The difference between heart pain from osteochondrosis and neuralgia. How to distinguish pain in the heart from neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia is a pronounced painful syndrome. Its distribution affects the entire intercostal nerve. It is caused due to compression, irritation in the intercostal nerves themselves. Neuralgia can often be found in older people.

In the clinic of Dr. Ignatiev, specialists refer patients for diagnostics if they do not suffer from cardiovascular diseases, but complain of severe pain in the ribs.

Intercostal neuralgia has the main manifestation - it is pain in the cardiac region. Such severe soreness will be significantly different from pain during heart attack. Intercostal neuralgia is characterized by neuropathic manifestations. In other words, it is called by any diseases nervous system , elements of the system.
Soreness in the costal region appears due to the fact that the intercostal nerves are compressed or irritated. Pain by its nature is called neuropathic, however, it can manifest itself in a variety of ways. For example, burning, aching, dull, acute. It happens that patients with intercostal neuralgia indicate constant pain. Some situations are accompanied by episodic pain.

Of course, the pain that appears during damage, after irritation nerve fibers, will increase when it rises physical activity. For example, if the patient abruptly moved his body, sneezed, coughed, spoke loudly, abruptly changed the position of the body, then with the obvious presence of intercostal neuralgia, you need to be prepared that the pain will increase several times.

In addition, pain is noted during palpation, when certain areas on the body are palpated. This is manifested by intercostal neuralgia, affecting areas along chest, spine. In the part where there is a strong sharp pain, will be an area with a damaged segment of the nerve. It happens that the disease is expressed by pain, which will intensify on inhalation / exhalation. In a situation where the patient feels pain attack, it becomes so painful to breathe that it takes his breath away. Then the chest has the smallest expansion on inspiration, which causes severe pain. It should be remembered that pain cannot be permanent, therefore, at one moment, the nerve root dies off. It seems that the disease has receded, as the pain recedes, but as a result, the respiratory volume decreases. A person develops shallow breathing, heaviness in chest. If the disease is started, then the treatment will require more attention, time, and a lot of effort.

Soreness during intercostal neuralgia will be localized in the intercostal areas. However soreness can be noted in other points. For example, the lumbar spine often suffers or under the shoulder blade. It happens that referred pain may not indicate the real source of nerve damage. Painful manifestations in the chest area during intercostal neuralgia are often characterized by a shingles symptom. This suggests that it appears between the ribs, in between.

Apart from pain symptoms, processes of irritation with further compression of the intercostal nerves can cause unpleasant, unexpected symptoms. Along with soreness, distinct individual muscle contractions with twitching can be felt. In addition, there is intense sweating, the skin color changes - it turns red or becomes painfully pale. In addition, the skin in the area of direct damage to the nerve fibers that contributed to the development of neuralgia burns, tingles, loses perfect sensitivity, and becomes numb.

External symptom of neuralgia

There are cases when a person suffering from intercostal neuralgia is in a special antalgic position. It will be like this: the patient has to bend in the body on the healthy side, he tries to maintain the chosen position. As a result, the intercostal spaces are stretched, the pressure and irritation of the nerve endings are significantly reduced. It reduces pain. In addition, the patient's fear of new painful manifestations plays an important role, so he maintains this position.

How to distinguish the symptoms of neuralgia from pain in the heart?

Intercostal neuralgia is characterized by pain with a constant character, which is present for a long period of time. It cannot be relieved with nitroglycerin, it will intensify with the resulting movement of the body. Pathologies of cardio-vascular system have periodic, short-term manifestations. They can be suppressed by drugs. Soreness caused by pathologies of the heart does not increase with body movements. In addition, heart pain will be accompanied by violations of the pulse rate, a decrease / increase in pressure. Intercostal neuralgia leaves all indicators normal.

Diagnosis of neuralgia

Differential diagnosis is carried out by a neurologist, therapist, vertebrologist. Diagnostics starts with neurological examination a patient with obvious typical complaints corresponding to this disease. Possible reasons neuralgia indicate the need for full examination to clarify, exclude the original disease. Individual cases may need to perform instrumental additional examinations if the cause of the formation of intercostal neuralgia is the resulting injury to the projection of the nerve. The doctor may order an MRI sections of the spine, nerve plexuses in a situation where there was a volume effect on nervous structures, for example, as with protrusions, herniated disc.

