How to distinguish heart disease from others

Causes of pathology

The reasons for the development of neuralgia can be different: inflammatory processes, injuries, bacteria and viruses, poisoning with drugs and various substances, autoimmune diseases, circulatory disorders in the vessels supplying the nerve.

• infections such as shingles, Lyme disease, or HIV
• pressure on bone nerves, blood vessels or tumors
• kidney disease or diabetes
• age

Causes of vasospastic angina

The exact reasons for the development of pathology have not yet been studied.
It is assumed that it is caused by increased sensitivity of coronary vascular cells to various active substances. An attack of vasospastic angina can also be triggered by dysfunction of the internal walls of the arteries. Another cause of pathology is spasm of the coronary arteries. The main risk factors include:

• smoking;
• hypothermia;
• violation of the composition of electrolytes;

• autoimmune diseases.

Pathology can also be caused by a decrease in blood supply to the heart. In this case, the number of heart contractions decreases, the myocardium becomes electrically unstable, which leads to rhythm disturbances. Vasospastic angina can also be caused by stenosing coronary atherosclerosis, which occurs due to problems with the arteries.

What are the symptoms of intercostal neuralgia?

• Sudden episodes of severe shooting or stabbing pain that follows the path of a damaged or irritated nerve. Symptoms appear on either the right or left side. The pain intensifies with any movement.
• Constant aching or burning pain.
• Tingling or numbness.
• Muscle weakness.
• Loss of muscle mass or atrophy.
• Involuntary muscle twitching or spasms.

In children, characteristic pain occurs during a period of intense growth, when the skeleton is growing rapidly. Severe pain in the affected areas and cramps are the main symptoms of neuralgia by which the disease is recognized in children. Additional signs include profuse sweating, increased excitability, tearfulness, sleep disturbance and stuttering.

The main goal of treatment is to distinguish this disease from others. It is important to distinguish attacks of neuralgia from manifestations of heart attack and angina. With neuralgia, there is no fever, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or blue discoloration of the skin.

Diagnostic methods

You need to see a general practitioner. After examination and exclusion of other pathologies, the therapist refers to a neurologist who determines the symptoms and treats intercostal neuralgia. The doctor examines the images, prescribes tests and medical examinations.

Instrumental diagnostic methods of examination:

• Radiography. Allows you to examine the bone structure. Makes it possible to determine the presence of non-traumatic or traumatic disorders. X-rays are taken in direct, oblique and lateral projections.
• CT scan. Examines bone and muscle structure in combination. More often used to detect pathological changes in bone structures.
• Myelography. A contrast agent is injected into the spinal canal. This is the main method for diagnosing soft tissue structures (nerve roots and spinal cord).
• Contrasting discography. During the procedure, a contrast agent is injected into the intervertebral disc.
• Magnetic resonance imaging. Allows you to obtain images of organs and tissues. Detects pathological changes in soft tissue structures: nerve tissue, muscles, ligaments, hernias and degenerative changes in intervertebral hernias.
• Electrospondylography. Using the computer diagnostic method, it is possible to assess the condition of the spinal column, identify the disease at an early stage, determine the extent of damage and monitor the course of the disease.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of pathology is carried out on the basis of:

1. Taking anamnesis. The doctor evaluates the nature of the pain, the time of its occurrence, duration, and the factors that provoked the discomfort. The specialist collects not only personal but also family history.

1. Blood and urine tests. Cholesterol and sugar levels must be assessed. Experts also study other important indicators.

1. ECG. It is best to conduct an electrocardiographic study during pain.

1. Daily Holter monitoring. In this case, the doctor can assess the general condition of the heart muscle and the factors that provoke pain.

1. Cold and ergometrine tests. They allow you to provoke a cardiac reaction and evaluate all its features.

1. EchoCG. This examination allows you to find problems that contribute to heart failure. Also during the diagnosis, the doctor evaluates the functionality of the ventricles, the size of the cavities and other parameters.

1. Coronary angiography. This examination is aimed at determining coronary artery stenosis.

1. Load test. During this examination, ischemia can be detected.

Methods for treating intercostal neuralgia

Drug therapy. There is a wide variety of drugs to eliminate pinched nerves: painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, those that increase the body’s defenses, injections, blockades. All drugs have a long list of side effects, so before using them you need to consult a specialist. Any medicine is selected depending on the severity, tendency to allergies, and the characteristics of the course of the disease.

• Anticonvulsants inhibit the conduction of pain impulses.
• Tricyclic antidepressants relieve tension in chronic pain syndromes.
• Venotonics and diuretics relieve swelling.
• Corticosteroid drugs are used in cases of severe inflammation.
• Vitamins B1, B6 and B1 accelerate the restoration of the nerve sheath, reduce inflammation and pain.

Compresses. They can be either hot or cold. They are used to reduce inflammation and also to reduce pain. This is only a temporary measure and has no therapeutic effect.

Other methods: gymnastics, shock wave therapy, massage, physiotherapy - alleviate your condition, ensuring complete recovery. And these procedures do not harm the body.

