What causes sternum pain?

Because the current life pressure is too great, although there is no worry about food and drink, physical diseases still occur frequently. Sternum pain is very harmful. This refers to local pain in the chest area. Most of the time, it is caused by rib inflammation, chondritis, costal neuritis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Patients need to judge the cause of the pain through the symptoms and duration of the pain. Go to the hospital for diagnosis and examination in time, and do not delay treatment.

Chest pain

Refers to pain in the chest area.

[Cause]

1. Chest wall diseases: seen in herpes zoster, epidemic myositis, costochondritis, intercostal neuritis, rib

2 Cardiovascular diseases: heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, acute pericarditis, thoracic aorta

Tumor, cardiac neurosis, etc.

3. Respiratory diseases: pleurisy, pleural tumors, spontaneous pneumothorax, bronchitis, pneumonia, lung

Cancer, pulmonary infarction.

4. Mediastinal diseases: mediastinal abscess, mediastinal tumor.

5. Other diseases: esophagitis, esophageal cancer, hiatal hernia, subphrenic abscess, liver abscess, etc.

[Associated symptoms]

1. Chest tightness: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, etc.

2. Cough and hemoptysis: pneumonia, tuberculosis, lung cancer.

3. Dyspnea: lobar pneumonia, spontaneous pneumothorax, exudative pleurisy, pulmonary infarction, hyperventilation syndrome, etc.

Chest pain is a common symptom in emergency departments, which is usually caused by chest diseases. The severity of chest pain is not necessarily related to the cause of the pain. For example, herpes zoster can cause severe chest pain, while the chest pain of acute myocardial infarction is sometimes not very serious. Therefore, patients with chest pain should be carefully examined to find out the cause of the chest pain as much as possible.

(I) Nature and characteristics of chest pain

1 Characteristics of chest pain Chest pain caused by chest wall diseases is clearly localized and may be accompanied by redness, swelling, tenderness, rash, and deformity.

2 Nature of chest pain The chest pain caused by intercostal neuritis is paroxysmal and stabbing. Esophagitis causes burning pain. Tearing pain is common in dissecting aneurysms.

3. Location of chest pain: Pain behind the sternum is common in angina pectoris. Left anterior chest pain can also be angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, or left-sided pneumonia. Chest pain radiating to the left shoulder is often angina pectoris.

(II) Common diseases that cause chest pain

1 Pleural diseases such as pleurisy and spontaneous pneumothorax. The chest pain caused by these diseases is related to breathing and coughing. Chest pain worsens with deep breathing and coughing, often accompanied by difficulty breathing. Chest pain is localized to the side of the lesion.

2 Cardiovascular diseases are represented by angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, followed by pericarditis. This type of chest pain often manifests as compressive, stuffy, or even tearing pain in the precordial area and behind the sternum. It often radiates to the left shoulder, neck and inner side of the left arm, and is accompanied by shock symptoms in severe cases.

3. Intercostal neuritis, herpes zoster, and esophagitis can all cause chest pain. Herpes zoster causes severe chest pain that runs along the intercostals, and dense small blisters appear on the skin after 1 to 2 days.

4 Certain abdominal organ diseases cause chest pain, such as subphrenic abscess, acute cholecystitis, and acute pancreatitis.

5 Chest trauma is common in rib fractures. There is a history of chest trauma and chest pain worsens when breathing or coughing.

(III) Emergency measures for severe chest pain

(1) If angina pectoris is suspected, immediately administer oxygen, rest, and take nitroglycerin sublingually.

(2) For chest pain caused by pleurisy or chest wall disease, a wider abdominal belt can be used to stabilize the chest wall at the painful area to reduce the movement of the chest during breathing.

(3) Go to the hospital immediately for an electrocardiogram and X-ray examination to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment is directed at the cause.

(4) Take painkillers appropriately.