Causes of neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia by its nature will be secondary. This indicates that there is no such independent disease, as intercostal neuralgia, and develops as one of the complications of pathological processes, diseases. More often such pathological processes, diseases will be associated with damage to the spine.

The resulting pain along the intercostal nerves indicates the development of osteochondrosis. But the dystrophy itself intervertebral discs not directly related to intercostal neuralgia. And such a typical complication of osteochondrosis as a disc herniation will act most common cause for intercostal neuralgia. Absolutely any process in the spine associated with pathology leads to the development of such pain. varying degrees infringement, inflammation, swelling of nerve endings in thoracic region. In addition to disc herniations, various causes lead to the formation of intercostal neuralgia. structural changes in the spine:

Treatment

In the clinic of Dr. Ignatiev, they begin to treat intercostal neuralgia at the first manifestations of the disease. Doctors focus on reducing, stopping pain syndrome. Further medical tactics is aimed at improving metabolic processes in the tissues of the affected spinal segment. Allowed use physiotherapy exercises together with

Some people sometimes experience pain in the region of the heart of a stabbing character against the background of normal state of cardio-vascular system. In such conditions, it is necessary to suspect the presence of intercostal neuralgia of the intercostal spaces. But how to distinguish one from the other? Often a person experiencing pain does not quite correctly assess their subjective feelings. To clarify and not be confused, the main differences are detailed below.

Similar leading symptoms

Naturally, you need to start with such a symptom as pain. Strong stabbing sensations can occur both with one pathology and with another. But with heart disease pain tend to give in the arm, back, neck, perhaps a feeling of numbness of the latter. Intercostal neuralgia worries clearly at one point. A change in body position can provoke an increase in seizures. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor whether pain occurs when turning, bending, or extending the body.

Pain in neuralgia is explained by the fact that due to destructive processes in the joints, nerves and their endings are compressed. In addition, the origin can also be neuropathic, that is, with damage to the nervous system. Various patients noted as constant pain, and short-term episodic. At severe violations in the joints and infringement of the nerves, a provoking factor can be coughing, sneezing, deep breath and exhalation, that is, a slight movement of the chest.

Intercostal neuralgia is also painful on palpation (palpation) near the area of pain, that is, there is a pathological focus. The location of the pain and the area that needs treatment may differ. This is not the case with heart disease. Violation of activity is accompanied by a change blood pressure, dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness, etc.

The body is designed in such a way that it always tries to get rid of irritants on its own, which is pain in neuralgia. Therefore, in the absence of therapy, the nerve roots die off and are no longer restored. It would seem that this is bad? Instead, the pain is gone. But with this outcome, the respiratory volume of the lungs decreases, a slight shallow breathing appears.

Typical localization of pain

An important diagnostic point and the ability to distinguish the disease is precise definition places of discomfort. It is logical that intercostal neuralgia should manifest itself between the ribs, but maybe not only there. For example, under the shoulder blade or in the lower back. Such pain does not make you think about damage to nerve endings.

If the pain is dull in nature, then it can have a girdle effect. From this we can conclude that you need to check the nerves that go along the ribs. The heart rarely hurts on its own. More often, problems of the cardiac system are manifested in numbness of the left hand, a sharp change in pressure, a violation of the pulse, etc.

Other symptoms

Pain syndrome is not the only manifestation of heart problems and neuralgia, which should be distinguished between them. With insufficiency of the cardiovascular system, shortness of breath, swelling, headaches are possible. With neuralgia, spasms of muscle fibers and convulsions appear. There is also increased sweating, a burning sensation in the chest, pallor of the skin, which significantly distinguishes one from the other.

external symptoms

Above, only the subjective sensations of patients were indicated. But are there external (visual) symptoms? In some cases, yes. This is the so-called "antalgic posture" for neuralgia. It looks something like this: a person bends the body of the body towards the healthy half or opposite to the sick one, and maintains this position for a long time. Why is he doing this? It is more logical to spare the affected side and expand the healthy one.

