PAIN Problems and
Solutions
Chest Pain
What is Chest Pain?
Chest pain can cause many different sensations depending on what’s triggering the symptom. Often, the cause has nothing to do with your heart though there is no easy way to tell without seeing a doctor.
What Causes Chest Pain?
Heart attack
A heart attack results from blocked blood flow, often from a blood clot, to your heart muscle.
Angina
Angina is the term for chest pain caused by poor blood flow to the heart. This is often caused by the build-up of thick plaques on the inner walls of the arteries that carry blood to your heart. These plaques narrow the arteries and restrict the heart’s blood supply, particularly during exertion.
Aortic Dissection
This life-threatening condition involves the main artery leading from your heart (aorta). If the inner layers of this blood vessel separate, blood is forced between the layers and can cause the aorta to rupture.
Pericarditis
This is the inflammation of the sac surrounding your heart. It usually causes sharp pain that gets worse when you breathe in or when you lie down.
What are the symptoms of Chest Pain?
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes
- Pain spreading to the shoulders, back, neck, jaw or arms
- Light-headedness, fainting, cold sweating, nausea or shortness of breath
When Should I Seek Professional Help?
If you or someone else may be having a heart attack,
- Call 911 or emergency medical assistance
- Chew a regular-strength aspirin
- Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed
- Begin CPR on the person having a heart attack, if directed.
When Should I Seek Professional Help?
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (uclh.nhs.uk)
UCLH, situated in the heart of London, is one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom and provides first-class acute and specialist services.
Chest Pain Clinic
Chest Pain Clinic (chestpainwalkinclinic.com)
A walk-in clinic for individuals experiencing chest pain or discomfort in Auburn City.
Chest Pain Information Sheet (bettersafercare.vic.gov.au)
https://www.bettersafercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-07/Chest%20pain.pdf
Booklet that provides information about your chest pain condition.
First Aid Factsheet for Chest Pain (stjohn.org.au)
https://stjohn.org.au/assets/uploads/fact%20sheets/english/Fact%20sheets_heart%20attack.pdf
Patient Information Sheet About Angina (eMPR.com)
https://1au3b422k9zdqzddw3my51gg-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2018/12/angina_r0513_8453.pdf
bettersafercare.vic.gov.a
Chest pain (healthywa.wa.gov.au)
rch.org.au
Clinical Practice Guidelines : Chest pain (rch.org.au)
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1768663/
What’s Causing My Chest Pain
www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/whats-causing-my-chest-pain#1
Causes of Chest Pain
https://patient.info/signs-symptoms/chest-pain-leaflet
Chest Pain In Children
https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/c/chest
There Are Three Main Categories Of Pain:
Acute Pain
Lasts for a short time and occurs following surgery or trauma or other condition. It acts as a warning to the body to seek help. Although it usually improves as the body heals, in some cases, it may not.
Cancer Pain
Lasts beyond the time expected for healing following surgery, trauma or other condition. It can also exist without a clear reason at all. Although chronic pain can be a symptom of other disease, it can also be a disease in its own right, characterised by changes within the central nervous system.
Chronic Pain
Can occur in patients with early stage and advanced disease, and in cancer survivors as a severe and debilitating side-effect of treatment.
