Left chest pain

introduction

Chest pain can occur on the left as well as on the right and, depending on the location, indicate various diseases. They are also known as chest pain in technical terms.

The thorax (rib cage) is located between the spine, ribs, and sternum. Pain that occurs in this area is classed as chest pain. The female breast can also cause pain, which also falls under this term.

Also read our article Chest pain, for more information.

causes

Left chest pain can be harmless, but serious medical conditions can also be responsible.

The pain may come from organs in the chest. This includes the heart, lungs, esophagus and the initial part of the stomach. Also the main artery that aorta, runs through the chest and can cause pain.

Read more on the subject at: Chest pain from thoracic organs

Left-sided chest pain in particular makes the patient think of a heart attack quickly. In principle, this is also one of the possible causes. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted quickly in the event of very severe and persistent chest pain.

But other heart diseases can also cause chest pain, which occurs mainly on the left side. These include:

• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Pericardial inflammation
• Valvular heart disease
• Coronary heart disease (CHD)
• Rupture or tear of the main artery (see: Diseases of the aorta)
• Severe high blood pressure

Diseases of the lungs and esophagus can also cause chest pain. These include:

• lung infection
• bronchitis
• Pneumothorax
• Pulmonary embolism
• Lung cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Inflammation of the esophagus (often caused by acid reflux from the stomach)
• Rupture of the esophagus

Chest pain with a cold

Even after or during a cold, there are numerous reasons for pain in the left chest region.

While the common cold makes it more likely that the chest pain originates in the lungs or bronchial tubes, chest pain caused by a cold often suggests so-called myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscles.
If the cold is combined with a strong cough, it can either lead to a kind of sore muscles in the diaphragm or inflammation of the pleura.
Myocarditis can occur in the course of the cold, especially in young, sporty people who do not pay attention to sufficient physical rest even during the cold. It also mainly causes chest pain on the left side.

Chest pain from tension

Chest pain caused by tension is usually the result of poor posture; mostly ball-in-ball sitting by working on the computer or the like.

The chest muscles then shorten if this position is not actively counteracted. However, back pain in connection with poor posture is far more common than chest pain. However, both problems can be remedied with stretching the shortened muscles and other special physiotherapeutic exercises.

Do you sit at your desk a lot? - Then the following article might interest you: Exercises for strengthening and improving posture at the desk

Chest pain after exercise

A doctor should be consulted in the case of left-sided chest pain that only occurs or occurs more frequently after exercise. This is a typical sign of progressive calcification of the coronary arteries (coronary artery disease). This can lead to an angina attack or even a heart attack. Since more blood is required in the body and thus also in the heart during sport due to the high oxygen demand, the oxygen deficiency due to the narrowed vessels is primarily noticeable in the beginning during sport.

Read more on the subject at: Diagnosis of coronary artery disease

Chest pain after eating

Chest pain can also be due to the stomach and the esophagus be due. In this case, they are often closely related to food. Most of the time, chest pain that occurs after eating is harmless and is open fatty food traced back.

Also heartburn can be perceived as chest pain and is due to diet.
A Inflammation of the esophagus can through the so-called Reflux in which the stomach acid rises in the esophagus.

Other causes of left chest pain

A bruised rib or a broken rib on the left side can also lead to left-sided chest pain. In addition, muscle tension (see: Chest pain due to tension) or sore muscles in the intercostal muscles can lead to such pain. Other possible causes are heartburn, diaphragmatic hernias, or shingles.

But psychological causes can also lead to chest pain. For example, stress or anxiety can lead to a feeling of tightness in the chest, which is often perceived as pain.

Furthermore, the chest pain can be pain radiating from other regions, which can be caused, for example, by diseases of the gallbladder or the pancreas (see: Symptoms of a pancreatic disease). Blockages in the cervical or thoracic spine can also radiate into the chest.

Symptoms

Depending on the cause, the chest pain has a different pain character and additional accompanying symptoms may occur.