In this position, the costal spaces are stretched, the physical pressure and reduced nerve impingement and pain. Over time, a person can get used to this position so much that, upon recovery, he will walk crookedly and aggravate pathological processes in the joints of the spine. How easy it is to distinguish the symptoms of neuralgia from heart disorders.

How to distinguish heart disease from neuralgia

Analyze and apply with diagnostic purpose the presence of pain is impossible, because in both diseases it is. It is necessary to judge the nature of sensations, duration, the relationship of their appearance with any actions. With pain between the costal spaces, there is little doubt that the diagnosis will be intercostal neuralgia.

If you experience discomfort after exercise against the background of edema, shortness of breath, headache, you can begin to look for the cause in the heart and blood vessels. Drugs that stop attacks of pain in pathology circulatory system helpless in neuralgia. Therefore, when a medicine does not eliminate the symptoms, this does not mean that large dosage drug. Do not forget about the dependence of body movement and the appearance of pain. In addition to the ability to distinguish by symptoms, a full medical examination is also carried out.

Medical Research Changes

Against the background of neuralgia, there are no changes in the ECG and ultrasound of the heart. The exception is that part of people who previously suffered from heart or vascular disease. Surely they will be able to confirm or refute the preliminary diagnosis of CT and MRI. If you suspect infectious origin pain will have to donate blood for the presence of antibodies in the serum.

In any of the conditions, it is not recommended to self-medicate. A specialist (neurologist) must accurately diagnose the process, its exact localization. Then the course of treatment is selected individually. In the case of neuralgia, mass, physical procedures and physiotherapy exercises are needed in the period of remission. In very rare cases surgery may be required.

Cardiologist deals with heart problems. One of the most important organs does not tolerate slowness, so a visit to the doctor should never be postponed. Without treatment, you can bring the body to a state of no return to its original state. healthy state. Each of the assigned tests must be completed. At the end of the course of therapy, it is recommended to conduct a diagnosis as a control of successful treatment.

Treatment of neuralgia and heart

The classic therapy is drug method. These are anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, vitamins of group B. It is necessary to exclude drafts, hypothermia, contact with patients with viral and bacterial diseases. It is important to support normal conditions and food at home, not only during therapy, but also to maintain constantly. It is impossible to get involved in pain relief, drugs negatively affect the gastric mucosa. Your doctor may prescribe GI protectors for protection.

Surgical treatment is prescribed in the absence of effect drug therapy or especially severe course with complications. The patient himself can insist or refuse this option. Most often, during the operation, the restrained nerve endings are removed, the position of the joints is normalized.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system in their treatment options are almost the most versatile. Before the start of therapy, there is a long and thorough examination the whole organism. Because most often heart pathologies are the result of other diseases (kidney, liver, etc.). As with neuralgia, normalization of the condition can be achieved with drugs and surgical treatment.

As with any disease, the doctor must differentiate and determine the diagnosis. The patient's task is to timely seek the help of a specialist, compliance with disease prevention measures. If the disease could not be avoided, you must clearly adhere to all the prescriptions of the attending physician. You can also discuss options for alternative (folk) medicine with him.

Stitching pain in the region of the heart makes one think about what signs exist that determine how to distinguish heart pain from neuralgia. In order not to be confused, it is important to study the main symptoms that make it possible to distinguish pain in the heart from intercostal neuralgia syndrome.

Symptoms

Initially, a person pays attention to stabbing pain. These sensations occur both in diseases of the heart, and in pathologies of the chest, disorders muscle tone. It is important to understand that with pain in the heart, discomfort is given to the arm or neck, a feeling of temporary numbness of the extremities is possible.

Neuralgia is most often characterized by constant local pain. Only a change in the position of the body can provoke their strengthening. Therefore, you need to carefully listen to your body to determine if pain occurs when bending, turning and other body movements. Pain in neuralgia is manifested as a result of destructive processes in the joints. Deformations compress the nerve endings, and therefore there is a sharp stabbing pain. Such sensations may appear due to lesions of the human nervous system. Patients note that pain may be episodic or permanent. If the joints are severely damaged, then even a slight pinching leads to severe pain..

Intercostal neuralgia is painfully felt near the zone of the pathological focus. The area of pain and the place that requires treatment may differ from each other. If the pain occurs due to pathologies of the heart, then the patient will complain of high blood pressure. He may even lose consciousness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting are not uncommon.

