Heartache

Heart pain is often associated with damage to the bone and cartilage structures in the chest, internal organs, diseases of the peripheral nervous system and spine. Heart pain may be a manifestation of pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, malignant neoplasm of the lung, dissecting aortic aneurysm, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diaphragmatic abscess, and so on.

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Heart pain with muscle and spine disease

Costovertebral or myofascial pain syndrome

• the localization of pain is quite constant;
• disappearance or significant reduction of pain with all kinds of local treatments: acupuncture, massage, mustard plasters, and so on;
• the pathology can be clearly identified by palpation. It is expressed in the form of local painful sensations in the palpation zone of certain muscle groups, muscle hypertonicity and the presence of trigger zones;
• an unambiguous connection between pain and body position and tension of the corresponding muscles.

Osteochondrosis of the spine

It manifests itself as a lesion of the intervertebral discs. Localized in the pulpous nucleus, the disease gradually spreads to the entire disc with subsequent involvement of the ligamentous apparatus, bodies of adjacent vertebrae, intervertebral joints. The so-called degenerative transformations of the spine can lead to secondary damage to the nerve roots, which can result in heart pain.

Heart pain of coronary origin

Acute myocardial infarction

Acute myocardial infarction is expressed in more intense and prolonged sensations than in myocardial ischemia (about 30 minutes), and nitroglycerin or rest do not prevent them. Often accompanied by the appearance of third and fourth heart sounds.

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Myocardial ischemia

Myocardial ischemia is expressed by a feeling of a certain pressure behind the sternum with characteristic irradiation to the left arm. It appears after eating, during physical exertion or is associated with emotional stress. The effect of rest and nitroglycerin is considered diagnostically significant.

Non-coronary heart pain

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is a disease that is mainly accompanied by heart pain. However, it should be noted that the pain syndrome has its own characteristics. Pain symptoms in pericarditis most often occur during the initial stages of the disease under the influence of friction of the pericardial sheets. The pain syndrome is quite short-lived, which is associated with the fusion of the pericardial cavity or the formation of a large amount of fluid in it. By nature, heart pain can be aching, dull, or, conversely, cutting, sharp. The dependence of pain on body position and breathing is a characteristic feature of the symptoms of pericarditis. Due to the increase in pain when taking deep breaths, the patient's breathing is characterized as shallow. Sometimes patients with pericarditis are forced to lean forward or sit.

Myocarditis

Myocarditis is a heart disease that causes aching, pressing or stabbing pain, often in the area of the heart muscle. In up to 90% of cases, patients experience heart pain of varying intensity. There is no connection with physical activity in this disease. Some patients experience increased pain a few days after exercise. Nitrates do not relieve pain.

Arterial hypertension

Symptomatic arterial hypertension and hypertension often progress with pain in the pericardium. One of the types of pain is pain with increased blood pressure, caused by strong stimulation of mechanoreceptors in the left ventricular myocardium, as well as tension in the aortic walls. It manifests itself as a certain heaviness in the cardiac area or as a long-lasting aching pain.

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Acquired heart defects

Disorders of metabolic processes in the myocardium, as well as some insufficiency of coronary circulation are provoked by pronounced myocardial hypertrophy. This pathology is characterized by the manifestation of pain in the pericardium.

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Cardiomyopathy

With this heart disease, all patients experience pain syndrome, but it should be noted that it most often accompanies hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. As the disease progresses, the nature of the pain undergoes some changes. Often, initially, atypical pain appears, which is not associated with physical activity and is not relieved by nitroglycerin. The localization and nature of the pain are quite variable. Typical attacks of angina pectoris with cardiomyopathy are often not observed. With this disease, episodic heart pains occur in the form of attacks, which can be provoked by a certain load, for example, walking.

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Mitral valve prolapse

With this pathology, prolonged heart pain is not relieved by the use of nitroglycerin; it is characterized as aching, pinching, or pressing.

Heart pain can also indicate neurological diseases. Such diseases include diseases of the anterior chest wall, spine, and the group of muscles related to the shoulder girdle.