Burning sensation in the lungs. Why does it burn in the chest?

The occurrence of a burning sensation in the chest area may indicate a disease of the internal organs; in order to accurately determine which organ is giving an alarm signal, it is necessary to study in more detail all possible causes. When this symptom occurs, the patient may develop a feeling of fear, since an unpleasant sensation in the chest can warn of the presence of cardiovascular disease.

Burning and other painful sensations can be caused by various diseases. For example, such sensations can occur due to an attack of angina pectoris or, much worse, during a myocardial infarction. Therefore, a person should be extremely careful if pain in the chest is felt immediately after suffering stress or intense physical activity.

Disease	Brief description of symptoms
Myocardial infarction	One of the most dangerous diseases is myocardial infarction. To recognize it at the first manifestations, you should know exactly about the symptoms. The primary symptom is very severe pain behind the sternum, which becomes burning, pressing, squeezing, and sometimes even unbearable. After taking Nitroglycerin, there is no improvement in well-being. Duration of pain more than 20 minutes. This attack most often occurs when the patient does not expect it - at night or early in the morning.
Ailments of housing and communal services	If the patient feels a burning sensation in the chest and/or in the epigastric region, then the presence of a gastrointestinal tract disease can be suspected. In this case, the pain is usually associated with food intake or errors in diet. Decreases after taking antacids.
Respiratory diseases	When a problem occurs with the lungs, a person may feel either sudden, severe pain in the chest area, or gradually increasing pain. Unpleasant burning sensations or pain can occur even with minor physical activity, and can also intensify with breathing and coughing.
Angina pectoris	The pain syndrome will be severe. A person can feel a burning sensation during emotional stress or physical activity. The pain is characterized by distension, burning, and pressure behind the sternum. Irradiation of pain: left shoulder blade, shoulder, lower jaw. Such attacks last less than 20 minutes and are stopped by taking Nitroglycerin.
Osteochondrosis	If a person develops this disease in the cervical or thoracic spine, the pain can radiate to the chest. It is noteworthy that the intensity of pain will depend on the stage of the disease and physical activity.
Illnesses of a psycho-emotional nature	After suffering severe stress or in the presence of a mental illness, a person may feel pain and a burning sensation in the chest. In this case, an examination by a psychotherapist will be required.

Carefully! Each of the above ailments is life-threatening, so if a burning sensation appears behind the sternum, you should immediately call an ambulance. For example, an attack accompanied by pain in the chest during a heart attack lasts more than 20 minutes and, in the absence of qualified assistance, can lead to death.

Additional symptoms and chest burning

When pain occurs in the chest on the left, we can talk about left-sided pneumonia. In this case, several more symptoms are added to the burning sensation - cough, shortness of breath and high temperature. The exact diagnosis is determined by the doctor after special examinations. When a pronounced burning sensation is observed in the center of the chest, the patient most likely has influenza complicated by bronchitis.

A burning sensation, which is localized behind the sternum and accompanied by a sour belch, confirms the presence heartburn. Also, pain on the left or in the center of the chest will be observed when vegetative-vascular dystonia. The symptom occurs, in this case, after overwork. To diagnose an attack of VSD, you should pay attention to symptoms such as a high level of sweating, redness or paleness of the skin, and a person begins to feel feverish.

Attention! A symptom such as a burning sensation in the chest cannot be ignored and muffled with analgesics, since this sign may indicate a threat to life. After manifestations of a painful syndrome, it is imperative to undergo diagnostics of the body.

Carefully! Acute conditions and burning in the chest

As already mentioned, pain can occur with dangerous diseases such as heart attack, myocarditis and angina. To understand which of the ailments has made itself felt, you need to familiarize yourself with the additional symptoms of attacks.

Myocardial infarction. It is characterized by substernal pain of a pressing, burning, squeezing or bursting nature, radiating to the left arm, neck, lower jaw, left scapula or interscapular space. It is not relieved by taking nitroglycerin. There may also be atypical symptoms: heaviness, discomfort behind the sternum, pain in the chest of another location, heaviness, discomfort or pain in the epigastric region, shortness of breath. Such atypical complaints occur in 30% of cases and are more often presented by women, elderly patients, patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure or dementia. An attack of pain may be accompanied by agitation, a feeling of fear, restlessness, sweating, dyspepsia, hypotension, shortness of breath, weakness and even fainting.
Myocarditis. This is a heart disease, which implies a focal or diffuse inflammatory process in the myocardium. This disease develops against the background of an infectious disease, allergic reactions or toxic damage to the heart. In addition to the main symptom - pain in the chest, including burning pain, the patient experiences shortness of breath, interruptions in heart rhythm, tachycardia, decreased blood pressure, and severe weakness.
Angina pectoris. Pain behind the sternum or along the left edge of the sternum is paroxysmal, discomfort or pressing, squeezing, deep dull pain. The attack can be described as tightness, heaviness, lack of air. Associated with physical and emotional stress. It radiates to the neck, lower jaw, teeth, interscapular space, and less often to the elbow or wrist joints, mastoid processes. The pain lasts from 1-15 minutes (2-5 minutes). It is relieved by taking Nitroglycerin and stopping the load.