The human body is designed in such a way that by any means it signals a problem that needs to be solved. Most often it is pain, so it is important to determine in time whether the heart is worried or neuralgia is the cause of discomfort. Correct staging diagnosis will help the doctor to choose the right treatment.

The difference in localization

How to distinguish pain in the heart from the symptoms of other pathologies? One of highlights diagnosis is the precise determination of the area of localization of pain. Intercostal neuralgia can be localized between the ribs, under the scapula or on the lower back. If the pain sensations are girdle in nature, then we can conclude that the nerve endings that are located under the ribs are disturbing. The heart, as a rule, very rarely hurts alone. More often, pain occurs in conjunction with other symptoms: numbness of the limbs, sharp rise or a decrease in pressure, a violation of the rhythm of the pulse.

What other symptoms are there that will help distinguish heart pain from neuralgia? There are several options here:

If the patient suffers from diseases of the cardiovascular system, then he may experience shortness of breath, swelling of the extremities and frequent seizures headache. Neuralgia is characterized by periodic pain and muscle spasms, the occurrence of convulsions. Can be observed increased sweating, constant feeling burning in the chest, pallor of the skin.
External manifestations of intercostal neuralgia can be accurately determined using a special posture. It looks like this: a person bends to a healthy half and enough for a long time maintain this posture to reduce pain. In this position, the pressure is significantly reduced, the intercostal spaces are stretched, discomfort disappears. If pains appear frequently, then a person gets used to such a position, moves crookedly, even if nothing hurts him.
It is impossible to determine the disease just because you have a disease somewhere. Pain accompanies the patient with both cardiac pathologies and neuralgia. If discomfort arose as a result of a large load on the body or after the onset of shortness of breath, headache, then the cause of such sensations is diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Drugs that relieve discomfort in case of heart pain and blood vessels are absolutely useless if discomfort occurs after a nerve is pinched between the ribs. If the drug designed to relieve pain does not work, then it is worth reconsidering the cause of its occurrence. Do not forget about the moment of discomfort. With heart disease, pain will never occur as a result of tilting the body or a sharp wave of the hand.

Diagnostic methods

If pain occurs as a result of neuralgia, there is no need to conduct an ultrasound examination of the heart, as well as an electrocardiogram. An exception may be only those people who have a high percentage of the risk of heart disease.

To put an end to the question of what causes pain, magnetic resonance therapy will help.

It will not be superfluous to donate blood to detect antibodies in it. Regardless of the condition, you can not self-medicate. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis and determine the localization of pain. In the case of intercostal neuralgia, you will have to undergo a course of physiotherapy and physiotherapy exercises. In exceptional cases, the intervention of a surgeon is necessary.

Heart diseases are dealt with exclusively by a cardiologist. If there is even the slightest suspicion of a disease of the cardiovascular system, a visit to a specialist should not be postponed. Ignoring this procedure can end very badly. It is important after the treatment to go through the examination again and pass necessary tests.

Specificity of treatment

The traditional therapy for neuralgia and the heart is medication. As a rule, the doctor prescribes drugs for pain relief, vitamin complexes and anti-inflammatory drugs. It is required to completely eliminate drafts, contact with patients and the risk of hypothermia. It is important to observe correct mode nutrition and cleanliness in the house. You can not get carried away with painkillers, they have an extremely negative effect on the gastric mucosa. In some cases, the doctor prescribes probiotics to restore the intestinal microflora. If drug therapy is not enough or the disease is running, then the doctor resorts to surgical intervention. Usually removed nerve roots, the position of the joints is normalized.

Treatment of the heart requires a more careful approach to diagnosis. The patient undergoes an order of magnitude more diverse studies. Typically, heart disease is concomitant pathology kidneys or liver. The condition can be corrected medically or surgically.

Only a doctor should prescribe an examination and make a diagnosis. The patient's task is to come to the hospital as soon as possible and pass all the necessary tests. It is important to follow all the recommendations prescribed by the doctor.

