Burning in the heart and difficulty breathing. Video: deceptive pain and burning in the heart area

Diagnosis and treatment.

Burning in the heart - alarm signal which requires immediate appeal to the doctor. It can speak not only about cardiovascular diseases, but also about diseases of the nervous or endocrine system, spine, gastrointestinal tract.

If such a symptom occurs, first of all, consult a therapist and a cardiologist. After ruling out heart disease, you will be referred to other specialists: a neurologist, vertebrologist, psychologist, endocrinologist or gastroenterologist.

The burning sensation can be completely eliminated by treating the underlying disease.

Burning sensation in the cardiac region in diseases of the cardiovascular system

The main and most common reason This symptom is angina pectoris. It is very common in modern world: Occurs in 3.5% of people aged 45–55 years and 15% of people aged 65–74 years.

The disease manifests itself in the form of attacks. Burning pain can “radiate” to left shoulder, arm, neck or jaw. Nausea and heartburn may also occur.

Typically, an attack of angina occurs against the background of intense physical activity, severe stress, after overeating, hypothermia or overheating. But sometimes a burning sensation can occur spontaneously.

Angina pectoris is not an independent disease, but a clinical syndrome that indicates disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Most often, attacks occur due to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries.

Click on photo to enlarge

If symptoms occur, you should immediately contact a cardiologist to find out the cause of angina, since the diseases that cause it can provoke myocardial infarction.

Necrosis of an area of ​​the heart muscle is also accompanied by a burning sensation.

In the event of a heart attack, chest discomfort persists for more than 15 minutes. Sweating and weakness are also noted. Possible rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, feeling of lack of air.

Nervous system diseases

A burning sensation in the heart area often worries people suffering from VSD. It is accompanied by:

• changes in blood pressure;
• rapid or rare heartbeat;
• rapid fatigue;
• intolerance to stuffy rooms;
• headaches.

Also, burning pain in the heart can be provoked by neuroses due to prolonged stress.

Endocrine disorders

A burning sensation in the heart area can be caused by hyperthyroidism. This increased production thyroid-stimulating hormone thyroid gland.

In addition to burning pain, the following also appear:

1. Frequent heartbeat.
2. Dyspnea.
3. Increased upper pressure and decreased lower pressure.
4. Stomach ache.
5. Sweating.
6. Irritability.
7. Possible disorders menstrual cycle in women and decreased potency in men.

Also burning in chest may be caused hormonal imbalance during menopause.

Spine pathologies

A burning sensation in the heart area can be caused by a pinched nerve due to displacement of the intervertebral discs.

Also burning pain in the chest is characteristic of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. At the same time, there is also pain in the spine and a feeling of stiffness. The pain intensifies when you raise your arms and take a sharp breath.

Treatment of osteochondrosis is complex, including medication, physiotherapy, and therapeutic exercises.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Since most of the stomach is located in the upper left part of the abdominal cavity, problems with digestive system patients often mistake it for heart disease.

Burning symptoms are caused by a hernia hiatus diaphragm (paraesophageal hernia). The diaphragm is a muscle that is located between the chest and abdominal cavities. In case of paraesophageal hernia, the abdominal esophagus and top part the stomach moves into the chest cavity.

In addition to burning chest pain, this is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• heartburn,
• hiccups,
• nausea,
• difficulty swallowing.

This pathology is difficult to treat conservatively and most often requires surgical intervention.

Eliminate burning sensation

To get rid of a symptom, you need to cure the underlying disease. Then the burning sensation in the heart area will no longer bother you.

• For angina pectoris, medications are used to improve heart function and normalize cholesterol levels in the blood.
• For neuroses - sedatives.
• For hyperthyroidism - medications that reduce activity thyroid gland. For menopause – hormone replacement therapy.
• To quickly relieve the burning sensation, use symptomatic treatment - take Nitroglycerin.

Note! If Nitroglycerin did not help eliminate the burning sensation that arose in the heart, then most likely this is a sign of a heart attack.

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Burning in the heart area

When a patient goes to the doctor with the complaint of “burning in the chest,” this always alarms the attentive doctor, because the cause of a burning sensation in the chest can be serious heart problems that threaten health and, sometimes, life.

Complaints “burning in the chest”

Sometimes a burning sensation in the chest is not at all related to “matters of the heart”, but is a symptom of spinal pathology or a gastrointestinal tract problem. How to figure out what kind of breakdown in the body is indicated by a symptom such as a burning sensation in the heart area? What are its reasons? How to correctly diagnose the disease? And what are the possible consequences untimely application for medical help with this complaint?

1 Matters of the heart

The first thing that comes to mind when a burning sensation appears in the chest is that the problem lies in heart disease. Indeed, many diseases of the heart and blood vessels (angina pectoris, heart attack, pericarditis) are characterized by this symptom. Let us consider how the symptom of burning in the heart area manifests itself in these diseases in more detail.

2 Angina pectoris

Heart pain with angina pectoris can be in the form of a burning sensation in the chest. “It burns with fire, it bakes” can often be heard from patients. Often with angina, the burning sensation spreads to the area of ​​the shoulder blade and left arm. Distinctive features disease is:

• pain usually occurs during physical activity,
• decreases after taking nitroglycerin. Patients with angina pectoris experience relief from nitroglycerin. Once you take one or two nitroglycerin tablets, the pain goes away.

3 Heart attack

Symptoms of a heart attack

The pain of a heart attack can also be described as a burning sensation in the heart. Typically, pain with a heart attack is more severe than with angina. It can reach such intensity that the patient begins to rush about in pain and may fall into an agitated state. Nitroglycerin tablets for a heart attack are ineffective, do not bring relief and do not eliminate pain.

4 Dissecting aortic aneurysm

This is a life-threatening condition with a high risk of death. The burning sensation during an aneurysm appears suddenly and extremely intensely, without a previous period of growth, the pain covers the sternum, arms, back. A distinctive feature of this condition is the absence of a pulse in the radial arteries, pain resistance even to narcotic painkillers.

