Is your chest pain and discomfort becoming a part of your daily routine and are you experiencing it every now and then? Well, experiencing frequent bouts of chest pain is not something that should be taken for granted as there can be many possible reasons behind it, some being quite serious. While most people think that such problems are usually related to the heart, experts from the best heart treatment hospital in Mumbai suggest that cardiovascular problems are not the only reason why you experience chest pain and these can also be triggered by problems in your lungs, muscles, ribs and other structures lying in the thoracic cavity. While some of these problems can be mild and taken care of with the help of simple medication or lifestyle changes, others might even give rise to the need for surgery. Any kind of delay in treatment, when it comes to the latter, can prove to be life-threatening and this is the reason why chest pain should never be taken for granted.

It is pertinent to note that chest pain may not necessarily be felt on the left side of your chest where your heart lies but rather you can feel it anywhere in the area lying between your neck and your upper abdomen.

In this blog, we are going to list some common causes of chest pain with the help of the best cardiac surgeon in India. These are:

• Coronary artery disease - Commonly referred to as CAD, the condition is marked by an obstruction in the blood vessels that restrict the normal flow of blood to the heart. Though CAD does not usually cause any permanent damage to the heart, it can significantly increase your risk of having a heart attack in the future. Chest pain associated with CAD can radiate towards the shoulder, arm, jaw, and back.
• Myocardial infarction - Commonly referred to as heart attack, it is one of the most common heart problems that is triggered by decreased flow of oxygenated blood to the heart muscles. Chest pain experienced during a heart attack can be quite severe and unbearable and is primarily experienced in the centre or left side of the chest. This is often accompanied by other symptoms like breathlessness, cold sweat and general body weakness.
• Myocarditis - The condition is marked by severe inflammation in the heart muscles which is triggered by chronic infection, autoimmune disorder or certain medication. The symptoms of myocarditis are often mistaken for a heart attack.
• Pericarditis - The condition is somewhat similar to myocarditis and is marked by the information of the sac surrounding the heart. The pain usually tends to worsen when you breathe, swallow food or lie down on your back.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - It is a genetic disease marked by the thickening of the heart muscles. In extreme cases, the condition may even lead to heart failure by making it difficult for the heart to pump blood. Pain associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is often accompanied by dizziness and unconsciousness.
• Mitral valve prolapse - As the name suggests, the condition is marked by the inability of the mitral valve to close properly. This often results in the backward flow of blood leading to chronic chest pain. In mild cases, the patient might not experience any pain at all.
• Coronary artery dissection - It is a rare condition that is triggered by a tear in the coronary artery. The condition can prove to be life-threatening and requires immediate medical intervention.

Apart from the above-mentioned conditions, chest pain may also be a result of the following:

• Lung problems like pleuritis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax and asthma
• Gastrointestinal problems like GERD, esophageal contraction disorders, peptic ulcers, pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, hiatal hernia, esophageal ruptures etc.
• Chest injury or trauma sustained in an accident.
• Few heart treatments and surgeries may also cause recurring pain in the chest.