Patients quite often seek medical help with complaints of chest pain. These symptoms are common to many diseases, but they are most likely caused by heart problems or neuralgia. How to distinguish pain in the heart from neuralgia? To find out, first you need to understand: what is neuralgia and what areas of the body are prone to this disease. It should be determined which symptoms relate to heart disease and which to neuralgia, and what are the main differences between these two types of diseases.

Distinctive signs of intercostal neuralgia and heart disease

It is almost impossible to determine the symptoms, to treat neuralgia in the region of the heart without consulting a doctor and examining it.

If we consider in more detail all the signs, we can understand in which cases it is necessary to urgently contact a specialist.

Distinctive features of pain in neuralgia

Neuralgic pain can occur after unusual activity, trauma, shingles, uncomfortable position during sleep, hypothermia, or a deficiency of B vitamins. It is characterized by the following symptoms:

pain begins gradually;
may have a sharp or stabbing onset;
when a skin area is irritated or palpated, a sharp pain reaction occurs;
covers a limited area of \u200b\u200bthe chest;
spreads along the rib along the path of the nerve.

Distinctive features of pain in heart disease

begin after physical exertion or emotional stress;
appear gradually and intensify;
dull, aching or pressing pain;
cover the middle of the chest and the area behind the sternum;
attacks are generally stopped by nitroglycerin;
often spreads up and down from the source;
shortness of breath is observed, cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness;
when irritated by touch skin and the muscles feel sore.

General information about pain in the heart and neuralgia

Pain in the pericardial region of the chest is often the cause of a serious illness and should serve as a signal for an urgent visit to the doctor. They can be a manifestation of angina pectoris, thromboembolism pulmonary artery and other dangerous diseases or be a simple sign neuralgia.

Heart pain sometimes masks other health problems that are not related to neuralgia. These diseases include osteochondrosis, neurosis, lung disease, gastritis, cholecystitis, stomach ulcer, vegetative dystonia.

Neuralgia affects the peripheral nerves, this can be judged on the basis of severe pain in any particular part of the body. Painful symptoms in the thoracic region with neuralgia are caused by pinching or damage to the nerves.

Symptoms of heart disease

How to understand what torments you: pain in the heart or neuralgia? It all depends on the symptoms.

Symptomatic pain in angina pectoris is mainly squeezing. The patient finds it difficult to determine its exact localization. In some cases, patients also complain of pain in the left side of the upper locomotive apparatus. The duration of the attack ranges from 20 minutes. The strength and manifestation of pain does not depend on movements. Usually begins after physical exertion, emotional experiences, with a sharp change in temperature. Often leads to shortness of breath, a feeling of near death, lack of air. Nitroglycerin suppresses the attack very quickly.

With myocardial infarction, the patient feels a strong pressure, sometimes burning pain on the left side of the chest. There is also a fear of death, a feeling of heaviness, as if there is a stone on the heart. The duration of the attack ranges from 15 minutes and can drag on for a couple of hours. At the same time, taking nitroglycerin does not affect the level of pain.

Myocarditis is characterized by aching or stabbing pains that also affect left side shoulder and neck. Arises oppressive feeling in the region of the heart or slightly to the left. The pain continues long time, with physical exertion, there may be a deterioration in the condition. Nitroglycerin does not suppress pain. Patients suffer from shortness of breath, there may be signs of suffocation, swelling or pain in the joints.

With pericarditis, the nature of the pain is moderate, they are constant and dull, and an increase in body temperature is also possible. The pain arises and is concentrated in the chest, a little above the heart. In some cases, it expands to the shoulder blade or towards the abdomen. Gets worse when you cough or take a deep breath.

The type of pain in diseases of the aorta is slightly different. It is most often localized in the upper chest. It differs from others in its exact location, does not diverge into other parts of the body. Seizures usually lead to physical exercise. With a dissecting aortic aneurysm, the nature of the pain becomes arching, which can lead to loss of consciousness. Nitroglycerin does not suppress symptoms.

Pulmonary embolism is characterized by severe chest pain. Unlike angina pectoris, pain does not spread to other parts of the body, as with aortic disease. However, pain is exacerbated by deep breathing. The patient has a rapid heartbeat and increased shortness of breath, blanching or cyanosis of the skin. In case of thromboembolism and diseases of the aorta, it is urgent to contact the ambulance for hospitalization of the patient.

