Chest pain in the middle

Many had to feel pain in the center of the sternum from the shoulders to the ribs. It is of a different nature (may be dull, sharp, aching, squeezing, burning) and lasts from a few seconds to several months. If your chest hurts in the middle, you should not always look for reasons in those organs that are located nearby. What could it be?

It hurts, but there is no cause for alarm

Often the pain is provoked by not too terrible factors, namely:

• heartburn. The pain becomes more pronounced if the person is in a horizontal position;
• physical fatigue. To determine the cause of discomfort in this case is not difficult, since its appearance is preceded by intensive training, hard physical labor and other loads;
• anxiety state. Stress can not only cause pain, but also provoke shortness of breath, heart palpitations;
• muscle strain. Its signs are pain and hypersensitivity without edema.

The most dangerous causes of pain in the center of the sternum

If a sharp pain suddenly appears in the middle of the sternum, This can be associated with extremely dangerous illnesses and conditions:

• coronary heart disease. There is a heavy, oppressive condition, shortness of breath. The pain occurs at rest, often in the morning, may give to the hand and the epigastric zone;
• heart attack. Severe pain appears suddenly and rapidly increases. It is felt between the shoulder blades, in the neck, in the left hand. It is compressive in nature, there is a feeling of lack of air. Pulse quickens, dizziness, loss of consciousness may appear. Lips and face become bluish. The body is covered with cold, sticky sweat. There is a fear of death;
• aortic dissection. The pain is unbearable, it flows from one place to another;
• pulmonary thromboembolism. The pain, aggravated by inhalation and lasting from 15 minutes to several hours, is joined by a drop in blood pressure, blue skin, an increase in pulse rate, shortness of breath;
• oncological diseases of the respiratory system, heart, vertebral trunk;
• ulcer perforation. Dagger pain is complemented by vomiting. The patient turns pale, becomes covered with sweat, his heart beats often, his blood pressure decreases, his breathing becomes heavy, flatulence occurs, severe weakness, dry mouth;
• acute pancreatitis. Intense pain lasts from 1 to 3 days, becomes dull and lasts about a week. At 3-5 days of illness, a jump in temperature is observed. A person is tormented by bloating, vomiting;
• chest injuries - fractures or cracked ribs. Pain is very strong, the condition worsens when turning the torso and a deep breath.

What causes permanent discomfort?

If the chest hurts in the middle all the time, the causes are less dangerous, but you can not leave them too. Such pain may indicate the following health problems:

• injuries and diseases of the spine. Osteochondrosis is the first cause of pain. It directly depends on the change in the position of the body: it increases when the back is flexed and becomes smaller when a person sits with a straight back or falls on a hard surface;
• diseases of the stomach and digestive system. You can recognize them for symptoms such as heartburn, sour belching, nausea, vomiting, disturbed stool, restless sleep, irritability;
• deprive, or infection of the nerve and surrounding areas. It is provoked by the herpes virus. An additional symptom of this disease is a rash, located on one side of the body;
• pleurisy. Causes a sharp cutting pain that gets stronger as you inhale. Some relief comes when breathing is shallow;
• inflammation of the joints. The patient feels tired, complains of a headache, he may have a fever;
• bronchitis. A sharp cough with mucus, body aches, difficulty breathing;
• tuberculosis. Dry cough (with blood), fever, fatigue;
• pneumonia. It is characterized by fever, severe cough with sputum, weakness, difficulty breathing;
• thyroid disease. Disruption of hormonal balance and the formation of goiter affects human behavior. He appears slow, weak, there is a rapid loss (or gain) weight.

Tietze syndrome (inflammation in the periosteum due to prolonged muscle tension at the point of attachment) is the main reason why the chest in the middle hurts when pressed. But such a symptom may indicate diabetes, osteochondrosis, an ulcer, angina pectoris, aneurysm of the thoracic aorta, and tuberculosis.

"Female" causes of pain

Representatives of the weaker sex often face the fact that they have a chest pain in the middle. Causes in women may be specific:

• mastitis. The pain is accompanied by swelling of the chest;
• pregnancy. The increased load on the spine and the pressure of the enlarged uterus on the diaphragm lead to the appearance of severe discomfort;
• neurosis. The pain is not associated with physical activity, does not interfere with falling asleep, is monotonous and does not significantly affect the general condition.

Why does male pain in the center of the chest?

Medical statistics gives the exact answer, why the representatives of the stronger sex have a chest in the middle. Causes in men largely depend on their age. So, young guys from 18 to 24 years old are faced with such a problem because of gastroesophageal reflux and muscle pain (which is explained by high physical exertion when exercising at the gym or extreme sports). These reasons are joined costal chondrite, as soon as the age of a man is over 28 years old. After 45 years, the representative of the stronger sex should treat the pain in the center of the sternum more responsibly, as it is often associated with angina, heart attack.

Specific reasons characteristic of men include smoker's bronchitis and pain due to alcohol abuse (toxic myocardial dystrophy). In the first case, it is joined by coughing, wheezing in the bronchi, and in the second - hand tremor, facial flushing, and heart rhythm disturbances.

Thus, if the chest hurts in the middle, the causes can be very diverse - from harmless to very serious. Based on this symptom alone it is impossible to make a diagnosis. In this case, never engage in self-diagnosis. Better, without delay, seek qualified assistance.