What Is Chest Tightness
Chest tightness, also called chest pressure or chest pain, can be defined as any discomfort between your lower neck and upper abdomen.
How chest tightness feels and how often you feel it can vary. You might feel it all through your chest, in one spot, or in several spots around the chest.
Some people describe it as a feeling of fullness or like there’s weight on their chest. Some may experience it only once while people with certain conditions, like asthma, may have it often.
What You Should Do During A Heart Attack
If you think you are having a heart attack, you or someone nearby should call emergency services immediately. Its unsafe to drive yourself to the hospital during a heart attack, so call an ambulance. While you may feel awake and alert enough to drive, the chest pain could get so severe that you may have trouble breathing or difficulty thinking clearly.
Cracked Or Bruised Rib
Trauma or injury to your chest can result in a cracked or bruised rib that will cause varying degrees of chest pain. Depending on the extent of the injury, you may also suffer severe pains in your chest if your lungs, spleen, or internal organs were damaged.
Dr. Colin Tidy on Patient.info reports that most rib injuries heal themselves within a few weeks. Usually, mild to severe pain is the main complication. However, some of the following symptoms could indicate serious complications of a rib fracture:14
- Sharp stabbing pains in your chest that could indicate a collapsed lung
- Severe and constant pain in your back or abdomen that may be the result of an injury to an internal organ
- Trouble breathing that could cause a chest infection
Usually, a warm compress can help reduce inflammation in your ribs because it increases blood flow and makes the pain less intense.
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Chronically Tired Fatigue May Be A Sign Of Heart Problems
Heart disease is one of the number one killers in the United States. Our womens health care providers are here to help you stay healthy. Thats why were spreading the word about a subtle, but dangerous sign that you could have heart disease: fatigue.
Fatigue can stop you in your tracks and even signal serious problems like heart disease. Feeling abnormally tired? Talk to our womens health care provider.
Many of us mistakenly believe that heart disease is mainly a concern for men. However, women are also at risk for this serious health condition.
Here are some quick facts on heart disease in women:
- Heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 5 female deaths
- 1 in 16 women 20 years old or older have coronary artery disease
Women often experience different symptoms of heart disease than men, which can make it hard to notice early warning signs. If youre experiencing unexplained tiredness and fatigue, come to our womens health clinicto help find the root of the problem.
How Can You Tell If Its A Covid
Each virus can cause mild to extreme symptoms. But several indications distinguish COVID from other illnesses in significant ways:
Cold Symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Muscle Pain
If you or your child are feeling these symptoms, you can make an appointment with Sioux Falls Urgent Care we provide telehealth visits for those who dont feel comfortable coming in. Before you do, read up on what first steps you should take in determining your illness.
These symptoms are nothing to sneeze at in fact, if you are sneezing, chances are allergy season might be getting the best of you.
Where COVID symptoms take anywhere between 2 to 24 days to show up, allergies are almost instant:
- Sneezing
- Itchy Nose, Eyes or Mouth
- Runny Nose
- Puffy Eyes
These ailments are typically harmless to your body, but they could annoy your neighbor. Theres no treatment for that, unfortunately. But we do have something that can help: Check out our blog that helps you identify key differences between having allergies and COVID-19.
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Do Colds Flu And Covid
Colds and flu tend to cause wet, productive coughs when youre sick. Later, dry coughs may linger during recovery.
It can take a while for inflammation from respiratory infections to go away. During this time, the lungs and airways may be extra sensitive to inhaled irritants. This sensitivity can make your throat more ticklish, causing you to cough.
Most people who get sick with COVID-19 have dry coughs not wet coughs like with the cold or flu. However, wet coughs can also happen with COVID-19 infections. Your healthcare provider may recommend a COVID-19 test to identify the cause of the cough.
What Causes Chest Tightness
There is no exact explanation of what causes chest tightness in anxiety sufferers. Nevertheless, it is advised to seek a primary care provider immediately for any sudden or worsening chest pain in order to rule out possible cardiac disease.
Do not by any means feel as if you are bothering anyone when you seek help for chest pain. Once serious health conditions are ruled out, you can begin to tackle your anxiety-induced chest pain.
Rest assured that anxiety can commonly cause chest tightness and chest pain for a variety of reasons. These include:
Chest tightness most often occurs right before or during an anxiety attack. It may also present spontaneously with no anxiety at all in what is known as a limited-symptom panic attack.
Rest assured that chest discomfort caused by anxiety is usually harmless.
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Definition Of A Heart Attack
Q: What is a heart attack?