If the burning and soreness is associated with breathing

Most of the chest is occupied by paired organs - the lungs. Therefore, the occurrence of a burning sensation may be due to inflammation of the lungs or the development of pathological processes in them. The pain usually gets worse with breathing, coughing, or physical activity.

More details about inflammation of the membranes that lead to burning in the chest

Shell name

Short description

Pleurisy

A pathology that develops against the background of other ailments, for example, tuberculosis. The patient complains of stabbing pain, which disappears when lying down

Pericarditis

This pathology affects the outer lining of the heart. In this case, the pathological process may be:

Dry (that is, there is no release of any liquid);
exudative (fluid leaks out).

The dry form of pericarditis is characterized by pain in the heart area and cough. But, if exudate is released, it can put pressure on the heart, which causes a burning sensation

Note! A burning sensation can occur against the background of respiratory tract diseases and cardiac pathologies. Timely diagnosis is important.

How is the diagnosis carried out?

It should be recognized that the same symptom can warn of completely different diseases. If ARVI diseases and influenza can be cured and thereby eliminate the painful symptom, then oncological diseases and heart attacks require a quick response and correct treatment tactics. Therefore, if alarming symptoms appear, it is important to go for a diagnosis.

basic diagnostics includes the collection of material for detailed research. The basic complex also includes radiography, fluorography, ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. The listed examinations are carried out to find out the exact cause of a burning sensation in the chest area. If doubt arises, the patient may be sent for special diagnostics;
special diagnostics includes tomography (computer, magnetic) and fibrogastroscopy.

The final diagnosis is made by the doctor, after which, taking into account individual indicators, he determines the course of therapy. Based on the results of diagnostic procedures, the patient is sent to a specific specialist (oncologist, pulmonologist, therapist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist).

Attention! Before the patient goes to a medical institution, he must independently try to assess the situation and, if necessary, provide himself with pre-medical care.

Actions for burning in the chest

When unpleasant symptoms occur in the heart, lungs or stomach, it is necessary to call an ambulance as quickly as possible. You cannot relieve pain on your own and endure it if:

A sudden sharp pain occurs in the chest area, a paroxysmal cough occurs and the patient loses consciousness.
In case of a burning sensation that radiates to the shoulder, jaw or shoulder blade.
If the pain does not subside on its own after resting for fifteen minutes.
When symptoms such as an accelerated heart rate, increased sweating, vomiting are observed, which are complemented by a strong burning sensation in the chest.

How to help yourself?

In any case, if a person feels squeezing, squeezing, or a burning sensation in the middle of the sternum, then the help of a doctor is needed, so you should call an ambulance. Before the team arrives, you can try to eliminate the unpleasant symptom yourself, and to do this, follow these steps:

If the pain occurs immediately after eating, then the person is advised to lie down quickly and not overload himself with physical activity. Depending on the level of acidity in the stomach, you can drink a weak soda solution, which will soothe heartburn;
in case of stress, you should try to calm yourself down with the help of breathing exercises (long inhalation and quick exhalation), then take a comfortable position and relax;
do not self-medicate in case of heart ailments and respiratory diseases, because this will only worsen the clinical picture.

Note! A herbal decoction (chamomile and sage) will help temporarily relieve the burning sensation. But, in no case should you ignore the main cause of chest burning.

A highly qualified doctor will talk about chest pain and heart pain in a video.

Video - Heart pain and chest pain

What does a doctor do?

The first thing the specialist does is study the anamnesis (cardiovascular diseases) of close relatives.
Finds out additional symptoms.
Inquires about taking any medications.
Conducts a detailed inspection to rule out other underlying causes.
Sends the patient for an ECG examination.
Conducts a test to determine the body's response to physical activity.
Recommends undergoing examination of the gastrointestinal tract and angiography.

