Causes of left-sided chest discomfort or pain.
Left-sided chest pain can be a concerning symptom, often leaving individuals unsure about its cause and when to seek medical help. This article aims to provide a clear overview of common causes, symptoms, and when to seek immediate medical attention for left-sided chest pain.
## Common Causes and Symptoms
Left-sided chest pain can stem from both cardiac and non-cardiac issues.
### Cardiac Causes
Coronary Artery Disease often presents as a pressure or tightness in the chest, potentially radiating to the left arm, jaw, or epigastric area. Heart Failure, on the other hand, may cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, palpitations, and pain that worsens when lying flat.
### Non-Cardiac Causes
Pleurisy, caused by lung inflammation, can result in pain during deep breaths. Muscle strain may cause brief, stabbing pain, while acid reflux can cause a burning sensation in the chest.
## When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
If chest pain is severe, persistent, or worsening, accompanied by radiation of pain to the jaw, left arm, or back, breathing difficulty, additional symptoms such as excessive sweating, nausea, dizziness, or rapid heartbeat, or if it presents as a red flag combination such as sudden breathlessness with sharp pain or tearing pain that radiates to the back, immediate medical attention is necessary.
## Other Potential Causes
Chest pain on the left side can also be caused by musculoskeletal injuries, lung problems, and gastrointestinal issues. For instance, musculoskeletal injuries like broken ribs or costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage surrounding a rib) can cause left-sided chest pain due to trauma. Gastrointestinal pain, such as acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can cause left-sided chest pain due to acid coming up from the stomach into the esophagus.
## Medical Emergencies
Several conditions other than a heart attack may still be medical emergencies, such as esophageal rupture and pneumothorax. If a person's symptoms are severe or they are having trouble breathing, they should seek immediate medical attention.
## Diagnosis and Treatment
A doctor will consider a person's medical history and symptoms when making a diagnosis of left-sided chest pain. They may perform a physical examination on various parts of the body and order tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), X-ray, complete blood count (CBC), computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA), ultrasound, etc.
Treatment for non-cardiac causes like pleurisy may involve administering antibiotics if the inflammation is due to a bacterial infection and resting until the tissue lining has had time to heal. For cardiac causes, treatment will depend on the specific condition diagnosed.
It is best to contact a doctor for an accurate diagnosis if a person experiences chest pain.
- Aq (patient) might experience left-sided chest pain due to various medical conditions, such as Coronary Artery Disease or pleurisy.
- Heart Failure, a cardiac cause, may exhibit symptoms like difficulty breathing and pain that worsens upon lying flat, in addition to chest pain.
- Pleurisy, a non-cardiac cause, can manifest as pain during deep breaths, due to inflammation in the lungs.
- Type Nsclc (non-small cell lung cancer) or HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) are medical-conditions that could possibly lead to left-sided chest pain under certain circumstances.
- Bipolar individuals, in the context of medical-conditions, may experience depression or anxiety which could exacerbate symptoms related to chest pain or heart-related issues.
- Diabetes, a chronic condition, can impact cardiovascular-health and potentially increase the risk of heartattack, leading to left-sided chest pain.
- Pericarditis, an inflammation of the heart's lining, can cause sharp and continuous chest pain, which might be accompanied by fever or shortness of breath.
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) sufferers might experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing, in addition to left-sided chest pain.
- Science and medical-research are crucial in developing predictive models to evaluate symptoms like left-sided chest pain and improve health-and-wellness outcomes for millions of individuals.