5 Acute pericarditis

Unlike other heart diseases, for pericarditis there is a connection between pain and breathing, the position of the patient, pain in the heart area increases with coughing, and during auscultation the doctor listens to a noise. These are the main cardiac causes of such a symptom as a burning sensation in the heart area; heart disease is quite dangerous, therefore, when dealing with this complaint, always medical institution, the patient should immediately undergo electrocardiography.

Even if the doctor is 99% sure that the burning sensation in the chest is of a different nature, not related to the heart, it is better to play it safe and do an ECG. After all, if you miss a heart attack or an attack of angina, this can threaten a cardiovascular disaster and even the death of the patient. Mandatory rule: a burning sensation in the chest is bothering you - you need to do an ECG! If the patient's cardiogram is normal, the doctor continues diagnostic search. After all, the symptom of burning in the chest area is also characteristic of other diseases. Namely:

6 Herpes zoster

Symptoms of herpes zoster

This is a viral disease that is characterized by damage to the skin with rashes, as well as severe pain in the form of burning and itching. Even before the period of rash, itching, tingling, and a burning sensation occurs along the nerve trunks on the body, chest, and back. Symptoms of neuralgia precede the rash, and once the rash appears, diagnosis is simplified. As a rule, the lesion with herpes zoster is one-sided: rashes and burning occur along the intercostal spaces, nerves of the limbs, and neck on one side.

7 Diseases of the esophagus

Due to the anatomical location of the esophagus from the sixth cervical to the eleventh thoracic vertebrae, diseases of the esophagus can manifest themselves in the form of pain, burning behind the sternum. Very often, with esophagitis, a burning sensation occurs in the chest, mainly after eating food, especially spicy, salty, smoked food. Other symptoms of burning may include: sore throat, heartburn, sensation of a lump in the throat, excessive salivation, belching. Other esophageal problems that have similar symptoms include reflux, achalasia, hiatal hernia diaphragmatic hole, esophageal diverticula.

8 Intercostal neuralgia

Burning sensation with intercostal neuralgia

This disease is most often confused by young doctors due to inexperience with diseases of cardiac origin. They do have similar features, but there are also many differences. With intercostal neuralgia, pinching or inflammation of the nerve root occurs in the intercostal space or along the spine due to osteochondrosis, trauma, infection, hypothermia, or physical strain. Inflammation, pressure on the nerve root, muscle spasm leads to pain, which can manifest itself as a burning sensation in the chest, sternum, and heart area.

What are the distinctive features of pain during intercostal neuralgia from heart pain? So, for intercostal neuralgia:

1. The burning sensation intensifies with a deep breath, coughing, sneezing, turning the body, bending over, coughing;
2. If you ask the patient where it hurts and palpate the sternum and intercostal spaces where he indicated, the patient will scream in pain! Because with intercostal neuralgia, palpation will intensify the pain. Still would! We have a direct tactile effect on the inflamed nerve;
3. ECG is normal. An ECG diagnosis is required even if the first two points fall within the description of neuralgia and exclude cardiac pathology. A normal cardiogram will also indicate the neuralgic nature of the pain.

9 VSD

Imbalance of the vegetative-vascular system

It can also burn in the area of ​​the heart if there is an imbalance in the vegetative-vascular system. Patients with VSD usually describe their complaints colorfully and at length, decorating them with various epithets. The doctor, collecting a detailed medical history, clearly notes the connection between the occurrence of a burning sensation in the heart area and the stress, anxiety, or anxious situation suffered the day before. Patients with VSD experiencing this symptom are not helped by nitroglycerin or analgesics, but pain is eliminated by sedatives.

The burning sensation in the chest during VSD is in no way related to physical activity, on the contrary, when physical activity or distracting the patient, it decreases or disappears altogether. The doctor has the right to make a diagnosis of VSD only after completely excluding other organic pathology with similar symptoms, and in consultation with the necessary specialists. The symptom of burning in the heart area has many causes, including quite dangerous and health threatening and the life of the patient.

To avoid unpleasant consequences For health, the patient and the doctor must act together: The patient’s task is to consult a doctor as soon as discomfort appears in the heart area. The doctor’s task is to identify the cause of the burning sensation in the chest and make the correct diagnosis.

Heaviness in the heart area: causes and symptoms

Tingling in the heart area: causes and symptoms

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Burning in the heart: causes, diagnosis, what to do, what to distinguish from, further treatment

A feeling of burning pain or discomfort in the heart area is one of the most common symptoms in people over 40 years of age, especially in the male category. However, a burning sensation in the chest is also observed in younger age category, and even in childhood. But this does not always mean that a burning sensation in the heart area is only due to cardiac pathology.

Due to the fact that there are several organs in the chest, a burning sensation can be caused by pathological processes in any of them. However, according to statistics, it is cardiac pathology that is most often accompanied by a burning sensation in the chest.

Many patients at a doctor’s appointment confidently declare that they are worried about a burning sensation in the heart, although they mistakenly believe that the heart is located on the left in the hypochondrium. Here it should be clarified - the heart is located behind the sternum, slightly to the left of it, therefore heart pain most often has a retrosternal localization. Of course, irradiation of pain to various areas of the body is often noted, so in order to fully understand the origin of burning pain in the chest, it is necessary to conduct at least a minimal examination.

Cardiological causes of burning in the heart

As a rule, a burning sensation in the heart area is caused by angina pectoris, which is nothing more than a clinical syndrome that occurs with coronary heart disease (CHD). Myocardial ischemia, in turn, has a certain pathophysiological basis, represented by the formation and deposition of cholesterol plaques in the lumen of the cardiac arteries. With partial or complete narrowing of the lumen of the artery, the heart muscle (myocardium) experiences urgent need in oxygen and nutrients, brought arterial blood. If there is not enough oxygen, the heart muscle cells lose their ability to contract, which is clinically manifested by burning or pressing pain(angina pectoris), and on the electrocardiogram it looks like ischemic changes.

Inflammatory processes in the heart muscle can be caused by various infectious or toxic agents(bacteria, fungi, viruses, toxic substances, alcohol), and are called myocarditis (in the first case) or myocardial dystrophy (in case of intoxication). Any of them may be accompanied by a burning sensation in the heart.