Physiotherapy and exercise therapy. Intercostal neuralgia is often caused by poor posture. The goal of physical therapy is to relieve the back muscles and open the chest. Therapeutic exercises should be performed 3-4 times a day.

Physiotherapy includes acupuncture, osteopathy, manual therapy, massage with warming creams and ointments, and kinesiotaping. They relax the fascia of the chest and back. Heat helps to temporarily relax muscles, relieve swelling, inflammation and acute pain.

Massotherapy. It should be done while sitting. When performing the procedure, the intercostal spaces are rubbed and stroked with your fingertips. In addition to this, they knead and rub the back muscles with both hands. During acupressure massage, use your fingers to press on active points associated with one or another affected organ. Acupressure can stimulate defenses and relieve pain.

Treatment of intercostal neuralgia during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the presence of neuralgia is considered a fairly serious problem. It requires proper attention, which will help avoid complications for the expectant mother and baby.

All treatment that will be given to a pregnant woman for neuralgia must be prescribed by the attending physician. Self-therapy is extremely undesirable, as it can greatly harm the woman and the child in the womb.

Many patients prefer not to take medications. They limit themselves to vitamins and mineral complexes, use ointments and warm compresses, observe bed rest and perform simple physical exercises.

Gymnastics for neuralgic pain in pregnant women is very effective. Physical exercise does not allow blood to stagnate in the joints and parts of the spine.

If the pain becomes unbearable, novocaine blockades are prescribed with caution.

How to distinguish heart disease from others

Many people experience chest pain not necessarily due to any heart disease. Often this occurs due to another illness. If your heart hurts, it can be caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory, digestive and other diseases. However, only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis after examining the patient.

But any person who has experienced such signs should understand if the heart hurts, what to do and how to recognize that it really is a heart disease. You need to know this in order to promptly consult a specialist in case of some serious pathologies. The signs of the disease may vary; you must learn to recognize them. The most important thing is to distinguish between cardiac and non-cardiac pain. For this purpose, you need to know the duration and intensity of the attack. In addition, it is advisable to have information about other diseases whose symptoms are similar to those of the heart.

The first symptoms of a heart attack

Discomfort in the chest can occur for various reasons. To understand that the heart hurts, it is advisable to know several characteristic symptoms. Seizures are not always accompanied by unpleasant sensations. At the same time, people with other ailments complain that they have difficulty breathing and pain in the left side of their chest. But all this is not a consequence of cardiac diseases.

The earliest signs that indicate that the functioning of the human body’s motor system is impaired most often appear several months, or even years, before the first attack. Therefore, everyone should know how and where the heart hurts. Early signs of the disease that should alert you are:

1. Painful sensations behind the ribs. They hit the back, arm, neck, teeth. The left side is most often affected. At the same time, there is shortness of breath, nausea, and increased sweating.
2. Discomfort after physical activity, stress, which disappears after rest or nitroglycerin tablets.
3. Shortness of breath appears even with moderate exertion, simple work, while eating, and even in a lying position. Before the attack begins, the patient may sleep while sitting or suffer from insomnia.
4. Severe fatigue from usual activities can begin long before the first attack.
5. Representatives of the stronger sex sometimes develop erectile dysfunction several years before the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
6. Swelling. This symptom is considered the most basic evidence of cardiac dysfunction. At first, the swelling is almost invisible, but becomes larger over time. This is noticeable when a person removes shoes or rings from their fingers. If swelling is observed, you should consult a specialist and undergo an examination.
7. Stopping breathing during night sleep, as well as snoring. These signs indicate a predisposition to an attack of heart disease.

Signs of coronary diseases

1. Myocardial infarction

Heart attacks can occur in different ways and how the heart hurts , symptoms in women and men in different situations can be different. In the case of myocardial infarction, everything happens approximately like this:

• There is a feeling of heaviness, pain in the central part of the chest, arm.
• Discomfort spreads to the left arm, neck, throat, and lower jaw.
• You feel dizzy, sweating, your skin becomes paler, and you feel nauseous.
• There is a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, a burning sensation in the chest.
• Anxiety, weakness.
• Rapid pulse.

The course of a heart attack may be different. Sometimes there are no signs at all. Sometimes the patient says that he experiences discomfort in the chest, sometimes there are no such symptoms and the process can be painless. Signs of a major heart attack: shortness of breath, blue lips, etc. very similar to symptoms of acute heart failure.

The duration of such an attack is approximately thirty minutes. Nitroglycerin doesn't help at all.

2. Ischemia

The main manifestation of IHD is angina attacks. In this case, pain occurs in the heart; the symptoms are the same in women and men. Among them:

• cardiopalmus;
• dyspnea;
• cardiac dysfunction;
• inconsistent pulse;
• dizzy, nauseous;
• weakness, sweating.

With coronary artery disease, patients report that they have a burning sensation and pressure in their chest. There is a feeling of being overwhelmed. Often unpleasant sensations are transmitted to the arm, neck, and throat. Most often observed during physical activity, stress and stop when the person remains alone.