A: A heart attack is when one of the blood vessels that typically feeds blood and oxygen to the heart muscle itself becomes blocked. Thats the colloquial meaning of a heart attack. In medicine, we call it a myocardial infarction. It usually happens in the context of a patient or person who already has small pre-existing blockages scattered throughout the arteries that feed your heart called the coronary arteries.
When To See A Gp
Most cases of acute bronchitis can be easily treated at home with rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and plenty of fluids.
You only need to see a GP if your symptoms are severe or unusual.
For example, see a GP if:
- your cough is severe or lasts longer than 3 weeks
- you have a high temperature for more than 3 days this may be a sign of flu or a more serious condition, such as pneumonia
- you cough up mucus streaked with blood
- you have an underlying heart or lung condition, such as asthma, heart failure or emphysema
- youre becoming more breathless
- you have had repeated episodes of bronchitis
A GP may need to rule out other lung infections, such as pneumonia, which has symptoms similar to those of bronchitis.
If they think you may have pneumonia, youll probably need a chest X-ray and a sample of mucus may be taken for testing.
If a GP thinks you might have an underlying condition, they may also suggest that you have a lung function test.
Youll be asked to take a deep breath and blow into a device called a spirometer, which measures the volume of air in your lungs.
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Know The Risk Factors For Heart Disease
Heart disease can affect anyone. But if youre experiencing one or more of the symptoms above, you should take the time to learn whether you have certain risk factors that make you more likely to develop heart trouble. Here are a few risk factors to consider:
- High blood pressure , high cholesterol and smoking are all associated with heart disease. Almost half of all Americans have at least one of these risk factors.
- High stress levels, excessive alcohol use, not exercising regularly, and eating too much fat, salt or sugar all put extra strain on your heart.
- Some people have a family history of heart disease, so they may be at higher risk of developing heart problems themselves.
When To See A Doctor For Tightness In Chest
Its important to see a doctor for any kind of tightness in the chest or a feelings of chest heaviness. Dr. Jennifer Robinson on WebMD says that chest pain accompanied by any of the following symptoms can be a sign of a serious condition:17
- A sudden feeling of chest tightness, pressure, heaviness, or constriction.
- Sharp chest pain that intensifies and spreads to your left arm.
- Sudden jabbing pains in your chest when you havent been physically active.
- Any signs of gastrointestinal upset like diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.
- Abnormal heartbeat.
- Coughing up yellowish or greenish mucus.
- Any kind of constant chest pain.
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Time For The Heart Muscle To Start To Die
Q: How long does it take for the heart muscle to start to die?
A: We can measure little leakage of enzymes called troponin that comes from the heart muscle. That usually becomes measurable 6-8 hours after the blood clot has formed in the coronary artery. Presumably for that first 6-8 hour time frame, after you have this sudden occlusion , you are going to feel sudden pain at that moment but your heart muscle is not necessarily dead yet. It’s still salvageable. The real key is to get your artery open again either through medicines or stent before the heart muscle dies. Usually, thats not possible because it takes a long time to mobilize everything and for someone to come to the hospital. You’re looking at around 6-8 hours before cells start dying. Thats not necessarily a huge deal if you still get to the hospital on time, but if you, for example, had the heart attack and your cells started dying starting at 6 hours and you didnt show up to see a physician until a week or 2 later, that heart muscle might be so dead that they wouldn’t even recommend opening your artery ever again because it wouldnt do anything. It wouldnt serve any purpose.
Unexplained Swelling Especially Around Your Legs Ankles Or Feet
Swelling is your bodys natural response to inflammation or fluid buildup. From itchy bumps left by mosquito bites to pain and tightness in an injured area, swelling can be caused by a range of different conditions.
But if youre noticing that areas around your body are getting larger especially your legs, ankles or feet and you cant tie it to a known condition, medication or injury, dont ignore it.
The swelling youre experiencing may be simply annoying, like being unable to get your shoes on. However, it can also be painful. The swelling may make your skin more sensitive, and you may notice it becomes worse at the end of the day or when youre standing for a long time.
The good news is that there are treatments, such as compression socks, that can help reduce or manage swelling. But youll want to discover and treat the root cause, too.
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Discuss Your Heart Disease Risk Factors & What You Can Do To Help Reduce Your Risk For Heart Disease With Our Womens Health Care Team
When it comes to heart disease, women not only may experience different symptoms, but also different risk factors. For example, after menopause, your risk for heart disease increases, likely due to hormone changes. Some pregnancy complications can also be risk factors for heart disease, as well as conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary disease.
Some other things that may increase your risk for heart disease include:
- Diabetes
Our womens health care professionals are here to help address your health as a whole. During your appointment, well talk about your history and risk factors and help guide you on things you can do to lower your risk for heart disease. If youre feeling excessively tired, well help you find underlying causes of your symptom. Our providers listen and then help you with individualized treatment plans.