Pericarditis (inflammatory processes in the outer lining of the heart - in the cardiac membrane) and endocarditis (inflammatory changes in the valves and other internal structures hearts, more often caused bacterial infection or intravenous use drugs) are also clinically manifested by a burning sensation in the chest.

Is a burning sensation in the chest always caused by heart disease?

In fact, there may be several reasons for a burning sensation in the heart area. For example, in addition to cardiac pathology, banal heartburn can be mistaken for such a sensation, which, in turn, can appear with various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Often, burning pain in the heart area, as well as in the right or left halves of the chest, appears due to pathology of the intercostal muscles and cervicothoracic region spine.

In addition to the reasons listed, a burning sensation may be accompanied by respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory viral infection(ARVI) or acute respiratory disease (ARI) with damage to the trachea (acute tracheitis).

As can be seen from what has been written, it is sometimes difficult to figure out on your own why there is a burning sensation in the chest. That's why with differential diagnosis should only be determined by a doctor, carefully interpreting associated symptoms and if necessary using additional methods research.

What other characteristic symptoms can be accompanied by a burning sensation in the heart?

With the pathology of a particular organ, a variety of symptoms are usually observed, although they are often the same for different diseases. For example, a cough combined with a burning sensation in the chest can occur with both tracheitis and the asthmatic variant acute heart attack myocardium. That is why the doctor should be extremely careful when assessing the symptoms of each patient.

pain due to angina and heart attack

With heart pathology, a burning sensation may be accompanied by shortness of breath or a feeling of lack of air. Thus, in case of acute myocardial infarction, pain in the chest can be not only burning, but also pressing in nature, and also not disappear after taking sublingual nitroglycerin three times. An attack of angina is also accompanied by a strong burning sensation in the heart, but this can be relieved with a single dose of nitroglycerin or Sidnopharm.

inflammation of the heart muscle

With myocarditis, the patient experiences severe shortness of breath and an inability to perform usual physical activities. The patient has swelling lower limbs due to increasing heart failure. There are also interruptions in the functioning of the heart, up to the development of serious heart rhythm disturbances.

Pericarditis is characterized not only by burning sensations in the area of ​​the sternum and left half of the chest, but also by intense pain that intensifies or, conversely, subsides when the body position changes, for example, when bending forward or lying down.

A burning sensation in the heart area, followed by sharp pain when taking a deep breath or when raising the arms upward, is characteristic of intercostal neuralgia caused by osteochondrosis of the spine. Sometimes with this form of thoracalgia ( vertebrogenic genesis) the chest burns so much that the patient is inclined to think about an angina attack.

For inflammation inner wall trachea caused by a viral or bacterial infection, the patient experiences a burning sensation and rawness behind the sternum, accompanied by fever and attacks of suffocating cough. If the patient has a painful, hacking cough with rapid breathing, as happens during attacks bronchial asthma, then he may also be bothered by a burning sensation in the heart area.

In diseases of the esophagus and stomach, burning, heartburn and painful sensations can be localized both in the abdomen and in the chest, which is often mistaken by the patient for a burning sensation in the heart. The fact that the burning sensation in this case is caused by pathology of the esophagus or stomach is evidenced by a clear connection between heartburn and food intake, especially if the patient violated the diet and consumed fatty or fried foods. Often such patients have a history of an ulcerative defect in the stomach wall. With esophagitis, chemical burns esophagus, hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or spasm of the cardia of the stomach (at the junction of the esophagus with the stomach), in addition to a burning sensation in the chest, in most cases there is choking on liquid or, conversely, solid food, increased salivation and the inability to swallow water or food (dysphagia).

As you can see, a burning sensation in the heart can be caused by a number of diseases. In order to know what causes the burning sensation in the heart, you need to see a doctor and, if necessary, perform the study that he prescribes.

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis includes not only differences in symptoms and clinical picture, but also data from instrumental examination methods.

So, when a patient presents with burning pain in the heart area, the doctor must first perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to rule out acute coronary pathology. It often happens that the patient has all the complaints characteristic of acute myocardial infarction, but the ECG does not reveal any signs of ischemia, damage or necrosis of the myocardium. In such cases, doctors say that the cardiogram is “delayed”, and all the ECG criteria for a heart attack may still appear after a few hours. If the doctor is alarmed by something in the clinical picture (more data for a heart attack), he prescribes biochemical research blood for markers of myocardial damage (troponins, CPK, CPK-MB, ALT, AST, etc.).

If you suspect anginal attacks, a burning sensation in the heart in which a burning sensation appears when the patient is active, it is necessary to conduct a series of studies using physical activity to provoke a burning sensation in the heart and immediately record it on an ECG, if the burning sensation is really caused by myocardial ischemia and angina pectoris, respectively. Such tests include bicycle ergometry (VEM), treadmill test and six-minute walk test. Moreover, these tests are used not only to establish angina pectoris as the cause of a burning sensation in the heart, but also to determine its functional class.

If a patient with complaints of a burning sensation has no evidence of pathology of the heart muscle, he is recommended to undergo X-ray of the lungs, fibrogastroscopy (examination of the esophagus and stomach), as well as consultation with a neurologist and X-ray of the cervical or thoracic spine for thoracalgia of vertebrogenic origin.

These studies can be carried out both in a clinic, if the patient initially turned to his local physician, and in an emergency hospital, if the patient was brought there by an ambulance team with suspected cardiac pathology.

What to do if there is a burning sensation in the heart?

Tactics emergency care if the patient has a burning sensation in the chest, it varies depending on what caused the symptom.

If the patient already knows what causes the burning sensation in the chest, and this moment This is not his first attack; he can independently take the medications that the doctor previously prescribed to him.

For example, if there is a burning sensation due to an attack of angina, the patient can put 1 tablet of nitroglycerin under the tongue or inject 1-2 doses of nitromint (nitrospray). With nitrate intolerance, which is often found in patients with angina pectoris, as well as with low blood pressure you can take 0.2 mg of Sidnopharm, although it will not act as instantly as nitroglycerin. Further, if the burning sensation in the heart persists, it is preferable to induce ambulance to be examined by a medical professional.

