Have you ever experienced left chest pain? Don’t immediately panic and think you have a heart attack !
The cause of left chest pain can be caused by various factors. Some of these factors are heart problems, respiratory problems, muscle or bone problems, digestive problems and various other problems.
So, before getting too worried about the emergence of left-sided chest pain, let’s find out what are the causes of left-sided chest pain!
Causes of Left Chest Pain
There are several factors that can cause left chest pain. Come on, find out what’s below!
Heart attack
The occurrence of a heart attack can be a cause of left chest pain. The condition of a heart attack is caused by sudden obstruction of blood flow to the heart muscle. If the left chest hurts during a heart attack, it will feel like it is being pressed or crushed.
There are several symptoms of left chest pain caused by a heart attack, namely:
- Dizzy
- Hard to breathe
- A cold sweat
- Feeling nauseous or vomiting
- Left chest pain and can spread to left arm, jaw, back, stomach and neck
- Feeling anxious that is similar to a panic attack
- Cough
angina
Angina occurs when the arteries to the heart are narrowed, preventing blood from flowing normally.
There are several symptoms of left chest pain caused by angina, namely:
- Experiencing shortness of breath
- Feeling nauseous
- Pain occurs in the chest or lower abdomen, the sensation is similar to when experiencing indigestion
- Tired body
- The onset of left chest pain and can spread to the left arm, jaw, back and neck
myocarditis
Myocarditis is a condition of cardiovascular disease. Myocarditis occurs when there is inflammation of the middle layer of the heart muscle due to a viral infection or exposure to harmful substances.
Myocarditis needs to be addressed immediately, because if the inflammation that occurs is severe, it can have an effect on the heartbeat which becomes irregular, which can end in heart failure.
There are several symptoms of left chest pain caused by myocarditis, namely:
- There is pain in the joints
- Weak body
- Experiencing shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
- The leg area is swollen
- Fever
- Headache
Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease , also known as GERD , is a digestive disorder that can cause left-sided chest pain.
When someone suffers from GERD, the valve in the lower esophagus has weakened, so food and stomach acid can move back up into the esophagus. The occurrence of this can cause irritation and inflammation and cause left chest pain, a burning sensation in the chest, solar plexus, esophagus and neck.
Apart from left chest pain, GERD also has several other symptoms, namely:
- There is a lumpy sensation in the throat, making swallowing difficult
- Disturbed sleep
- Cough
- Hard to breathe
- Bad breath
- Damaged teeth due to exposure to stomach acid
- Gastric contents that come out unnoticed
- The voice becomes hoarse
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lungs that occurs due to infection from viruses, bacteria or fungi. This causes fluid to form in the air sacs in the lungs and can cause left chest pain.
There are several symptoms that can be caused by pneumonia, find out what they are below!
- Fever to chills
- Tired body
- Hard to breathe
- Loss of appetite
- Cough with phlegm
Pleurisy
Although similar, pleuritis and pneumonia are different. Pleuritis occurs when the pleura swells and the fluid in the pleura becomes sticky.
The following are some of the pleural symptoms that can occur, including the following:
- Headache
- Dry cough
- Experiencing pain in joints and muscles
- Chills fever
- Have no appetite
Panic Attacks or Stress
Apart from physical problems, left chest pain can also arise due to psychological problems, such as stress that is difficult to control. This happens because the heart rate increases suddenly excessively.
Injury to the Ribs
If the ribs are injured, such as cracked, broken or bruised, they can cause pain in the left or right chest.
First Aid Steps for Left Chest Pain
When you experience left chest pain, don’t panic because this is not a dangerous disease. First aid for left chest pain can be done by resting, but there are also several other methods based on the cause of the disease.
Come on, find out what methods can be done as a way to deal with left chest pain below!
Uphold Body
If left chest pain occurs due to stomach acid flowing into the esophagus, it can be overcome by improving body posture. So that stomach acid goes back down, you can do it by straightening your body, either sitting properly or lying down with the upper body higher, such as in a sitting position.
Drink Turmeric Boiled Water
One of the traditional drinks that can help get rid of left chest pain is turmeric boiled water. Turmeric has an active ingredient, namely curcumin, which can reduce inflammation and warm the body and soothe the throat.
Drink Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranates have high antioxidants that can help control cholesterol, nourish arteries and prevent heart disease.
Pomegranates can also help lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels in the blood, thus reducing the buildup of plaque in the arteries.
Cold compress
Applying cold compresses is especially good when the muscles are tense, so they can relax the muscles.
Consuming Hot Drinks
Apart from drinking turmeric and pomegranate juice, warm drinks can also help as first aid for left chest pain, especially if left chest pain arises due to flatulence.
Take aspirin
Aspirin is a drug that relieves pain, fever and inflammation, because it can be used to relieve left chest pain, especially if it is caused by heart disease.
Well, that’s the explanation of left chest pain. Because it can occur due to various factors, make sure not to immediately panic and think of a heart attack!