Diagnostics

To determine the source of the pain syndrome, doctors interview and examine the patient. Then, based on the clinical picture, assigned laboratory and instrumental examination. Usually held:

General analysis of blood and urine, as well as blood biochemistry, which will help to immediately detect violations in the body and provide detailed information about the work of the heart.
ECG (electrocardiography) is prescribed for suspected heart disease and heart attack. At rest, the study during ischemia may not reveal abnormalities, it will be necessary to conduct an ECG simultaneously with exercise.
Coronary angiography is a study using contrast medium, which determines the patency of blood vessels. By its distribution, you can find the places and degree of pathological narrowing blood vessels main artery hearts. When problems are found, urgent surgery is usually required.
Echocardiography is ultrasound, which is carried out with suspected heart disease. With the help of ultrasound, you can see the work of the heart valve. Thanks to this method, heart defects and inflammatory processes are detected.
Spinal tomography is prescribed if chest pain can be associated with its diseases. Also performed for suspected hernia in vertebral department or tumors of the soft tissues and spine.
Determination of antibodies to herpes viruses - if postherpetic neuralgia is suspected.

Important! You can not engage in treatment on your own and take drugs without the knowledge of a doctor. Instead, it's better to preventive action in the form of use healthy food and doing physical exercise.

Unpleasant sensations in the back and chest are a fairly common phenomenon that develops equally often in men and women. It is very important to be able to timely distinguish pain in the heart from neuralgia, since cardiac pathology can often pose a direct threat to human life.

Origin mechanism

Pain is unpleasant feeling, which in evolutionary terms is very important and signals the development pathological process. The appearance of sensations of discomfort may be associated with the implementation of several pathophysiological mechanisms:

Inflammatory reaction accompanied by accumulation of cells immune system and subsequent synthesis of biologically active compounds of inflammatory mediators. They provide direct irritant effect on sensitive nerve endings with a subjective sensation of pain.
Inadequate tissue nutrition (ischemia) is the main mechanism for the development of pain in cardiac pathology. With a decrease in the diameter of the arterial vessels of the heart (coronary arteries), the supply of oxygen decreases and nutrients into myocardiocytes (cardiac muscle cells), which is accompanied by pain. The intensity of pain depends on the degree of narrowing arterial vessel and malnutrition of the heart tissue.
Direct mechanical compression of sensitive nerve endings due to tissue edema (exit of the liquid part into the intercellular substance of tissues) or displacement of nearby bone structures.

Heart pain and neuralgia have different pathogenic mechanism development. Therefore, therapeutic approaches and consequences for these pathological conditions are completely different. It is important to be able to differentiate (distinguish) the main causes of discomfort in the chest area in time.

What is intercostal neuralgia?

The term neuralgia defines a pathological process characterized by the development of aseptic (non-infectious) inflammation in peripheral nerves. The main reason for the development inflammatory response is local hypothermia (a person's stay in a draft), which mainly affects the back area.

The disease is accompanied by the development of sensations of discomfort, usually in the form of tingling, which are localized along the costal arch. Depending on which intercostal nerve was affected by the aseptic inflammatory process, pain can be localized in the upper, middle or lower chest.

The severity of pain depends on the severity of the inflammatory process. Since when the chest moves, the nerve fibers are displaced, the intensity of pain increases during breathing. Pathological inflammatory process usually has one-sided localization. With the development of sensations of discomfort on the left, it is important not to confuse intercostal neuralgia with heart pain.

What causes cardiac discomfort?

Pathology affecting the heart and blood vessels often leads to poor nutrition of myocardial cells. This is accompanied by the development of pain in the chest area on the left side. Diseases include several common processes:

Stable angina - malnutrition of tissues due to narrowing coronary artery which exceeds 50% of its diameter. The decrease in diameter is usually the result of the formation atherosclerotic plaque(localized deposition of cholesterol in the wall of an arterial vessel, which narrows its lumen). Pain has the character of squeezing and intensifies after physical or emotional stress.
Unstable angina is a pathological process characterized by a sharp and sudden deterioration in myocardial nutrition. Its development is accompanied by severe pain, and the person cannot determine the provoking factors. Unstable angina refers to pre-infarction conditions.
Myocardial infarction - serious disease accompanied by the death of a section of the heart muscle. Myocardiocytes are very sensitive to insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients, so a sudden cessation of blood circulation is accompanied by their death and very severe acute pain.

