Right Chest Pain
What You Should Know About Right Chest Pain
Right chest pain can be a frightening experience for anyone who has experienced it. You may have felt like you were having a heart attack or you may have been concerned about what was causing the discomfort. This article will briefly explain some things related to right chest pain such as possible causes and what you should do if you are experiencing it.
Chest pain is always felt between the upper part of your abdomen and the neck. Some people may also call this chest tightness. Your doctor may simply call it discomfort. People will often assume that they are having a heart attack if they feel this pain. However, it can be caused by several other different things and it may not be a heart attack at all. What many people do not realize is that any bodily organ that is in the chest area can cause this pain. That includes the lungs and your ribs. Angina is one possible cause of this pain. It can feel like a heart attack and it is cause when your heart is not getting enough blood or oxygen. There are two types of angina that you should be aware of. The first is stable angina and it happens when you get the pain while doing moderate levels of work like walking up steps or a long hill. The next is called unstable and it happens when you are at rest. This one is more concerning and you should seek medical attention as soon as it happens.
Asthma and pneumonia can also cause chest pain. Other complications with your digestive tract can be targeted as the cause as well. Things such as stomach ulcers, gallstones, or heartburn can cause you to have chest pain. Things like this may be the cause of right chest pain in children, as this type of pain is generally not caused by the heart in kids.
No matter what the cause is, you should never take this type of pain lightly and you should not attempt to diagnose yourself of take medical advice from an Internet article. You should always seek medical attention and make an appointment with your healthcare professional if you have experienced this pain. However, go directly to the emergency room if you have sudden crushing pressure in your chest. If you have pain that moves into your jaw your left arm or your shoulder blades you should do the same. If you cannot breath or you are sweating and have rapid heartbeats you should get medical attention as soon as possible. Do not drive yourself if you are experiencing these symptoms. Ask someone to take you or call an ambulance if you have to.
Remember that right chest pain can be related to your family history as well. If you have a family history of heart disease or high blood pressure your doctor is going to want to know this. He or she is also going to want to know if you smoke or use any other drugs that can contribute to this pain. You need to be honest with your physician so that they can figure out what is going on quickly. Always call your doctor is you have had this pain for longer than three days. Make a note of exactly where the pain is so that the doctor knows what to look for. Let them know how it started as well. Things like this can be difficult to remember if you are in pain or afraid. Tell whoever is with you information like this so that they can tell your doctor even if you cannot. The more information your doctor has the better.