When a burning sensation in the chest area is caused by an acute respiratory disease, antipyretic drugs are taken as an emergency measure if the burning sensation is accompanied by fever. Often in patients with severe attack bronchial asthma there is also a burning sensation in the sternum area caused by rapid breathing and spasm of the smooth muscle membrane of the airways. In this case, the emergency drug is inhalation of drugs from inhalers - salbutamol, berodual, etc.

For intercostal neuralgia, accompanied by a burning sensation in the heart area, it is recommended to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets (Nise, Ketorol) or by injection (Ketorol, diclofenac, meloxicam).

If a patient continues to experience a burning sensation in the heart after taking or administering emergency medications, they should consult a doctor.

Further treatment

Therapy after cupping acute attack burning sensation in the heart is aimed at treating the underlying disease that caused such an unpleasant symptom. Typically, a course or continuous use of the following drugs is prescribed:

• For heart disease - situational intake of nitrates, long-term or constant use of beta-blockers (bisoprolol, metoprolol, nebivalol), ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, perindopril, enalapril), antiplatelet agents that prevent the formation of blood clots in vascular bed(thromboAss, aspirin, aspicor), and in some cases - diuretics (torasemide, furosemide, veroshpiron, indapamide, hypothiazide, spironolactone, etc.). Here, it is important for any patient to understand that a burning sensation in the heart is only a symptom provoked by pathology of the blood vessels and heart muscle, therefore the treatment of angina or myocarditis with pericarditis should be comprehensive. This means that one tablet for a burning sensation in the heart caused by cardiac diseases, will clearly not be enough.
• For pathologies of the esophagus and stomach - a course (for one to two weeks or longer) of omeprazole, antacids, and for gastric ulcers - antibiotics.
• For respiratory diseases - antibacterial drugs for a course of no more than two weeks (for acute respiratory infections), antiviral drugs for a course of no more than 5-7 days (ARVI), and in the case of bronchial asthma - situational (berodual, salbutamol) or permanent (seretide, foradil combi, Spiriva) taking inhalants.
• For intercostal neuralgia - a course of treatment (1-2 weeks) of NSAIDs (ketorol, movalis) and muscle relaxants (mydocalm), or long-term use of chondroprotectors (for osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine) - arthrozan, chondrolone, structum, teraflex, etc.

Are complications possible if left untreated?

The biggest danger with a burning sensation in the heart area is the risk that you may miss an acute coronary pathology, in other words, a heart attack or serious violations heart rate. To prevent this from happening, the patient should consult a doctor in a timely manner if he experiences attacks of burning in the heart, and the doctor, in turn, should carefully evaluate complaints and medical history and correctly interpret research data.

If the burning sensation is caused by pathology of other organs located in the chest, in the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment, the patient may develop pneumonia, status asthmaticus, perforated ulcer stomach or scar narrowing of the esophagus due to untreated esophagitis or burns of the esophagus.

Burns in the area of ​​the heart - what does it mean and what to do?

A burning sensation in the chest is one of the common symptoms that can indicate various diseases. This symptom can manifest itself not only in the left and right parts of the chest, but also in the middle. A burning sensation in the chest area may indicate pathologies of the cardiovascular system. Quite often, this sign indicates a dysfunction of other organs.

What does a burning sensation in the heart indicate?

A burning sensation in the chest may indicate heart problems

Discomfort in the heart area can be expressed in different ways in the form of tingling, a feeling of tightness, or a burning sensation. Most often, these symptoms are associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, but they can also have another etiology.

A burning sensation in the chest may indicate diseases such as:

• Angina pectoris. Pain usually appears after physical activity. Has a dull and oppressive character. May radiate to left limb, shoulder blade, jaw. Symptoms decrease after taking the tablets.
• Myocardial infarction. There is a burning sensation and pain in the left side of the chest. It can hit the shoulder, arm, face. Symptoms do not go away with heart medications or rest.
• Pulmonary embolism. The pain and burning sensation in the chest is very strong, which cannot be relieved with nitroglycerin.
• Vegetative-vascular dystonia. The pain is moderate and localized in the heart area. Symptoms often appear after overwork.
• Myocarditis. A disease in which inflammatory process affects the heart muscle. Occurs against the background of complications of viral infectious diseases.
• Rheumatism. Characterized by inflammation connective tissue hearts. The organ may increase in size, there is an increase in temperature, rapid heartbeat, and a burning sensation.
• Cardioneurosis. Cardiac pathology that occurs against a background of constant stress, emotional stress, and mental stress. There are attacks of pain and burning, shortness of breath, and panic attacks.

A burning sensation in the chest can be caused by hormonal changes, viral diseases, osteochondrosis, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach ulcer, gastritis, hiatal hernia, duodenitis).

This symptom can occur with neuralgia of the intercostal nerves, injuries and bruises of the chest, osteochondrosis and scoliosis.

Often, the causes of a burning sensation in the chest area can be diseases of the respiratory system. In addition, it is observed coughing, temperature increase, etc.

Additional symptoms and danger signs

Is the burning sensation accompanied by other alarming symptoms?! - We need a doctor!

Painful sensations may occur when serious pathologies which are accompanied by additional symptoms. This is necessary to know in order to determine the type of illness and begin correct treatment. Possible additional symptoms, which you should pay attention to:

• Pain radiating to upper limbs, shoulder, neck, back.
• Feeling of lack of air.
• Dizziness.
• Cold sweat.
• Nausea.
• Dyspnea.
• Pain behind the sternum.

This danger signs which indicate serious pathologies. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner.

A burning sensation may occur due to various reasons, therefore, it is impossible to establish the correct diagnosis based only on localization. It is important to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms and determine the onset of the onset.

How could this be dangerous?

A symptom such as a burning sensation in the chest, if left unattended, can lead to serious consequences, especially if it is associated with pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

For example, during a prolonged attack of angina pectoris, severe narrowing of the artery may occur, as a result of which blood flows into the heart muscle. an insufficient amount oxygen. Against this background, there may be major changes, even before tissue death. Subsequently, angina pectoris can cause acute heart failure or contribute to the development of myocardial infarction.