The complex of pathological processes that combines a violation of the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the heart muscle is called ischemic disease hearts. Less commonly, pain in the region of the heart may be associated with inflammation of the endocardium (the inner lining of the wall of the heart) or the pericardium (outer lining).

Consequences of pain in the heart

Pain in the heart is always the result of a pathological process that leads to a deterioration in the nutrition of myocardiocytes. The lack of timely adequate treatment leads to the development of a number of consequences, which include:

Death of the myocardium (heart attack).
Violation of the frequency and rhythm of contractions of the heart, followed by thrombus formation in the cavities.
Rupture of the wall of the cavity of the ventricle or atrium with the release of blood into the pericardium.
The development of acute heart failure, in which there is a decrease in the rate of blood flow in all vessels.

Important! All the consequences of severe pain in the sternum, which is of cardiac origin, can pose an immediate threat to human life or lead to subsequent disability and disability.

Features of pain in intercostal neuralgia

In order to be able to distinguish unpleasant pain in the heart from neuralgia, one should pay attention to several features associated with aseptic inflammation of the intercostal nerves:

Pain spreads along the intercostal arch.
Feelings of discomfort are in the nature of tingling or aching pain.
Pain does not radiate left hand, shoulder girdle.
Unpleasant sensations intensify during inhalation or exhalation.
Discomfort is well relieved with medicines group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ketanov, analgin).
The development of pain is usually preceded by local hypothermia of a person.
The pathological condition can equally often develop in young and old people.

The presence of more than 3 features of pain increases the likelihood that a person has intercostal neuralgia.

Features of pain of cardiac origin

On the possible development pathology of the heart with the appearance of corresponding clinical subjective symptoms indicates several specific features pain sensations:

Unpleasant sensations are mainly localized on the left side of the sternum (heart projection area), they often radiate to the left shoulder girdle and shoulder.
Mostly there is a clear relationship between physical or functional load and the occurrence of pain (with the exception of cases of development unstable angina and myocardial infarction).
Pain sensations usually have a pressing, squeezing character, they are accompanied by shortness of breath. In the case of myocardial infarction, as well as with unstable angina, the pain becomes acute.
Heart pain predominantly develops in older people with cardiovascular pathology.

The manifestation of at least one of the features should be alarming in relation to the pathological process that develops in the heart.

Table of differences

In order to make it easier to determine the origin of the pain, the heart hurts or the peripheral intercostal nerves become inflamed, clinical features can be presented in the form of a table:

Feature, criterion of pain sensations		Heart
Localization	Along the costal arch, on the left or right side	Predominantly to the left of the sternum
Irradiation (where it gives off)	No irradiation	Pain is given to the left shoulder girdle, shoulder
Connection with breath	Pain worsens when inhaling or exhaling	No clear connection
The presence of a physical or emotional load before the pain	There is no clear connection with the load	Stress predominantly provokes pain
Character	Tingling, less often sharp pain	Squeezing, acute pain in case of unstable angina, with the development of myocardial infarction, pain becomes unbearable
Person's age	Regardless of age	It develops mainly in older people against the background of cardiovascular pathology.
Dyspnea	Rarely accompanies	Almost always appears against the background of the maximum intensity of pain.

What to do?

If there is no certainty that chest pains are not of cardiac origin, then if they develop, you should contact a medical specialist.

Advice! It is always worth starting from the possible in actions. worst case. When chest pain occurs, a cardiac origin should be assumed and then ruled out.

Doctor general practice(therapist, family doctor) or a cardiologist ( narrow specialist dealing with diagnostics and treatment cardiovascular pathology) on the basis of complaints will make an initial conclusion. He will then appoint additional research, which necessarily includes an ECG. With the help of electrocardiography, the presence of circulatory disorders and the severity are established.

If you understand the origin of discomfort in time and be able to distinguish pain in the heart from neuralgia, then this makes it possible to start timely adequate treatment. pathological condition and avoid serious complications.