Preventive actions

For prevention purposes, it is recommended to do exercises daily, but in no case should you start exercising with heavy physical activity. The exercise program must be agreed upon with a physical therapy trainer. Also, the patient should be within his optimal weight and monitor cholesterol levels, take preventive measures against atherosclerosis and hypertension. At the same time, if a person suffers from diabetes, sugar level control should be in the first place. Once every six months you should conduct a full examination of the body, and if a burning sensation occurs, immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance.

Video - How to find out what hurts behind the sternum

This negative condition has a polyetiological nature, which significantly complicates its diagnosis and treatment. Find out what pathological latent processes are developing, which may be indicated by a feeling of heat covering the upper body.

Burning sensation in the sternum - causes

This kind of syndrome mainly occurs when there is a disorder of the digestive system: increased stomach acidity, esophagitis, ulcers. However, there are other reasons that can trigger the appearance of an unpleasant symptom. Explaining why there is a burning sensation in the chest, doctors urge people suffering from cardiovascular diseases to be especially careful.

There are cases when patients mistook the symptoms of a heart attack and angina pectoris for banal severe heartburn. In this case, an extremely dangerous situation arises for the patient, which can lead to serious consequences, so you should not ignore even the most insignificant negative conditions at first glance. Meanwhile, doctors claim that patients have pain in their chests for the following general reasons:

pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
intercostal neuralgia;
cardiovascular diseases;
colds;
emotional and mental disorders;
tumor processes.

Burning in the left side of the chest

According to medicine, there may be a stove there due to many reasons. It may become hot due to dysfunction of the pancreas - with this pathology, the burning sensation is limited to the left hypochondrium. Inflammation of the duodenum also manifests itself with similar symptoms. A burning sensation in the chest on the left is also a symptom of a stomach ulcer or gastritis. Separately, it is worth mentioning such a pathology as acute pancreatitis - this disease is quite capable of triggering an intolerable syndrome and leading to peritonitis.

Burning sensation in the left sternum in women

Hormonal imbalance in the weaker sex often manifests itself in negative conditions. Tingling and burning in the left sternum in women often indicate latently developing mastopathy of the mammary glands. Many ladies experience severe discomfort before menstrual bleeding, which is regarded as a completely natural condition. Women often experience a burning sensation in their chests due to hormonal changes. Ladies during menopause are especially sensitive to this kind of manifestation.

Burning in the middle of the chest

Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels are often accompanied by unpleasant sensations. However, most patients do not realize that a burning sensation in the middle of the chest indicates the development of serious conditions. In a situation where the heat in the chest is not eliminated by drinking soda water, most likely we are talking about heart failure, the symptoms of which can be relieved by taking a Nitroglycerin tablet. Experts identify the following diseases that are accompanied by a burning sensation in the center of the sternum:

atherosclerosis of blood vessels;
angina pectoris;
myocarditis;
heart attack;
tachycardia.

Burning sensation in right chest

Doctors associate this symptom with diseases of the liver and biliary tract. A burning sensation in the pathology of these organs is usually accompanied by a bitter taste and pressing pain (right hypochondrium). The main symptoms include yellowing of the sclera of the eyes, and then the skin. In addition, a burning sensation in the chest on the right is a sign of respiratory system disorders due to fluid accumulation (localization: pleural area). Infectious pathology of the lungs also manifests itself with similar symptoms.

Burning sensation in the chest when coughing

This symptom is characteristic of pneumonia with pleurisy, while the patient feels a constant burning sensation in the lungs, which intensifies with breathing. A situation where the initial symptoms resemble flu with a retrosternal localization of the syndrome and its subsequent irradiation to the side indicates the viral nature of the pathology, and it burns in the chest due to hemorrhagic impregnation of the tracheal mucosa, provoking small hemorrhages (localization - lungs). In addition to these reasons, a burning sensation in the chest when coughing occurs due to:

bronchitis (with purulent mucous sputum);
tonsillitis;
flu

Burning in the chest after eating

A symptom when discomfort appears after eating food indicates a disruption in the functioning of the stomach or intestines. A burning sensation in the chest after eating sometimes signals a tumor in the throat or esophagus. The syndrome against the background of pancreatitis appears 1-2 hours after eating food and is accompanied by belching. A burning or furnace in the chest can also be caused by gastroesophageal reflux - it begins to burn from the inside if the patient decides to lie down after eating, because the horizontal position helps return the stomach contents back to the esophagus.

Burning sensation in the chest when walking

This symptom is associated with disorders of the musculoskeletal system. A burning sensation in the chest when walking is often a symptom of osteochondrosis or intercostal neuralgia, and the patient sometimes finds it difficult to breathe. A burning sensation in the chest begins even with minimal physical activity, but the person does not experience any other negative conditions such as weakness or fever. Similar symptoms are observed in heart diseases – myocarditis, cardiomyopathy.