Myocarditis is quite dangerous, since the consequences are usually extremely negative and fatal.

It is important not to ignore this symptom in order to avoid the development of possible negative consequences and complications.

How to provide first aid?

For severe burning pain, you can take a Nitroglycerin tablet.

If the patient complains of pain and burning in the chest, then it is necessary to provide him with proper first aid. First you need to open the windows for access fresh air and then ask the patient to take horizontal position. Give the patient painkillers: Nitroglycerin or Paracetamol.

If burning and constriction in the chest occurs after eating, then you need to lie down and not engage in physical activity. To eliminate heartburn, you can drink a soda solution.

If the attack lasts more than 15 minutes, the feeling of squeezing and burning spreads to other parts of the body, and intermittent breathing is observed, then you need to call an ambulance as soon as possible. It is important to remember that you can take medications if the likelihood of improving the condition is high. Otherwise, the situation can be complicated.

What to do, what examinations need to be done?

In order to correctly diagnose and find the cause of this symptom, it is necessary to undergo an examination. You need to see a therapist, and then, if necessary, a cardiologist, neurologist, or gastroenterologist.

The patient will be prescribed to undergo examination, namely:

In addition, you will need to donate blood and urine to exclude infectious process and determine kidney function. If necessary, a gastrointestinal tract examination and spinal x-ray may be prescribed.

The choice of instrumental methods depends on the symptoms and the degree of their manifestation. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is performed to accurately establish the diagnosis if there were doubts after other methods.

How and with what to treat this symptom?

Chest burning is a symptom, treatment depends on the cause

Treatment is aimed not at eliminating the symptom, but at the cause that provoked its appearance. Treatment should be prescribed by a doctor after examination:

• Pathologies of the cardiovascular system are treated in a hospital setting. Symptomatic treatment involves the use of Nitroglycerin, Ibuprofen, Corvalol, Valocordin.
• For myocarditis and rheumatism, antibacterial and antiviral therapy is carried out. In addition, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and antihistamine drugs may be prescribed.
• For supporting normal operation cardiac muscle using cardiotrophic drugs. Such drugs are: Carnitine, Riboxin, Phosphaden, etc.
• For gastrointestinal diseases it is prescribed antacids, antispasmodics. If a burning sensation appears after eating, then take antiulcer drugs: Omez, Ranitidine, Famotidine. These medications will help eliminate the symptoms of burning and protect the gastric mucosa from negative effects.
• Pathologies respiratory system treated with antibacterial drugs. To relieve symptoms, inhalation therapy with saline is performed.
• If the cause of the burning sensation is osteochondrosis, then non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed: Meloxicam, Nimesulide. To eliminate pain, muscle spasms and muscle relaxation, muscle relaxants are used: Mydocalm, Tolperisone, etc.

Self-treatment is strictly prohibited, as it can complicate the course of the disease, which will lead to possible complications.

You can learn more about the cause of chest pain from the video:

You can get rid of a burning sensation in the chest if timely diagnosis and treatment are carried out.

If this symptom occurs periodically, you can prevent and alleviate the condition at home by following the following recommendations:

1. Avoid fatty, fried foods, fast foods, alcoholic drinks. Nutrition should be balanced and regular, with a predominance of vegetables, fruits, cereals, and lactic acid products in the diet.
2. You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
3. Take frequent walks in the fresh air.
4. Lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise.
5. Treat diseases of the heart and other organs in a timely manner.
6. Periodically undergo a medical examination and take the necessary tests.

A burning sensation in the chest is a common symptom that may indicate disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, heart, respiratory system, nervous system. To speed up recovery, you cannot ignore this symptom, but seek help from specialists.

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If a person feels a burning sensation in the heart area, he should immediately consult a doctor. After all, such a feeling is a signal that there is a malfunction in the body.

Nowadays it is a very common disease among people different generations there was pain in the heart area. They feel like a burning sensation. Many young people are negligent about such sensations and do it in vain, since they can miss serious illnesses.

If a person feels a burning sensation in the heart area, he should immediately consult a doctor to get relief. full examination. After all, such a feeling is a signal that there is a malfunction in the body or that some system has ceased to function correctly. A burning sensation in the heart area is a symptom of many diseases and its causes can be very diverse. The causes of burning in the heart area can be varied.

Jar of Hearts

Problems at work, troubles personal life lead to constant stress. All this causes unpleasant sensations, namely a burning sensation in the heart area, which seems to be a pinched nerve. As a rule, in a calm situation this feeling should disappear because the reasons lie in excessive emotional stress, otherwise you should contact a neurologist.

Heart diseases

A burning sensation in and around the heart can be a symptom of heart disease.

Angina pectoris

Typical burning sensation in the heart area. It is a consequence of increased loads, worries, stress and goes away when the general condition improves. Distinctive symptoms: cold sweat, fainting, nitroglycerin does not help, the burning sensation is prolonged.

If you experience such symptoms, you should immediately calm down, try to relax, sit more comfortably and provide an influx of fresh air. If you have angina, it is recommended not to make sudden movements, take medicine and call an ambulance.

Development of a heart attack

Myocardial infarction. accompanied by cold sweat, shortness of breath, chills, pallor and even loss of consciousness. As a rule, the pain begins to move to the leg, arm, jaw and beyond. Its distinctive features are: intensity, which cannot be weakened with the help of conventional medications, such as validol, nitroglycerin; the pain intensifies with physical activity, and decreases in a quiet position; vague pain localized behind the sternum, pale skin.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia

It can also appear after severe shocks, fear, accompanied by a huge surge of adrenaline. It is very important to calm down if you cannot accept special drugs, you can put mustard plasters. Treatment consists of stabilizing the psycho-emotional background.

Hormonal changes

Often, a more painful burning sensation in the heart area appears in women when hormonal changes in their body, for example, during menopause. Unlike heart attacks, the pain subsides with physical effort and returns at rest. In this case, heart medications will not help; treatment will be prescribed by a gynecologist.