• Bruised ribs, broken ribs: They cause superficial pain, which is increased when the affected area is touched and pressed. Deep breathing is often not possible due to the severe pain.
  • Read more on the subject at: Broken rib or bruised rib?
• Heart attack, coronary artery disease: This often results in a tightness in the chest. The pain is described as oppressive or oppressive, and sometimes patients experience annihilating pain. In many cases, the pain radiates to the left shoulder and arm, and sometimes to the jaw, upper abdomen and back. In addition, there are often symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating and nausea. This pain is known as angina pectoris (please refer: Angina pectoris symptoms).
  • Read more on the subject at: Heart attack symptoms and diagnosis of coronary artery disease
• Arrhythmias: There may be tightness in the chest with additional symptoms such as circulatory problems, drop in blood pressure and an irregular pulse, which indicate a heart disease
  • Read more on the subject at: Recognize arrhythmias
• Inflammation of the pericardium (pericarditis): The pain is more likely to be felt as sharp.
• Injury to the main artery (aorta): The pain manifests itself in most cases as annihilation pain and can radiate between the shoulder blades.
• Diseases of the lungs: The pain that occurs is mostly breath-dependent. Typical indications are shortness of breath and coughing. If the cough is bloody, pulmonary embolism is suspected and a doctor should be consulted immediately.
  • Read more on the subject at: Detect pulmonary embolism
• Pneumothorax: The pain is mostly sharp and the movement of the chest while breathing is asymmetrical.
  • Read more on the subject at: Symptoms of pneumothorax
• Diseases of the esophagus: The pain is mostly in the center of the chest, but can also radiate to the left. The pain often radiates from the abdomen into the chest and is burning.

Read more on the subject at: Palpitations and pain under the chest

Chest pain on the outside

Chest pain on the outside left of the chest can be in women in the period before menstruation occur. In most cases, both breasts are affected.
Also as Side effect of the pill as a contraceptive the female breast can react with pain.
This can manifest itself as pain that is aggravated when touched.

But also a Breast tumor can cause outer breast pain.
This option should be considered especially if the pain is unilateral.
The breast itself can be palpated in order to feel for any lumps. Often, however, these can only be discovered with the examination methods of a gynecologist.

Chest pain on both sides

Chest pain on both sides is common in women. They are an expression of a so-called Mastodynia. This is harmless chest pain that occurs depending on the cycle.

Sharp chest pain

Sharp pains in the left side of the chest can have various causes.

Basically, chest pain is perceived differently by all patients.
But sharp pain can usually indicate a heart attack or angina pectoris. The pain often spreads to the left arm, the jaw, the upper abdomen and the back.

Read more on the subject at:

• Signs of a heart attack
• Symptoms of angina pectoris

But pericarditis also often manifests itself in stabbing pain. This pain can also radiate, but this is not necessarily the case.

Such pain, especially if it occurs for the first time or is very severe and persistent, should always be clarified by a doctor, as serious illnesses can be the cause.

Read more on the topic: Pain in the region of the heart

Chest pain when coughing and when breathing in

If the chest pain increases or occurs only when you breathe in or when you cough heavily, this may either indicate that there is an injury to the ribs (e.g. bruised ribs, broken ribs), or there is a lung disease.

Inflammation of the pleura is a possible cause of the pain. Since this is stretched depending on the breath, there is increased pain when inhaling and also when coughing.

For more information, see: Rib pain on the left.

Chest pain combined with back pain

If back pain and chest pain on the left side occur in combination, it is usually due to tension as a result of poor posture.

Only in very rare cases is it a heart attack. If it is a heart attack, chest tightness and nausea are usually added.

The tension in the chest and back muscles can usually be relieved by stretching or physiotherapeutic exercises, which should result in a significant improvement in the pain.

Chest pain combined with shortness of breath

The shortness of breath is an indication that there is something called a ventilation problem. This means that a problem with your lungs is likely causing the shortness of breath. The person is unable to breathe in as much or as deeply as they would like. The breathing rate then increases and you feel short of breath.
Several scenarios would be conceivable that could bring about such a combination of increased breathing rate and chest pain. For example, a broken rib could have "pierced" the lungs.

Another possibility would be a spontaneous collapse of a lung, a so-called pneumothorax. In both cases it would be a chest pain that would have started acutely. The method of choice for clarifying the cause of the pain in this context is an X-ray, which shows both broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

diagnosis

Since left-sided chest pain can in principle be a serious heart or lung disease, it should definitely be clarified by a doctor.

If a heart disease is suspected, an electrocardiogram (EKG) is made for diagnosis, on which the heart activity can be read. Cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks can be recognized here.

With the help of X-rays, the lungs and the skeleton of the chest can be assessed and possible changes can be recognized.
A bronchoscopy can also be used here for diagnosis.

The esophagus and stomach can be assessed by a gastroscopy.

When do I have to see a doctor?

Of course, this question primarily depends on the cause. However, since this is not always recognizable, a doctor should be consulted quickly in cases of pain that becomes stronger, that sets in suddenly, or movement-dependent chest pain.

If the chest pain is accompanied by a feeling of tightness and panic fear, this speaks for a heart attack and is then an absolute case for the emergency services.

Furthermore, any pain that is subjectively perceived as stressful should be presented to a doctor. However, this does not have to happen immediately, but can only happen in the course of the next time.

therapy

Depending on the underlying disease, the appropriate therapy must be initiated.
At a Angina attack should as soon as possible Nitroglycerin inhaled to relieve the discomfort.