Treatment of chest pain

Therapy for the syndrome should be carried out only after a detailed study of its clinical picture and data obtained upon completion of diagnostic measures. Experts strongly do not recommend making hasty independent conclusions about why a burning sensation appears in the chest area. In a situation where burning begins in the middle or in the projection of the heart, doctors recommend relieving the attack by drinking a Nitroglycerin tablet. Treatment of chest pain in other locations depends on its etiology and may involve:

Surgery (oncology, peritonitis).
Conservative therapy with the following medications:

bismuth preparations (peptic ulcer);
chondroprotectors (osteochondrosis);
sedatives (VSD, intercostal neuralgia);
antibiotics (bronchitis, pneumonia);
antiviral drugs (flu);
cytostatics (for blood diseases such as lymphoma, leukemia).

Video: burning sensation in the chest

When any discomfort occurs, any person often develops a feeling of panic. This is due to the fact that a person does not understand what is happening in his body, what are the reasons for what is happening and which specialist should be contacted. For example, quite often older people experience a burning sensation in the chest.

An unpleasant feeling can spread to the left side, and to the right, and in the middle of the chest and in its upper zone. Since various organs are located underneath it, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what exactly has gone wrong. In women, a state of panic occurs more often, since in the upper zone of the thoracic region there are mammary glands abundantly penetrated with nerve fibers, the pain syndrome of which raises many questions.

Some people think that the feeling of pain arose against the background of cardiovascular disease. In fact, during the examination a completely different diagnosis is made. In this regard, it is very important to know the causes and symptoms that indicate a burning sensation in the sternum. Let's consider the factors that provoke a burning sensation in the chest.

Intestinal diseases

A burning sensation in the chest is often caused by increased stomach acidity. During the digestion of food, gastric juice penetrates the esophagus, and the acid it contains burns its walls and, as a result, irritation appears. This causes persistent pain in the ribs and thoracic spine. The pain does not disappear and intensifies during the next meal. This symptom is central to the existence of the problem under consideration.

When a burning sensation in the chest occurs in the morning and disappears after eating, this means that a disease called esophagitis begins to develop in the esophagus. As a rule, it is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, sore throat when swallowing food, or a feeling of “cloggedness” in the throat. If a person experiences both symptoms, then he should not delay his visit to a gastroenterologist.

Burning on the left side

A burning sensation in the chest may be the cause of improper functioning of the pancreas. In this case, pain occurs on the left hypochondrium. A sick person, talking about the symptoms, says that the chest practically bakes from the inside.

The cause of such pain is a sharp spastic contraction of the gastric walls and emerging inflammation of the duodenum due to the active proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.

Colitis of the intestines is accompanied by similar symptoms. In this case, pain and burning sensation in the chest appears on the left. A burning sensation in the chest occurs due to the fact that the contents of digested food again enter the stomach, and he does not understand how to react to this.

A burning sensation in the chest may be a consequence of gastritis or peptic ulcer. But the pathologies indicated above do not cause discomfort in the middle of the chest, but are located in the left side.

Cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases often provoke a burning sensation in the chest. These include:

angina pectoris;
myocardial infarction;
myocarditis;
valve insufficiency.

If a burning sensation appears in the center of the chest and is not eliminated by water with a spoonful of baking soda dissolved in it, but disappears after drinking nitroglycerin, then a cardiologist can provide help.

The cause of burning in this case is a violation of proper blood circulation, provoked by cholesterol plaques in the vessels or the formation of blood clots. Treatment should be aimed at restoring blood flow to the heart muscle.

Burning on the right side

The reasons why pain occurs in the left side of the chest and in the middle were outlined above. Now let's look at the causes of burning in the chest on the right. Experts associate the occurrence of pain in the area on the right with diseases of the respiratory system, accompanied by fever, cough and accumulation of fluid in the pleural area. It is very important that:

Mental illness can cause a burning sensation in the chest. Symptoms vary from person to person. But, for example, with Alzheimer's disease, they appear in the upper chest area, and with Parkinson's disease - in the back, in the posterior area. The combination of chest heat with aggressive behavior signals the development of persistent depressive syndrome.

The presence of osteochondrosis can also cause a burning sensation in the chest and discomfort in the area of the heart muscle. Often people take heart medications, but they do not relieve the discomfort. If the ECG results are good, and the pain in the thoracic region remains stable and alternates between the left and right, then the diagnosis is obvious.