Spinal diseases

Very often, a burning sensation in the area of ​​the heart indicates disorders in the spine, because the condition skeletal system has a significant impact on various organs. Such sensations occur after lifting heavy objects, bending, sharp turns. A burning sensation is most often observed with osteochondrosis, displacement of intervertebral discs.

All symptoms are similar to those of angina pectoris, except for the lack of a cause-and-effect relationship with physical activity. To reduce pain, you don’t need to do anything, just change your body position. If you have such symptoms, you should consult a therapist or neurologist and begin the prescribed treatment.

Pathologies of the stomach and intestines

At first it may seem that there is no connection between the work of the gastrointestinal tract and the heart. But that's not true. After all, during a heart attack, the patient may experience sharp pain in the stomach, and not just in the heart. So there are diseases of the stomach and intestines that cause severe and sharp pain in the chest area. For example, a.

With this disease, pain may radiate to the chest area when bending. Main distinctive symptoms are nausea and vomiting. Then you can safely go to see a gastroenterologist, not a cardiologist.

The first thing that comes to mind when there is a burning sensation in the heart area is a heart attack. Indeed, it is this disease that is often associated with the indicated symptom. The faster it will be provided health care, the greater the patient's chances of survival. However, pain and burning in the heart area are not always associated with disturbances in its functioning.

Causes of burning in the heart area

Often, a burning sensation in the chest and heart area can be a signal that you are very tired or nervous. Similar phenomenon can occur even in completely healthy people. If after a few minutes the unpleasant sensations go away, then this is exactly the case. A burning sensation in the heart area can also occur after a heavy lunch, or with heartburn. This happens due to false signals that the digestive organs can send to the brain.

In general, the reasons for the appearance of this symptom can be reduced to the following disorders of the body:

• heart attack and pre-infarction condition;
• angina pectoris;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• diseases of the spine;
• hormonal disorders;
• diseases of the digestive system.

What to do if you feel a burning sensation in the heart area?

A slight burning sensation in the heart area, as a rule, does not require emergency measures. Additional symptoms will help determine its cause. usually accompanied by dizziness and excessive sweating. Just lie down, drink a few drops of valerian or another sedative, apply a cool compress to your forehead, and you will feel much better.

During menopause and other hormonal changes in women's bodies, the tingling sensation in the heart area should be dealt with in the same way.

If discomfort appears after eating or exercising, most likely the cause lies in disorders of the stomach and gallbladder. The doctor should select the medicine here; you can alleviate the patient’s condition on your own by laying him on his left side and giving a small amount clean water. Sedatives may also have a positive effect.

With osteochondrosis, a burning sensation also appears after heavy physical work or overexertion. Nerve roots pinched intervertebral discs, provoke pain behind the sternum, under the shoulder blade and in the heart area. The problem can be solved using special exercises and medicines. Conservative treatment To date, it has shown good effectiveness.

Now it’s time to talk about the most obvious – heart disease. How to distinguish life-threatening heart attack from angina? In both cases, the pain appears suddenly and is felt as if it were squeezing the chest. But there are also differences.

During a heart attack:

1. The burning sensation is sharp and increasing in nature. Appears even at rest and is not associated with physical activity and nervous feelings.
2. The pain can radiate to the left or right, to the arm and even to the navel area.
3. Severe burning sensation in the heart area interferes with breathing. Many compared the pain to a knife or bullet wound.
4. Nitroglycerin, Corvalol, Validol and other medications do not bring relief.
5. The patient may experience problems with speech and coordination of movements, and the temperature rises.

When an attack develops according to a different pattern:

1. Pain appears in the midst of an argument, when heavy loads physical or emotional.
2. The nature of the pain is quite uniform, and the intensity of the pain does not increase over time. The main dislocation is behind the sternum, less often it radiates to other zones.
3. The attack lasts 15-20 minutes. If you put a Nitroglycerin tablet under your tongue, the attack goes away within 2-5 minutes. A state of rest brings significant relief. All heart medications have a positive effect.

Patients often complain of a burning sensation in the chest. This may be a sign of a certain pathology of the cardiovascular system or have a different etiology. This article talks about the main causes of burning in the heart area.

The most common reasons for this complaint:

• Angina pectoris. A feeling of squeezing or burning, which is localized behind the sternum, is a classic manifestation of angina attacks. As a rule, discomfort appears during physical activity or exposure to strong emotions and disappear quickly after cessation of action etiological factor or taking Nitroglycerin. Usually, pain syndrome for angina pectoris it lasts no more than 15 minutes.
• Myocardial infarction. It manifests itself intensely painful attack, which resembles angina pectoris, but Nitroglycerin does not give a positive therapeutic effect, the pain persists much longer and is accompanied by shortness of breath and chills, pale skin and the appearance of cold sweat.
• Vegetative-vascular dystonia. This violation Autonomic nervous system is also manifested by a burning sensation in the chest. Unpleasant symptoms They mainly begin to bother patients after exposure to a psycho-emotional factor, which provokes the release of excess amounts of adrenaline, or as a result of overwork. Heart medications are also ineffective for this pathology. Medicines with a calming effect help reduce burning in the heart area.
• Pulmonary embolism. Most often, this pathology develops against the background of deep vein thrombosis of the legs. The appearance of pain is due to the fact that blood clot breaks away from the venous wall and begins to migrate throughout the body. He gets into pulmonary arteries and provokes their blockage, which in turn leads to ischemia of the lung tissue. In addition to a burning sensation in the chest, patients complain of pain that becomes more intense when breathing, severe shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. In addition, a cough with sputum production with traces of blood may be recorded. This condition, like myocardial infarction, requires immediate hospitalization.
• Rheumatism. During of this disease the heart becomes a target organ (its membranes are damaged and corresponding inflammatory processes develop).
• Myocarditis. It is an inflammation of the myocardium, which can be of viral, allergic or autoimmune origin. It also manifests itself as a burning sensation in the chest.
• Cardioneurosis. This disorder develops if a person constantly endures psycho-emotional stress and is exposed to chronic stress. The development of cardioneurosis is based on Negative influence the above factors on the autonomic nervous system, which innervates the heart. Mostly this pathology manifests itself as a pinpoint pain in the left side of the chest, although it can also manifest itself as a diffuse burning sensation. The pain syndrome in cardioneurosis is long-lasting, does not depend on physical activity and is not relieved by Nitroglycerin, but quickly decreases after taking sedatives.



