People can experience regular chest pain on the left side. It doesn\'t have to be connected with heart attack but there can be other conditions and reasons involved. The pain caused by heart attack is followed by over sweating, fast heats beat, shortness of breath and sometimes nausea. The reason of the pain may lay in ribs or muscles surrounding them, back, lungs, heart, aorta, oesophagus or diaphragm.
Most people especially those suffering from heart diseases connect this pain to heart attack hence they immediately go to their doctors. The doctor can rule out the possibility of heart attack after examination and certain tests. The features of pain can help the doctor (occurrence, intensity, duration, regularity, connection with relief after taking certain medications, spreading of the pain) as well as measuring the blood pressure and pulse. Simple ECG will solve the mystery.
As for chest pain not related to heart attack the physician needs to conduct certain tests. The examination starts with complete blood count, then chest X-ray or even CT scan are done. Additionally doctors take into consideration the risk factors (smoking, high level of cholesterol, diabetes) and investigates the activities of the very patient. Before prescribing the medication doctor needs to investigate other conditions that could have led to pain. Previous surgery, bone fractures, malignancies may be the reason for the pain. Sometimes the doctor investigates other conditions such as pregnancy, polycystic kidney disease, or even Marfan syndrome.
The most common reasons for chest pain on the left side involve excessive production of gas in stomach or intestines which pushes the diaphragm upwards causing the pain. Infections (pneumonia, pleuritis) can cause breathing problems hence chest pain. There are also cardiac problems, hard work (e.g. digging etc.) or wrong posture that affect back bone or muscles surrounding ribs.
What people have to know is that the chest pain can vary in intensity. It can last pretty long and cause heavy discomfort and fatigue. People suffering from heart conditions are due to pay attention as it may be heart attack involved. For others who suffer this kind of pain for days or so it is recommendable to see their physicians as to set up correct diagnosis.
Depending on cause medications are prescribed usually together with painkillers. Patients are recommended to stay in bed, rest and breathe slowly. Sometimes it helps to use ice pack and to press in on the side that hurts. This is helpful only if there are injuries or pain caused by extensive labor and so.
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