There are many forms of chest pains, ranging from a dull ache to a sharp stab. Sometimes, it feels burning or crushing. Sometimes, the pain may travel from the neck to the jaw. It may also radiate to your back or your arms. There are also many causes of dull chest pain, and the most serious one involves the lungs or the heart.
What Causes Dull Chest Pain?
The first thing that will come into your mind if someone is experiencing chest pain is a heart attack. Although the most common sign of a heart attack is chest pain, it may be an indication of other serious health problems.
Well, according to the National Center for Health Studies, around 13 percent of chest pain is caused by heart-related problems. Here are the common causes of chest pain;
- Heart-related causes (including heart attack, angina, pericarditis, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, and aortic dissection)
- Gastrointestinal causes (including acid reflux, heartburn, swallowing problems, gallstones, and inflammation of the pancreas or gallbladder)
- Lung-related causes (including pneumonia, viral bronchitis, pneumothorax, pulmonary embolus, blood clot, and bronchospasm)
- Bone or muscle-related causes (including broken ribs, sore muscles, and compression fractures)
- Other causes (including shingles and panic attacks)
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Dull Chest Pain Left Side
If you have left-side dull chest pain or a sharp stab, you may be having a heart attack or some other life-threatening condition. If you are experiencing unexplained chest pain together with pain in the neck, arms, jaw, abdomen, or back, tightening of the chest, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, or nausea, you need to have immediate medical attention.
Here are you can what causes dull chest pain left side;
- Angina
- Heart attack
- Myocarditis
- Cardiomyopathy
- Pericarditis
- Panic attack
- Acid reflux, heartburn, or GERD
- Hiatal hernia
- Esophagus problems
- Chest wall injuries
- Collapsed lungs
- Pneumonia
- Lung cancer
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary embolism
Many conditions share a common symptom. You should seek help from your doctor to determine the main reason for your chest pain. If you feel sudden chest pain, accompanied by pressure on your chest, trouble breathing, and dizziness, it could be an indication of a life-threatening condition, so ask for help immediately.
Dull Chest Pain Right Side
Dull Chest pain on the right side is not always related to a heart attack. Remember that your chest is where your tissues and organs are situated. If these are injured or inflamed, you may experience chest pain. Sometimes, it may be due to some infection, muscle strain, anxiety, stress, or other problems that are not related to your heart.
You need to seek help from your doctor if you experience fullness in your chest, weakness, nausea, dizziness, unexplained severe chest pain, severe pain in your back, arms, jaw, neck, or stomach.
Here are you ca know what causes dull chest pain right side;
- Anxiety or stress
- Muscle strain
- Blunt trauma to the chest
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Acid reflux
- Costochondritis
- Cholecystitis
- Pancreatitis
- Shingles
- Pleurisy
- Pneumonia
- Pneumothorax
- Cardiac inflammation
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary embolism
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If the pain in your chest is troubling you and if it occurs for many days, it is best to seek medical attention from your doctor. Sometimes, discomforts and aches in your chest may be due to some mild reasons such as acid reflux, but it may also be an indication of a serious health condition such as pulmonary hypertension.
Dull Chest Pain in the Middle
One of the signs of a heart attack is chest pain. Usually, dull chest pain left side is an indication of the same. But, pain in the center of the chest is also a symptom of a heart attack. You are most likely to experience a heart attack if the pain is in the center of your chest, and it radiates to your jaw or left arm.
Usually, the symptoms of heart attack are different between male and female. Females are more likely to experience shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, and pain in the jaw or back. Males don’t typically experience pain in the center of the chest.
Sometimes, chest pain in the middle may be due to pericarditis. It is an inflammation of the double-layered sac called pericardium, which protects the heart. This kind of disease may be due to virus, infection, therapy, illness, or even a reaction to certain medications.
Conclusion
There are many different causes of chest pain. The pain may be felt in the right, left, or in the middle of the chest. And each side may be an indication of a certain problem. Sometimes, dull chest pain may be due to some minor health problems. But it should not be taken for granted as it may be a sign of a more serious condition. Sometimes, you can relieve mild chest pain at rest. But if symptoms do not go away, especially for a few days, you need to seek medical advice form the expert doctor.
Doctor, author and fitness enthusiast, Ahmed Zayed, MD, is a surgery resident with a passion for helping people live a happy healthy life. He is the author of numerous health-related books and contributor to several medicine, health and wellbeing.
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