• Hormonal changes. Often a burning sensation in the heart occurs among women during menopause, which is associated with hormonal changes. The burning sensation is accompanied by increased sweating and a feeling of heat in the body. Nitroglycerin does not give positive results therapeutic effect, however, sedatives somewhat reduce the unpleasant symptoms.
• Osteochondrosis. Pain and burning in the chest resemble symptoms of angina pectoris, but their occurrence is not associated with physical activity. The pain changes its intensity with changes in body position.
• Viral diseases. A burning sensation in the heart area is a common complaint of patients diagnosed with diseases of viral origin. Unpleasant sensations in the chest are accompanied by general weakness, increased body temperature, nausea and excessive paleness of the skin. For difficult viral pathologies significant intoxication is observed, which negatively affects functional state myocardium and causes pain and burning sensations.
• Diseases of the digestive system. Oddly enough, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract can imitate heart damage. Thus, with a diaphragmatic hernia, patients often note a burning sensation in the chest, which intensifies when bending over and can be associated with meals. Often the burning sensation is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, which requires appropriate treatment, so you should consult a gastroenterologist. It is worth noting that patients often mistake habitual heartburn for discomfort in the heart, so they turn to a cardiologist. This slows down the diagnostic and prescribing process proper therapy. Inflammation of the esophagus peptic ulcer and pathologies of the gallbladder can also manifest themselves unpleasant sensations in the chest, making diagnosis difficult.
• Neuralgia of the intercostal nerves. This pathological process, which develops with compression or inflammation of the intercostal nerves and is manifested by severe pain that has burning character and high intensity. When palpating the intercostal spaces, the pain intensifies. Sometimes the skin over the affected area loses sensitivity. Secondary manifestations of such neuralgia may be hyperemia or, conversely, pallor, sweating and contraction of individual muscles. How to distinguish between pain caused by damage to the intercostal nerves and true heart pain? With neuralgia, the pain is constant and intensifies with movements (especially when bending or turning), sneezing, deep coughing or palpating the spaces between the ribs.
• Chest injuries and bruises, rib fractures and the like.

The cardiovascular system is normal, but there is a burning sensation in the chest. What could this mean? It is worth remembering that inflammatory lesions of the respiratory system (pneumonia, bronchitis, pleurisy) are accompanied by cough, high temperature, as well as burning pain in the chest, therefore, on the recommendation of a doctor, you should undergo an X-ray examination of the chest organs.

Patients often come to doctors complaining of a burning sensation in the heart. They want to know the reasons and what to do about it. In this case, doctors understand that we are talking about a serious cardiac disease that threatens the health and life of the patient. Although this does not always concern the heart, because sometimes it can be caused by problems of the spine or gastrointestinal tract. There are also cases when there is a burning sensation on the left side in the area of ​​the heart completely healthy person who is overtired or subjected to excessive emotional stress. Therefore, the doctor must first figure out why there is a burning sensation in the heart area, and only then think about how to deal with this problem.

Cardiovascular problems

As already mentioned, the causes of burning in the heart area can be different, however, about a third of them are due to cardiovascular diseases.

When a person is tormented by a burning pain in the region of the heart, the thought immediately flashes through his mind that this is a myocardial infarction. There is a reason for this, since such sensations are one of the typical symptoms of this dangerous illness, in which, due to ischemia, a certain area of ​​the heart muscle undergoes necrosis.

However, such pain is not relieved by nitroglycerin.

Heart pain during a heart attack can radiate to left hand, the neck, in addition, begins profuse sweating, pallor and cyanosis of the skin, fainting may occur. The person experiences a burning sensation in the heart and difficulty breathing; limbs may go numb and lower jaw, dizziness and chills occur. This condition requires emergency hospitalization.

Angina pectoris

For angina pectoris, this attack of burning in the heart is also a typical symptom. A stressful situation or excessive physical activity can lead to an attack of angina. But in this case, you need to take pills for burning in the heart, such as nitroglycerin - it will be the most effective, quickly improving the condition.

Even if after the first dose of the nitro-drug there is no improvement, then after a few minutes you can take it again (but no more), at the same time calling an ambulance.

This condition can be regarded as pre-infarction. In this case, a burning sensation on the left side of the heart is felt behind the sternum, and the pain can radiate to the left shoulder blade, neck or arm. If a person continues to be physically active, the discomfort will increase. Because of pain, a person strives to occupy the most comfortable position, in which the pain would be felt less.

Acute heart failure

In this very dangerous condition, which is acute heart failure, there is a burning sensation in the chest in the area of ​​the heart, as well as compression in the chest, cardiac asthma and cyanosis. IN as a last resort this condition can lead to cardiac arrest and death, and even medical assistance in many cases is ineffective.

It often has an infectious cause, as it is caused by pathological bacteria and viruses. Inflammation of the pericardium, the outer lining of the heart, can also cause a slight burning sensation in the heart area, and intoxication and febrile state speak of the presence of intoxication. Pericarditis differs from other heart diseases in that the pain from it depends on the position of the body, breathing, and coughing increases this pain. The doctor detects murmurs during auscultation.

This condition is also directly life threatening and has a very high mortality rate. With an aneurysm, a burning sensation in the heart area begins suddenly and immediately becomes intense, without a period of growth - the pain spreads to the sternum, back, and arms. In this case, there is no pulse in the radial arteries, and the pain is not relieved even by painkillers.

These are the main heart problems, the burning symptoms of which are clearly felt by the patient. All of them are very dangerous, therefore, if a patient complains of a burning sensation in the chest, he needs to immediately have an ECG.

Gastrointestinal problems

When there is a burning sensation in the area of ​​the heart, it can be caused by stomach disease. For example, if gastric juice rushes into lower section esophagus, a person feels it precisely as a burning sensation in the chest.