Osteochondrosis is also characterized by other symptoms. These include:

Pain in the left side of the chest, intensifying during physical activity;
Manifestations of discomfort if the patient long time lies on one side;
Feeling of tightness in the chest;
Manifestations of pain when walking not only in the chest area, but also between the shoulder blades;
Feeling cold in the legs;
Erection problems in men.

If a person experiences any of the listed symptoms, he should consult a specialist for diagnosis.

Treatment of painful sensations

Before starting treatment, you must contact a highly qualified specialist of the appropriate profile. There is no need to draw independent conclusions and self-medicate, as it can lead to serious and sometimes even irreversible consequences in the body.

A burning sensation in the chest area is treated in different ways, it all depends on the causes of the disease. So, for example, if the pain syndrome is caused by cardiovascular diseases, then it is necessary to do electrocardiography and ultrasound of the heart muscle. After the examination, the specialist prescribes appropriate medications. Among folk remedies, in consultation with your doctor, you can use anti-inflammatory infusions, for example, from chamomile or sage.

So, from the above it is clear that a burning sensation in the chest can be located in different areas - in the left, right, upper or lower zone and occurs for various reasons. But even if a person knows all the symptoms and causes, one should not neglect to consult a doctor, since only he can establish the correct diagnosis and prescribe the optimal course of treatment.

It is a rare woman who has never experienced a burning sensation in her chest. This condition may indicate both completely natural changes in the body and indicate dangerous diseases, including oncology. Only a mammologist can determine the true cause, and he will prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Burning sensation in the mammary gland: causes

A burning sensation in the mammary glands can occur both before the onset of menstruation, which can be absolutely normal, and on other days of the cycle, which can also signal the presence of pathology in the body.

The main factors contributing to the appearance of burning sensation in the mammary gland:

Menstruation
Pregnancy
Breast-feeding
Infections
Benign and malignant neoplasms
Injuries
Diseases of other organs and systems
Violation of hygiene rules.

Almost all of the above reasons, with the exception of the last three, occur against the background of hormonal imbalance, namely an imbalance in the production of hormones such as progesterone, estrogen and prolactin.

Indirect factors influencing the occurrence of breast disease are smoking, alcohol consumption, excess weight, prolonged sexual rest, and unfavorable environmental conditions.

Burning sensation in the mammary gland during menstruation

The burning sensation before menstruation is cyclical and occurs due to hormonal changes in the body and the proliferation of glandular tissue. In addition, breast enlargement, hardening and increased sensitivity of the nipples are observed.

Benign and malignant neoplasms

The most common cause of burning is mastopathy - a pathology in which proliferation (growth) of glandular and connective tissue occurs in the breast tissue, resulting in the formation of seals or cysts (cavities) of different sizes. According to statistics, 60 - 80% of women suffer from this disease.

Reasons for the development of mastopathy:

Hormonal imbalances
Sexual problems
Menstrual irregularities
Abortion
Stress.

A burning sensation in the mammary gland caused by mastopathy appears a few days before the onset of menstruation and, as a rule, radiates to the armpits. Other symptoms indicating the presence of this disease are:

Nagging pain in the mammary gland
Nipple discharge
The appearance of small nodules in the chest
Skin redness
Enlarged lymph nodes
Increased body temperature.

The danger of this disease lies in its late detection, since pain appears before and during menstruation, and noticeably weakens on the remaining days of the cycle. As a result, small seals turn into dense knots, which become much more difficult to eliminate.

Pregnancy

At the beginning of pregnancy, women's levels of female hormones sharply increase, which leads to swelling of the mammary glands. This condition is a kind of preparation of the body for lactation. Therefore, burning sensation in the mammary glands is also considered one of the first signs of pregnancy.

Lactation

Nursing mothers should adhere to all the rules of breastfeeding, since otherwise lactostasis may occur - a disease, one of the symptoms of which is a burning sensation in the breast area. In other words, this is stagnation of milk in the ducts, the absence of treatment of which within two days leads to the development of inflammation of the mammary glands (mastitis). Other causes of burning in the breast area are cracked nipples and thrush.

Diseases of other organs and systems

A burning sensation in the chest may indicate problems in the endocrine system and gastrointestinal tract. This condition can also be observed in heart diseases. As a rule, women experience a feeling of expansion and compression, which is characteristic of a spasm of the heart muscle.

A burning sensation in the chest can also be caused by neuralgia that occurs due to stress and prolonged anxiety states.

Injuries

Any blows, bruises or injuries to the mammary gland can cause functional disorders in its functioning. Therefore, a burning sensation in the chest is often the result of mechanical damage to this organ.

