Squeezing Chest Pain

Many people suffering from chest pain suspect a cardiac disorder. However, a heart problem is not always the reason behind the occurrence of chest pain. There can be several diseases and disorders which can give rise to pain and other discomforts in the chest. The present article focuses it's discussion on some of the possible causes of squeezing chest pain. If you or someone known to you is suffering from acute or chronic chest pain, the information given here would certainly come to your help. If not exactly, it will surely assist you to think about some of the possible causes.

Causes of Squeezing Chest Pain

Aortic Dissection: Aorta is the large blood vessel which branches off the heart and carries blood to the rest of the body. Sometimes, due to high blood pressure, the wall of the arteries deteriorate. The wall may develop a tear in its inner layer. Such a medical condition is termed as aortic dissection. It is also known as dissecting aneurysm. It is often a life-threatening disorder. You feel a sudden, sharp, excruciating pain across the chest.

You may experience aortic dissection at any age. You are also likely to feel pain in the back between the shoulder blades. When you visit a doctor, you may be asked to take x-rays and computed tomography scans. The data obtained by these two tests are required to confirm the occurrence of aortic dissection. The medical treatment involves administration of drugs to bring blood pressure under control and surgery to repair the tear in the aortic wall. Thus, you can consider aortic dissection as one of the reasons behind squeezing feeling in chest.

Angina: Angina describes discomfort or pain in chest occurring due to reduced flow of blood to the heart muscle. It is a sign of coronary heart disease. Angina is symptomized by nausea, fatigue, anxiety, dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath and chest pain. The pain in the chest in the condition of angina is often described as squeezing, pressing, and with a feeling of fullness.

You are at a higher risk of developing angina if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, diabetes, or lead a sedentary life. When you consult a doctor, you may have to undergo physical examination and blood work for anemia. In the physical examination, the doctor would listen to your heartbeats and check your blood pressure. You may have to take electrocardiogram and blood tests meant for determining blood count, cardiac enzymes, cholesterol and lipid levels. In case of insufficiency of data for proper diagnosis, you may have to take an ultrasound and angiogram. The medical treatment will be focused on controlling high blood pressure and relieving all the discomfort caused by angina.

Pulmonary Embolism: Pulmonary embolism is the medical condition which occurs when one or more of the arteries in your lungs get blocked with a blood clot or a foreign material causing sudden closure of the vessel. The blood clot usually comes from the leg. The material responsible for obstruction is medically termed as embolus. You have higher chances of developing pulmonary embolism under certain circumstances. First of all, you are more than 50 years of age. Secondly, you have been suffering from cancer, immobilization, pregnancy, pelvic leg trauma.

Thirdly, you are at a post-operative stage. Lastly, you have genetic predisposition for it. The symptoms of pulmonary embolism are shortness of breath, cough and squeezing feeling in chest. The condition of pulmonary embolism is a bit difficult to diagnose as its symptoms are non-specific. Diagnosis often includes pulmonary angiography, oximetry, x-rays, ultrasound and arterial blood gas analysis.

Pericarditis: There are two layers of the thin, sac-like membrane surrounding the heart. This membrane is called pericardium. The condition of inflamed pericardium is medically termed as pericarditis. It is of two types, acute and chronic. Acute pericarditis lasts for a couple of weeks while chronic pericarditis lasts for minimum six months. Pericarditis is symptomized by mild fever, fatigue, lightheadedness, a general feeling of weakness, cough, hiccups, muscle aches and shortness of breath. Mild to sharp squeezing chest pain is another prominent sign of pericarditis. For the diagnosis of pericarditis, you may have to give data on medical history and take physical examination conducted by a doctor. You may need to undergo electrocardiogram.

This list of possible reasons behind crushing chest pain is incomplete. There can be several other causative factors as well. A doctor is the best person to tell you the exact underlying cause. Therefore, do pay a visit to a medical professional and take all the examinations required so as to help him diagnose your condition well. Timely and effective medical treatment will get you rid of disturbing squeezing or radiating chest pain symptoms.