat healthily and never overdo the exercises as it could be the primary cause of chest pain that comes and goes.
If nothing works for you, we would suggest you check with your doctor. The doctor knows the best! He/she will prescribe you treatments, medicines, and even therapies.
When you experience chest pain that comes and goes, it might be frightening for you. In fact, it is frightening for us as well! We can put ourselves in your shoes, and we understand that it might not be comforting.
To rule out any heart diseases or condition, you must check with a doctor. They will let you know whether it is caused by a heart condition or just stomach acids.
Difference between Chest Pain and Heart-Related Chest Pain:
There are different characteristics of cardiac chest pain and the general ones. You would find that cardiac chest pains usually occur in the morning time. These are the general characteristics of cardiac chest pain. Chest pain that comes and goes usually occurs at the end of the day.
When you experience chest pain that comes and goes, you will realise that it happens on a random basis. If it caused by heartburn, then it will happen right after a meal. We suggest you limit your intake of fried foods because they are toxic to your health and heart.
Once you stop eating fried foods, the issue of heartburn will never occur. Eat a balanced meal to stay healthy! Once in a blue moon, you can enjoy two pieces of Kentucky’s Fried Chicken.
When you have cardiac chest pain, the discomfort and pain will increase when you lie down. Chest pain that comes and goes can last for a few seconds or even few hours. You must be sure as to which chest pain you are referring to.
When you visit the doctor, he/she will note down the history. They would ask you what you ate and what you did before you experienced the chest pain that comes and goes.
Takeaway Advice for Readers:
In a nutshell, you must never panic because that could worsen the chest pain that comes and goes. You need to relax and do some meditation. In fact, it is best to follow some soothing yoga poses which calm your heart and mind.
We would also suggest you to check with your family doctor whether it is cardiac chest pain or general chest pain that comes and goes. Once they have ruled out any chances of getting cardiac chest pain, you can follow the prevention tips.
Avoid junk food, and it is best to go for a walk after a meal. Fried food cause heartburn and smoking is never going to be good for anyone’s health. So, take the precautions and see your doctor in case the chest pain that comes and worsens!
