Discomfort in the Chest

John was a born athlete. He was a good runner since childhood and had been a regular member of his school's sprint and long distance running team since the very beginning. He was extremely sincere, dedicated, and hardworking when it came to training.

He followed a strict routine of sprint training, intermittent rest, followed by endurance training in the form of long distance running. With the inter-school competition barely a month away, training was on in full swing.

As each day passed, John kept on pushing himself to train harder and longer. One such evening, as he grunted and pushed his body to the limit, in an effort to better his previous days' lap timing, he suddenly experienced a sharp jab of pain in his chest, and he went down in a heap.

Sudden pain or discomfort in the chest can happen to anyone and everyone, and not just athletes or sportspersons. A middle-aged man with a cushy 9-to-5 desk job is just as likely to experience pain and a little loss of comfort as an elderly person is.

As far as women are concerned, chest pain is also quite a common complaint. Teenagers, at times, are also prone to chest pain and discomfort. Chest pain causes are plenty, and can be due to something as trivial as over-exertion, to something as life-threatening as a heart attack.

• Extreme stress
• Anxiety attacks
• Over-exertion
• Panic attacks
• Asthma
• Chest muscle inflammation or strain
• Injury to the ribs

• Muscle spasms in the chest
• Rapid breathing
• Pneumonia
• Heartburn
• Stomach ulcers
• Pleurisy
• Pulmonary embolus
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Angina
• Heart attack
• Coronary heart disease
• Harsh coughing

• Acute bronchitis
• Asbestosis
• Chemical poisoning
• Gallbladder disease or disorder
• Costochondritis
• Pneumothorax

• High cholesterol
• Acute respiratory infection or disorder
• Shingles
• Tuberculosis
• Whooping cough
• Pericarditis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Aortic dissection
• Xiphoid syndrome
• Peptic ulcers
• Esophagitis
• Heart valve disorders

At the same time, chain smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine, as well as cocaine and other drug abuse can also lead to such a condition. At times, chest pain or discomfort can also be one of the side effects of certain medication drugs such as terbutaline, tolcapone, etc.

If you experience minor chest pain as a result of over-exertion such as excessive exercise or physical activity, then unless it is something serious, the pain and discomfort will usually subside within a couple of minutes of rest and deep breathing.

However, if you have chronic or persistent chest pain or discomfort, then you should immediately consult a doctor and find out the exact cause of your chest pain and discomfort. These are some of the methods or diagnostic tests that are conducted for identifying the underlying cause:

These are some of the methods or diagnostic tests that are conducted for identifying the underlying cause:

• ECG (resting and exercise)
• Stress echo and stress MRI
• Blood tests
• X-rays
• CT angiography
• Coronary angiography
• PET

Regarding treatment of this ailment, well, it entirely depends upon the reason or the precise cause.

For example, the method of treatment used in case of chest discomfort or pain arising out of physical injury to the ribs would be entirely different from the method of treatment used in case of chest discomfort due to panic attacks, angina, pericarditis, etc. Chest ache is one thing that you should never ignore or undermine. Take care!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.