Hygiene violations

Sometimes a burning sensation in the mammary glands can be temporary and caused by poor personal hygiene. This is the use of poor quality underwear, as well as allergic reactions to personal hygiene products (gels, soaps, deodorants).

Diagnosis of burning sensation in the mammary gland

If a burning sensation occurs, you should consult a mammologist, who will determine the exact cause of this type of discomfort. To do this, a specialist needs:

Take anamnesis
Examine and palpate the right and left breasts
Conduct a biochemical blood test
View the results of a gynecological examination
Conduct a mammogram (x-ray examination) and ultrasound of the breast
If necessary, perform an MRI.

When establishing the presence of a neoplasm, it is necessary to ensure that it is of good quality. For this purpose, an aspiration biopsy is performed followed by examination of the tissue sample taken.

Treatment

Symptomatic treatment is carried out only in the absence of functional disorders. Hormonal therapy is used for these purposes. It is also recommended to adhere to a special diet that includes excluding chocolate, coffee, carbonated and alcoholic drinks from your diet.

For pathological changes in the mammary glands, conservative or surgical treatment is used. Conservative therapy consists of simultaneously taking several drugs that normalize the secretion of sex hormones, enzymes that regulate metabolism, vitamins, and sedatives. Surgical treatment depends on the disease causing the burning sensation and involves removing the affected areas.

Prevention of burning sensation in the mammary glands

Prevention of burning sensation in the mammary gland comes down to the prevention of diseases that manifest themselves with this kind of symptom. To do this you need:

Self-examine your breasts for lumps
Regularly undergo gynecological examinations
Wear the correct underwear
Avoid intense tanning
Eat properly
Periodically undergo examination by an endocrinologist.

Very often people experience a symptom such as a burning sensation in the middle of the sternum; the causes of this phenomenon can be different. Everyone knows that behind the sternum there is a heart, the diseases of which are life-threatening. There are other organs there - the esophagus, lungs, large arteries and veins. In addition, the rib cage consists of bones, muscles and ligaments containing nerve endings. In women, in the sternum area there are mammary glands, penetrated through and through by nerve fibers. With pathologies of all these organs, chest pain may appear.

To understand whether the sensations that appear are dangerous, it is necessary to determine where exactly the pain is localized and to identify additional signs. In some cases, it is necessary to call an ambulance, but in others, you can get by with visiting a therapist. Why does it burn in the chest, what diseases have similar symptoms, how to identify and treat them?

Show all

What can cause pain?

Many diseases cause a burning sensation in the chest on the right. With pathologies of the liver and gallbladder, the patient experiences dull, paroxysmal pain that does not depend on the position of the body. The pain may go under the shoulder blade, in the neck area. The appearance of unpleasant sensations may be associated with food intake - they intensify after eating fried foods, because of this, a persistent disgust arises towards them. The tongue becomes covered with a yellowish coating, and there is a bitter taste in the mouth. If a stone or tumor forms in the bile ducts, blocking the flow of bile, the skin and whites of the eyes begin to turn yellow. Urine darkens, feces, on the contrary, lose their natural color.

The same symptoms can be observed with liver diseases - hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatosis. Only experienced infectious disease doctors and surgeons can distinguish between these diseases. Other diseases of the digestive system - gastritis, peptic ulcers, intestinal colic can cause a burning sensation in the chest, which can be localized on the right, left and in the middle. These symptoms are usually felt after a person eats.

There are also causes of burning behind the sternum, such as intercostal neuralgia. This term refers to pain associated with inflammation or compression of the nerve endings going to the intercostal tissues (they control the breathing process). Neuralgia is often a consequence of shingles or herpes. In this case, pain is accompanied by a skin rash consisting of fluid-filled blisters in the rib area.

Severe pain behind the sternum with intercostal neuralgia is often described as a feeling of heat in the chest, which is localized in a strictly defined place and can be easily felt. Unpleasant sensations become more intense when inhaling, moving the body, or coughing. If the cause of pain is osteochondrosis, it can be combined with lumbago in the right arm or neck. When pressing on the vertebrae of the thoracic and cervical spine, the burning sensation intensifies.

The patient may feel that his chest is burning with pneumonia, accompanied by pleurisy - inflammation of the pulmonary lining. If you have been diagnosed with this pathology, you may feel pain on the left side of the sternum. Even before the onset of pain, symptoms such as general weakness, chronic fatigue, decreased or loss of appetite, nausea, and aches in the joints and muscles may appear. Almost always, the temperature rises sharply, a cough appears with sputum, sometimes with a bloody admixture. Before a burning sensation in the chest appears, the patient may complain that it is difficult to breathe.