With a spasm of the diaphragm and a hernia at the opening of the esophagus, you may also feel similar discomfort. A person with a hiatal hernia feels increased pain when bending over. Eating spicy foods or exercising can also lead to heartburn, a burning sensation that can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

When a patient complains that there is a stabbing and burning sensation in the area of ​​the heart, this may be neuralgia, which is also accompanied acute pain during palpation of the ribs and stiffness of movements.

Hormonal changes

TO painful sensations near the heart in women can lead to hormonal imbalance. During menopause, a significant restructuring of the body occurs, as a result of which various malfunctions occur. During the “hot flash”, a burning sensation occurs in the chest. It is accompanied by increased sweating and spreads to the entire body.

Such symptoms, caused by hormonal changes, often appear at rest, and, on the contrary, disappear when moving to physical activity. During menopause, women are prescribed hormonal and sedative pills.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system

A common problem of the spine, osteochondrosis, can also cause a burning sensation in the chest in the area of ​​the heart. Discomfort here is caused by squeezing nerve endings cartilage tissue of the spine, which has grown as a result of a degenerative process.

With osteochondrosis, pain in thoracic region leads to stiffness of movement, pain in the arms and ribs, often reminiscent of an angina attack, but in this case it worsens with turns of the body and stress. Similar sensations similar to angina pectoris can be experienced when intervertebral discs are displaced.

But unlike real angina, the pain caused by physical activity does not stop when it is removed.

Shingles

With this viral disease, the skin is affected, on which rashes form, and the person feels severe itching and burning. Even before the appearance of rashes on the torso, back, chest along the nerve trunks, a burning sensation, tingling, itching occurs - symptoms of neuralgia. When a rash appears, it becomes very easy to determine the type of disease. Most often, with herpes zoster, there is a unilateral lesion localized on one side of the body.

A slight burning sensation in the heart area may also appear from other viral diseases. In this case, weakness, nausea, and high fever are added to the burning sensation.

When listing what other diseases in the heart area can cause a burning sensation, we must not forget about intercostal neuralgia. Young inexperienced doctors often confuse it with cardiac ailments, since they actually have similar symptoms, although there are differences. With intercostal neuralgia, the nerve roots in the intercostal space or along the spine are pinched or inflamed, the pain radiates and burns in the area of ​​the heart. The reasons for this may be injuries, osteochondrosis, hypothermia, previous infection, or physical overexertion. Compression, inflammation of the nerve root or spasm of the surrounding muscles are expressed painful sensations, localized in the chest.

How to distinguish pain of a neuralgic nature from cardiac pain? With intercostal neuralgia, the following is observed:

• At deep breaths, sneezing, coughing, bending and turning the body, the burning sensation intensifies.
• If you begin to palpate the intercostal spaces and the sternum in places that the patient indicates as pain points, then he will probably cry out in pain, since during palpation the tactile effect is applied directly to the inflamed nerve.
• Even if the first two points indicate neuralgia, the patient still needs to have an electrocardiogram taken to definitely rule out cardiac pathology. If the ECG turns out to be normal, then we can safely dismiss cardiac problems and consider the causes of pain to be neuralgic.

Vegetovascular dystonia

A burning sensation in the heart with VSD is also considered a typical phenomenon. Patients with vegetative-vascular dystonia often like to describe their feelings colorfully and for a long time, adding various epithets to them. When compiling an anamnesis, the doctor seeks to establish a connection between the burning sensation in the heart and the excitement and stress suffered a little earlier.

It is useless for people with VSD to take analgesics and nitroglycerin, the right remedy for a burning sensation in the heart in this case - a sedative.

This symptom is vegetative-vascular dystonia is not at all associated with an increase in physical activity; on the contrary, an increase in physical activity leads to a weakening of pain or even its disappearance. But a doctor can make a diagnosis of VSD only by ruling out other organic pathologies with similar symptoms, for which he needs to consult with colleagues from other areas of medicine.

Examination options

Even when the doctor is almost completely sure, when the patient’s heart is burning, that this does not mean a cardiac problem, then even in this case for full confidence he must prescribe an ECG for the patient. Indeed, behind this symptom there may be a myocardial infarction or heart failure, which can quickly lead the patient to the grave.

If the ECG shows normal, then the diagnosis can be carried out in a different direction. With complaints that there is pain and burning in the heart area, a person will have to visit not only a cardiologist, but also a neurologist, gastroenterologist and infectious disease specialist, and women during menopause need to see a gynecologist. The following studies may be prescribed to the patient:

• chest echocardiography;
• chest x-ray;
• MRI of the spine;
• study gastric juice for acidity.

Test options are selected based on the symptoms the person is experiencing. Treatment will be aimed at eliminating the cause that caused it. Therefore, if it burns on the left side where the heart is, it will be used symptomatic therapy. But you cannot self-medicate. If signs of heart failure or heart attack are confirmed, then immediate hospitalization of the patient is required.

What to do if your heart is burning with fire?

If, in addition to severe chest pain, the patient exhibits other signs of MI, then it is necessary to immediately call emergency cardiac care, giving the patient nitroglycerin under the tongue at the same time. What to do if your heart is burning with fire and the cause is heart disease, then therapy will be determined by the severity of this illness. IN best case scenario You can limit yourself to taking tablets, tinctures and drops. In the worst cases, only emergency surgery can save the patient.

In cases where a burning sensation in the heart area is caused by ailments not related to the cardiovascular system, the following is indicated:

• In case of heartburn, diet and drug therapy are sufficient. If there is increased acidity in the stomach, drugs that neutralize hydrochloric acid are indicated. However, a hernia near the alimentary diaphragm can only be removed surgically.
• For osteochondrosis, medications, physiotherapy and diet are indicated. The patient is also advised to find a body position in which the pain is not felt so much.
• Women during menopause are prescribed medications with estrogen and sedatives.
• In case of VSD, the patient will be prescribed sedatives.

Have you already felt a burning sensation on the left side of the heart? What did you do in this case and were you able to find the cause of the disease? Write about it in the comments, perhaps your story will help other readers.