Q: What Are The Symptoms Of Pots
A: The most common symptom of POTS is chronic fatigue. Other symptoms include body aches and exhaustion. About a third of patients faint. Other patients are plagued by adrenaline symptoms such as chest pain, racing heart rate , sweating and difficulty breathing. POTS feels like having the flu, but having to drink coffee to get through the day.
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Other Types Of Chest Pain And When They Occur
You may also feel a burning painful sensation in your chest after eating a large or fatty meal. Doctors from the Mayo Clinic report that heartburn can feel like a heart attack. However, heartburn pain is usually relieved by drinking baking soda water and may cause a sour taste in your mouth.6
Of course, physical exertion can also cause chest pain if you strain or pull a chest muscle. Researchers from Harvard Medical School say that you can tell the difference between chest pain caused by injury and a heart attack. Usually, sharp pain in the chest that is a result of an injury will be sore to touch.1
After You Call Emergency Services
When you call emergency services, the dispatcher may ask you about the medicines you take and your allergies. If you dont currently take a blood thinner and you arent allergic to aspirin, the dispatcher may advise you to chew an aspirin while youre waiting on medical attention. If you have nitroglycerin tablets, you may also wish to use these as directed by your doctor to reduce chest pain.
If you have a list of medications you currently take or any information about your medical history, you may wish to take this information with you. It can speed your medical care.
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Compassionate Understanding Womens Health Care At Herkare
Our team at HerKare is here to help you feel great again. We put you in charge at our womens health clinic. Our goal is to help you stay healthy and help improve your quality of life. Whether you need an annual exam or are coming in to talk about any symptoms or concerns you have about your health, we believe in providing compassionate womens health care in a welcoming environment. We take time to listen and understand, and then help you feel better. Make an appointment today and lets talk about your health and wellbeing!
Tightness In Chest And Throat What Could It Be
1. GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter. This allows the stomach acid and food to move back up from the stomach into the esophagus, thus causes tightness in the throat or chest.
Other Signs and Symptoms
- Chest pain
- Burning sensation within ones chest which may also spread to the throat alongside a sour taste becoming apparent in ones mouth
- Dry cough
- A lump in ones throat
- Regurgitation of food or liquid
Treatment Options
Over-the-counter medication antacids, H-2-receptor blockers, and proton pump inhibitors are often used to control heartburn and other symptoms of GERD. If these prove ineffective after two weeks, then stronger medications such as Baclofen can be prescribed by your doctor. If medication has no overwhelming positive success, then surgery may be required. The procedures usually carried out include lower esophageal sphincter reinforcement surgery, and lower esophageal sphincter strengthening surgery.
2. Asthma
Asthma is a disease that inflames the walls of passageways that supply air to the lungs. Inflamed airways are sensitive and complicate breathing. Common asthma symptoms include breathing problems, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in chest and throat.
Other Signs and Symptoms
- Fatigue
Treatment Options
3. Heart Failure
Signs and Symptoms
The following symptoms often accompany heart failure:
- Coughing
- Swollen abdomen or liver
Treatment Options
4. Angina
Other Signs and Symptoms
5. Anxiety
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What Does Heart Attack Feel Like
Chest pain that is a symptom of an impending heart attack can feel like intense pressure that constricts your chest. Researchers from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute report that men and women describe heart-related pain as squeezing, fullness in the chest, aching chest pain that comes and goes. You can also have a burning sensation which can feel like heartburn or indigestion. The pain may also radiate to the throat, jaw, or even the arms and back. 2
Interestingly, not all heart attack chest pain feels like severe constricting pain. The journal Annals of Emergency Medicine reported that the severity of cardiac-related chest pain isnt always an indicator of a myocardial infarction . Many experience only mild chest pains or discomfort in the center of their ribcage.3
So, a heart attack can feel like mild tightness in the chest that comes and goes and increases in intensity. Or, the heaviness in the chest can be intense and crushing without being felt in one particular place.
Sudden Vision Changes May Be Signs Of A Stroke
As you age, its normal for your vision to progressively worsen. But dont ever ignore visual changes that affect only one eye, the sudden onset of double vision, or the inability to see the center of what youre looking at.
Vision changes that occur suddenly can be signs of a stroke. Theyre particularly alarming if they come with other warning symptoms of stroke, such as numbness on one side of the body, or difficulty speaking or finding the right words. More subtle variations on these symptoms could indicate a transient ischemic attack, commonly called a mini-stroke. Getting them checked out could prevent a larger stroke later, Baechler says.
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