In women, the appearance of pain in the sternum may be associated with changes in hormonal levels. With a disease such as mastopathy, pain appears several days before menstruation. They can be felt in both mammary glands or in one. The fact that this is mastopathy may be indicated by the connection of the symptom with the phases of the menstrual cycle. Before menstruation, the breasts increase in size and nodules may appear in them.

This may be intercostal myositis - inflammation of the muscle tissue of the intercostal muscles. The pain in this disease has a specific location. At rest, pain is practically not felt; it occurs with certain movements, coughing, and taking a deep breath. Curvature of the thoracic spine to the right side is quite rare; the cervical and lumbar regions are more susceptible to this pathology. This is due to their higher mobility. However, if thoracic scoliosis does exist, it develops in a C-shaped or S-shaped manner. When the convex part is localized on the right side of the sternum, when the intercostal nerves are pinched, a burning sensation is felt in the right side of the sternum.

Unpleasant sensations in this disease have a clearly defined location; a person can easily point to the point where the pain is concentrated. Painful sensations become more intense when coughing or inhaling. Nausea, cough and general weakness do not occur with scoliosis.

Link to mental disorders

The presence of mental disorders may be indicated by chest pain that is not accompanied by a cough, high fever, and not associated with eating or breathing. A person may feel heaviness in the chest and difficulty breathing. When counting the number of respiratory movements per minute, it turns out that it falls within normal limits, although the patient himself is convinced of the opposite. When listening to the heart and lungs, no extraneous noise is detected, no pathologies are detected by X-ray examination, CT or MRI of the chest.

The idea of a mental disorder may be suggested by the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms after suffering stress, or if a burning sensation in the chest is accompanied by signs of depression. After excluding other diseases that have similar symptoms, the patient is referred to a psychiatrist.

Possible etiology

The causes of a burning sensation in the sternum in the middle or on the left can be very diverse. Due to the structural features of the nerve endings that connect to the internal organs, there is a burning sensation in the sternum on the left and in the middle, most often for the same reasons. The underlying disease is identified based on accompanying symptoms. If the pain is accompanied by a cough, then its cause may be pneumonia, combined with pleurisy. The most intense burning sensation is felt in the chest on the left; it cannot be located behind the sternum or in the area of the 3-5 intercostal space. Painful sensations are constant; they can intensify when inhaling, accompanied by loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, and chronic fatigue.

High fever often occurs with pneumonia, but if pneumonia is associated with tuberculosis, body temperature rises slightly. In some cases, symptoms of digestive upset may appear without signs from the respiratory system. With bronchitis, pain is localized in the middle of the chest, a cough occurs with the release of a large amount of sputum, loss of appetite, and fever.

Influenza is a disease caused by a virus that has a special structure. With this pathology, minor hemorrhages occur. The penetration of blood into the tissues and mucous membranes can cause burning pain in the middle of the sternum. In addition, with the flu there is a significant increase in body temperature, general weakness, and aches in the muscles and joints. A runny nose during ARVI does not occur immediately, but 2-3 days after the onset of the disease, but a cough may appear immediately.

With hemorrhagic pneumonia, the lung tissues become saturated with blood, which can cause respiratory failure with symptoms of body poisoning and local pain. If a burning sensation in the chest appears after physical exertion and due to stress, it may be VSD or mental illness. With vegetative-vascular dystonia, pain is concentrated in the left side of the sternum, minor pain is not associated with the position of the body and breathing. In addition to pain, there is pallor of the skin, which is sharply replaced by redness, a feeling of heat and increased sweating.

Such symptoms do not occur with mental disorders, but they are accompanied by mood swings, apathy, loss of appetite, and depression. Depressive disorders are not accompanied by nausea, symptoms of intoxication, or high fever.

Pain after physical activity can occur both on the left and in the middle of the sternum. They are mainly associated with heart disease. These include angina pectoris, myocardial infarction and other types of coronary artery disease. Chest pain during exercise may indicate cardiomyopathy and inflammation of the cardiac membrane. In this case, not only heavy physical labor is taken as load, but also climbing stairs, fast walking, and performing any actions at low air temperatures. If only certain movements are accompanied by unpleasant sensations, we are talking about intercostal neuralgia, or inflammation of muscle tissue.

With angina pectoris, the patient feels pain in the heart area, spreading to the left half of the jaw, or the inner surface of the left arm. You feel a dull pain, fullness and heaviness in the chest. Pain syndrome can be provoked by: a stressful situation, physical activity, overeating. When at rest, the burning sensation under the left breast quickly passes. Taking medications also helps. Symptoms of myocardial infarction appear sharply, they are usually preceded by signals in the form of signs of angina pectoris. Over time, they appear even with minimal physical activity.

