Do you feel a sharp pain in your chest at times? Well, it's time to discover some facts about chest pain. You might have felt something strange at times with your chest pain and may feel like an emergency kinda thing or like a “heart attack.” Sometimes, it may cause an emergency where you may feel uncomfortable. Well, it could be just a muscle strain or maybe just heartburn. You should be careful about your chest pain if any and know when to see a doctor. 

The truth is that it is not easy to tell what is behind your chest pain and whether the cause is life-threatening or not. Chest pain can be a nuisance at times. Here are some interesting facts which you should know about chest pain. 

Your chest pain might be angina and not a heart attack

Your doctor may use the word angina or angina pectoris when discussing chest pain. Angina is a medical term for chest pain. It basically causes chest pain, pressure, and tightness but is not the same as a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart is interrupted. The blood flow may be completely cut off and may not be able to meet the demands of blood supply. This may cause angina. 

A variety of heart conditions can cause chest pain 

With aging, heart problems can set in. A variety of heart problems may cause chest pain and even may occur due to blocked arteries partially or completely. There are some heart conditions that may cause an alarming situation at times which are as follows- 

• Pericarditis 
• Myocarditis 
• Mitral Valve prolapse 
• Aortic dissection 

While chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of heart problems, any organ or tissue in your chest can also be a source of pain. 

The chest pain may not be coming from the heart and maybe originate from gastric disturbance 

We often get carried away with chest pain being one of the most common occurrences due to heart problems. It is important to note that the origin of the pain may be somewhere else. It could be GIT or even brain-causing anxiety. 

It could also be the nerve pull which may cause chest pain and be difficult to deal with. Roughly 40-50 % of people who deal with chest pain may have originated from sources affecting other systems than the heart. 

The other cause of chest pain may include 

• GIT issues like stomach ulcers, gastritis, heartburn, GERD, and gallstones 
• Conditions of the lung which may cause blood clots, pleurisy, and pneumonia
• Mental issues like panic attacks or anxiety 
• Inflammation of ribs and breastbone due to injury
• Muscle tendon strain 
• Asthma 
• Shingles 
• Costochondritis 

So, next time you get chest pain, consider all these factors.