Chest Wall Pain And How To Relieve It

Need to know about chest wall pain and how to relieve it? Chest wall pain can have several different causes. There are a number of medical conditions that can create chest wall pain. Knowing which condition is causing your pain can help you know which treatment options will help you the most.

1. Most people associate chest pain with a serious medical condition having to do with the heart. Having chest pain can be a frightening experience because you may not know if the pain is related to a serious condition or if it is benign. There are several different medical conditions that can cause chest wall pain. Myocardial ischemia is a condition that causes a lack of oxygen to the heart. This can cause pain in the chest walls. Glyceryl nitrate is a common treatment for myocardial ischemia. If you develop myocardial ischemia, you should stop any physical activity. Your doctor may prescribe nitro glycerin to ease the pain.
2. Pleurisy is an inflammation of the parietal pleura of the lungs. Inflammation of the lining of the lungs can cause chest pain. Many times an anti-inflammatory medication can help relieve the pain and reduce the inflammation. Trauma to the chest wall can also cause pain. If there is an injury, treating the injury can help to alleviate the pain.
3. Another type of chest pain is known as costochondritis. This is the inflammation at one of the costochondral junctions or costosternal bridges, also known as Tietze’s syndrome. The discomfort or pain from this condition can be described as a dull ache, with or without a gnawing quality to it. Severe gastrointestinal problems can cause chest pain. Gastroesophageal reflux can create pain in the chest wall. Reflux can be treated with medication to help alleviate the burning, gnawing and uncomfortable feeling in the chest wall.

If you have chest pain, it is always best to see your doctor. Although there are many medical conditions that can mimic heart trouble by creating pain in the chest walls, not all chest pain is as serious as heart trouble. It is always best to see your doctor if you have any type of chest pain to rule out any serious heart conditions.

Resources:

National Lung Health Education Program