A heart attack begins with a sharp pain in the region of the heart, which does not go away when the person is in a calm state, and cannot be relieved by taking Nitroglycerin. The pain spreads to the entire left side of the body. It is accompanied by increased sweating, rapid heartbeat, dizziness and difficulty breathing.

Inflammation of the muscle tissue of the heart - myocarditis - occurs in acute and chronic infectious diseases, poisoning of the body, and autoimmune pathologies. This disease is very often diagnosed at a young age. Pain in the heart area, irregular heart rhythm, swelling of the lower extremities, and shortness of breath appear. The disease is characterized by periods of remission, which are abruptly replaced by exacerbation.

Heat in the chest after eating

The main causes of burning behind the sternum after eating are diseases of the digestive system: esophagitis, malignant tumors and foreign bodies in the esophagus, stomach ulcers, diseases of the intestines and pancreas. Each pathology has its own characteristic signs. In diseases of the esophagus, pain is localized in the middle part of the sternum and occurs when swallowing food. With a stomach ulcer, discomfort appears after eating and is located in the lower parts of the chest.

With pathologies of the duodenum, pain develops along with a feeling of hunger and disappears after eating. Symptoms of intestinal colic and pancreatitis occur some time after eating. The center of pain in these diseases is located under the ribs. What to do if there is a burning sensation in the chest while lying down? A severe burning sensation that occurs when taking a lying position after eating is a sign of gastroesophageal reflux - the entry of stomach contents into the lower parts of the esophagus. The person is not bothered by any other symptoms other than heartburn. There may be a deepening of the voice and rare bouts of dry cough. If a tumor begins to develop in the esophagus affected by acid, the patient feels the presence of a foreign body in the throat, difficulty swallowing first hard foods and then liquids.

Breathing related problems

This symptom indicates the presence of diseases of the organs affecting the inside of the ribs. Most often this is pleurisy, inflammation of the membranes of the heart, pneumothorax. The same symptom may accompany intercostal neuralgia. Inflammation of the heart sac (pericarditis) is divided into 2 types. With the dry type, an inflammatory process occurs in the heart sac without the release of pathological fluids. This disease causes a dry cough, general weakness, and pain in the left side of the sternum. The pain disappears when sitting and becomes stronger when lying down.

With effusion inflammation of the cardiac membrane, inflammatory exudate is formed, which, when accumulated, puts pressure on the heart and the largest arteries. The pathological process manifests itself as pain spreading over the entire left half of the body, respiratory problems, high fever, and a feeling of a lump in the throat as food passes through the esophagus.

Pleurisy can occur in two forms - dry and effusion. Pathology occurs due to pneumonia, cancer or tuberculosis. Manifests itself in the form of acute pain in the left side of the sternum, radiating to the abdomen and hypochondrium. Symptoms intensify when sneezing, coughing, or turning the body. The patient's condition improves if he lies on his side. With effusion pleurisy, the symptoms will be somewhat different. A person feels a dull pain that intensifies when inhaling, increasing respiratory failure, a significant increase in temperature, general weakness, and increased sweating.

Spontaneous seizures

A burning sensation that occurs regardless of the influence of provoking factors can be caused by arrhythmia or mitral valve prolapse. Minor pain is not associated with breathing movements of the chest, body position, or physical activity. Atrial fibrillation requires timely diagnosis and treatment, as this disease poses a threat to the patient’s life.

Chest pain may indicate damage to the pulmonary and cardiac arteries. Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition that requires emergency care. Manifests itself as a sharp pain in the middle of the chest moving to the left side. When the pulmonary artery is blocked by a thrombus, acute pain appears that cannot be relieved with Nitroglycerin. It is accompanied by difficulty breathing, cough with brown sputum.

The development of malignant tumors of the mediastinum is accompanied by constant pain, the intensity of which does not change with breathing, eating or changing the position of the body. Such pain may indicate cancer of the lung, bronchi, or lymphatic system. New growths in the mammary glands that have grown into muscle and bone tissue can also cause pain on the right or left side of the sternum. At the same time, the shape of the gland changes, nodes appear in it, welded to the tissues, and discharge from the nipples is noted.

The need for accurate diagnosis

The causes of such symptoms are many diseases, each of which is treated in its own way. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is necessary to undergo a complete examination. You will have to visit a gastroenterologist, cardiologist, oncologist, surgeon, pulmonologist and psychiatrist. An ECG is mandatory. If the pain is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the chest and lack of air, you must call an ambulance.