Why does it hurt below my neck and above my chest?

The human body is made up of different joints, bones and muscles, so every part of the human body is very important for its health. No matter which part of the body has a problem, it will affect the whole body. Some people report that they sometimes feel pain below the neck and above the chest. First, they need to determine whether it is muscle pain or bone pain, and then seek treatment. So, what is the cause of pain below the neck and above the chest?

Gastritis is an inflammation of the gastric mucosa caused by various reasons and is one of the most common digestive system diseases. According to the urgency of clinical onset, gastritis can generally be divided into two types: acute and chronic gastritis; according to different causes, it can be divided into Helicobacter pylori-related gastritis, stress gastritis, autoimmune gastritis, etc. The pathological changes of gastritis caused by different causes are also different, usually including three processes: epithelial damage, mucosal inflammatory response and epithelial regeneration. Acute gastritis can be divided into simple, erosive and hemorrhagic, corrosive, and suppurative gastritis according to its pathological changes. Chronic gastritis can be divided into three categories: non-atrophic, atrophic, and special types of gastritis according to its pathological changes. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of various types of gastritis are mainly based on gastroscopy.

Causes

1. Causes of acute gastritis

It can be divided into two categories: exogenous and endogenous. Anything that enters the stomach through the mouth, such as bacteria, drugs, toxins, corrosives, etc., is considered an external factor. Any pathogenic factors that spread to the stomach wall through blood circulation or lymph are called internal factors.

(1) Physical and chemical factors: Strong tea, strong coffee, spicy food, strong liquor, overcold or overheated food, rough food, etc. can damage the gastric mucosa, destroy the mucosal barrier and cause gastric mucosal inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, indomethacin, certain antibiotics, corticosteroids and other drugs can not only stimulate the gastric mucosa and cause damage, but also affect the repair of the gastric mucosa and aggravate inflammation. If certain strong corrosive agents such as nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, etc. are swallowed, it may cause acute corrosive gastritis.

(2) Biological factors mainly include various pathogenic bacteria and toxins, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, halophilic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus toxin and botulinum toxin. Gastritis can occur within hours of eating food contaminated by bacteria or toxins. Pyogenic bacteria such as α-hemolytic streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus spread to the stomach wall through the blood or lymph, causing acute purulent gastritis.

(3) Other stressful conditions such as systemic infection, severe trauma, major surgery, shock, and severe mood swings. Foreign bodies in the stomach, gastric stones, and radiotherapy to the gastric area can all cause this disease.

2. Causes of chronic gastritis

(1) Biological factors: The main pathogen of chronic gastritis is Helicobacter pylori, and more than 90% of patients with chronic gastritis are infected with Helicobacter pylori.

(2) Immune factors The onset of some chronic gastritis is related to immune factors, and parietal cell antibodies can be detected in the patient's serum.

(3) Physical factors such as long-term stimulation of the gastric mucosa by overcold or overheated food, rough food, strong tea, strong coffee, strong liquor, and spicy food can lead to repeated damage to the gastric mucosa and cause chronic gastritis.

(4) Chemical factors: Smoking is one of the causes of chronic gastritis. Nicotine in tobacco can affect the blood circulation of the gastric mucosa and cause dysfunction of the pyloric sphincter, resulting in bile reflux. Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, indomethacin, etc. can damage the gastric mucosal barrier.

(5) Other factors such as aging, malnutrition, heart failure, cirrhosis, diabetes, and thyroid disease are all related to the onset of chronic gastritis.

Clinical manifestations

1. Acute gastritis

The onset is acute and the clinical symptoms vary in severity. The most common is acute simple gastritis, the main symptoms of which are upper abdominal pain, abdominal distension, belching, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, etc. Those caused by Salmonella or Staphylococcus aureus toxins are often accompanied by diarrhea, fever, and even dehydration and shock. Acute erosive hemorrhagic gastritis may cause vomiting of blood and black stools. The main clinical manifestations of acute suppurative gastritis are systemic sepsis and acute peritonitis. The symptoms of acute corrosive gastritis are the most obvious, manifested as severe pain in the mouth, throat, behind the sternum, and upper abdomen after swallowing corrosives, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and even vomiting blood. The mucous membranes of the lips, mouth, and throat can produce caustic scabs of different colors, which help to identify various corrosive agents.

2. Chronic gastritis

The clinical manifestations of different types of gastritis may vary, but the symptoms lack specificity, and the severity is often inconsistent with the severity of the lesion. Some patients may be asymptomatic.

(1) Upper abdominal pain or discomfort Most gastritis patients experience upper abdominal pain or discomfort. Most upper abdominal pain is irregular and has nothing to do with diet. The pain is generally diffuse upper abdominal burning pain, dull pain, bloating, etc.

(2) Upper abdominal distension and early satiety Some patients experience abdominal distension, especially a noticeable feeling of fullness after a meal. It is often caused by food retention in the stomach, delayed emptying, and indigestion. Early satiety refers to a feeling of fullness soon after eating despite having a clear sense of hunger, and a significant reduction in food intake.

(3) Belching, acid reflux, and nausea Belching indicates an increase in gas in the stomach, which is discharged through the esophagus, temporarily relieving upper abdominal distension. Acid reflux is caused by increased gastric acid secretion.

(4) Other patients with severe atrophic gastritis may experience weight loss, glossitis, and diarrhea; patients with autoimmune gastritis may also have anemia.