At a Heart attack, one Pulmonary embolism and a Pneumothorax it is very important, to see a doctor as soon as possible, as there is danger to life.

• Therapy of a heart attack
• Treatment of pulmonary embolism
• Therapy of a pneumothorax

Duration of left chest pain

A general statement about the duration of left chest pain is not possible. In order to be able to give an approximate value in this regard, it is important to know the cause of the chest pain.
For example, while untreated broken ribs can cause pain for several weeks, a heart attack or angina pectoris causes pain that lasts only minutes to hours. If, on the other hand, nerves leading to the left chest region are damaged, the pain can also become permanent.

Chest pain in women

Sore breasts are called in the jargon Mastodynia designated.
In women, chest pain often occurs cycle-dependent. Many women experience a slight pulling, pressure, or tightness in the chest a few days before menstruation begins.
Usually these symptoms go away on their own when you start menstruating.

If these symptoms occur regardless of the monthly cycle, a doctor should be consulted and the cause clarified. New chest pain should also be examined by a doctor.

Read more on the subject at: Chest pain in the woman

The pain can be triggered, among other things, by diseases of the mammary gland. Inflammation, an abscess (collection of pus), or a tumor can be the cause. When a tumor occurs, it does not necessarily have to be breast cancer; benign tumors of the mammary gland can also occur.

Read more on the subject at: Diseases of the female breast

In addition, taking the pill as a contraceptive can have chest pain as a side effect (see: Side effects of the pill).

Pregnant women often experience chest pain due to the excessive breast growth. Breast congestion can occur during breastfeeding, which can also be very painful, as can a breast infection that can develop from it.

Read more on the subject at: Breast pain in pregnancy

Chest pain before your period

Pre-period chest pain is a problem that affects over half of all women.

Similar to breast pain during pregnancy, the hormonal balance is the causative factor. As a rule, the chest pain occurs on both sides; only in exceptional cases can only one side of the breast be affected.

In the second half of the cycle, the level of estrogen in the blood increases, which leads to growth, or better said, water retention of the breast tissue. This leads to a feeling of tension within the chest.

Breast pain in pregnancy

Breast pain during pregnancy is a common phenomenon and mostly occurs in the first half of pregnancy. The hormonal changes in the female body are responsible for this.

There is an increased production of female hormones, which leads to the fact that the breast tissue and the components of the breast milk-producing system increase in size.

This usually leads to a feeling of tension in the chest as the skin limits the increase in size. However, this feeling usually subsides again in the second half of pregnancy. As a rule, both breasts of the woman are affected; in rare cases, one side is more affected than the other.

Would you like to read more on this subject? - Then visit our main page on the topic: Breast pain in pregnancy

Chest pain after breastfeeding

This combination is also a fairly common phenomenon and can either be related to the baby sucking too hard while breastfeeding or starting to bite the nipple with its first teeth in the late stages.

The more likely cause, however, is inflammation of the mammary duct. This can happen as a result of breastfeeding, for example injuries to the nipple, which then serve as an entry point for bacteria.

In rare cases, however, the mammary gland duct can become clogged, so that the milk builds up inside the breast, which can also lead to inflammation or a pain-causing feeling of pressure.

Please also read the following article: Inflammation of the nipple

Menopausal chest pain

After the Menopause the female sex hormones are only produced to a lesser extent by the body. The taking of Substitute preparations can lead to chest pain. In this case the dose of the preparations by the gynecologist customized become.
But even if no additional hormones are taken, chest pain can occur after the menopause. This can be done in the course of benign breast lesion (Mastopathy) occur.

But water retention in the breast tissue can also trigger pain, which often turns out to be Tension pains express. These are also through the changed hormonal balance conditionally.

Is there a difference in chest pain in women and men?

Depending on the gender, chest pain is most likely to differ in terms of its origin or the underlying cause that is responsible for the pain.

The decisive difference in this respect is that women, unlike men, have breast tissue that can be the cause of breast pain.

Since breast tumors can also express themselves as pain, but 99% of all breast tumors occur in women, there is a clear gender-specific difference here.

In addition, it can be noted that a feeling of pain in the left breast radiating into the left arm - as a symptom of a heart attack - is a sign that is significantly more common in men than in women.

However, in such a case it is seldom "only" chest pain as a sign of a heart attack.
Whether the pain perception also differs for the same cause of pain cannot be answered or is currently still the subject of research.

forecast

As with the statement on the duration, a statement on the prognosis of left-sided chest pain is also not possible without knowledge of the disease causing it.

For example, while broken ribs heal without complications in almost all cases, the survival rate of a heart attack is around 50 percent. Furthermore, the prognosis often depends on the physical and mental requirements of the sick person.

While young, healthy people are less susceptible to complications or severe disease, older and sicker people also suffer significantly more often from complications or have a worse "disease outcome".