With angina at rest, pain in the heart, the causes of which are different, appears at any time, even at night. This form is considered unfavorable.

Inflammatory heart diseases

1. Pericarditis

Pericarditis is an inflammation of the outer lining of the heart, the main symptom of which is a dull pain in the heart area. The pain is usually in the center of the chest, in some cases it radiates to the arm, back, and neck. When swallowing, coughing, etc. discomfort intensifies. Lying down makes it worse, sitting up makes it better. Although the nature of the soreness is usually dull and aching, in some cases it can be acute. Pericarditis is also characterized by rapid heartbeat.

2. Myocarditis

Inflammation of the myocardium is one of the reasons why the heart hurts; approximately 90 percent of people complain about it. Its form can be different, it appears regardless of physical activity, but after some time it can become stronger. Nitroglycerin doesn't help.

Heart valve diseases

If valve disease is present, its severity cannot be judged by symptoms. The patient may not complain about anything and still be in serious condition. Main symptoms:

• Shortness of breath, which is observed not only during high loads, but even during the most usual activities and in a supine position;
• Discomfort in the chest during exercise, breathing in cold air;
• Weakness, dizziness;
• Heart rhythm disturbance. These are, in particular, an uneven pulse, rapid heartbeat, and disturbances in the functioning of the heart.

This pathology often leads to heart failure. Then the following symptoms appear: the legs swell, the stomach bloats, and body weight increases.

Cardiomyopathy

Almost all people who have this pathology complain of pain. As the disease progresses, the way the heart hurts and the symptoms change. At first, the pain is long-lasting, does not depend on physical activity, and nitroglycerin does not help. Feels in different places. Then it is spontaneous or paroxysmal in nature after exercise and most often goes away after taking a nitroglycerin tablet. Its character can be different, its localization is precise, but sometimes it spreads over a large area. Nitroglycerin does not always help.

Arrhythmia

There are several types of arrhythmias. They are characterized by changes in heart rhythm. There are several types of ailments that cause heart pain radiating to the left arm.

Heart defects

These diseases can be acquired or inherited. For a long time they may not talk about themselves. Sometimes your heart hurts; your doctor should tell you what to do. This pain is usually aching, cutting or stabbing in nature. Accompanied by high blood pressure.

Mitral valve prolapse

Aching or pressing pain that appears on the left side is not caused by physical activity. They do not stop after taking nitroglycerin. In addition, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and headaches may occur in the morning and evening. Possible shortness of breath, lightheadedness.

Aortic stenosis

With this disease, there is a pressing sensation in the chest. There is a strong heartbeat, weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath during physical activity. Over time, shortness of breath and dizziness occur during night sleep. If you suddenly change your body position, you may faint. Attacks of asthma and angina pectoris are possible.

Thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery

This is a very serious condition that requires immediate attention. The first sign of the disease is a stabbing pain in the heart area, which becomes stronger when inhaling and does not radiate to other places. The patient's skin turns blue, blood pressure decreases, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat appear. Nitroglycerin has no effect.

Aortic pathologies

Sudden, very strong painful bursting sensations in the chest are a consequence of aortic dissection. They are sometimes so painful that a person can lose consciousness. The patient needs emergency medical care.

If there is an aortic aneurysm, there is aching or throbbing pain in the heart, a specialist must decide what to do. If an aneurysm ruptures, the pain becomes unbearable. If measures are not taken, death may occur.

Non-cardiac diseases

1). Intercostal neuralgia. Many people who feel such pain in the heart area mistake it for heart pain. However, in reality they are different. With neuralgia, the pain is sharp and stabbing in nature. They intensify when coughing, deep breathing, sudden turns of the body, etc. This can go away quite quickly, sometimes the pain lasts for several hours. The patient can accurately determine the location of the discomfort; it is located between the right ribs. In the case of angina pectoris, a person experiences a burning, aching feeling that does not go away when the position of the body changes. It is impossible to determine the exact location.

2). Osteochondrosis. This disease is quite easy to mistake for angina pectoris. The person is sure that his heart hurts, the symptoms are as follows: numbness occurs in the left hand, and it becomes more painful when moving. All this is especially similar to angina pectoris when an attack occurs during night sleep. The main difference is that nitroglycerin does not work.

3). Diseases of the central nervous system. In such a situation, patients often complain. However, symptoms vary. This can be regular, short-term, acute or aching pain in the heart area. Neuroses, as a rule, are characterized by a variety of vegetative disorders. A person may experience anxiety, insomnia or, on the contrary, increased sleepiness. Your hands get cold or cold, your head starts to hurt, and much more. Often patients suffering from neuroses complain, talking about numerous symptoms that they do not actually experience. And the “core people” are very reserved in sharing their feelings. Sometimes it is difficult to understand whether a patient has ischemic heart disease or cardioneurosis, since the cardiogram does not show any changes.

4). Disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. However, in this case, heart pain symptoms are somewhat different. They last longer, and the person feels nauseous, vomits, and develops heartburn. The intensity is determined by food intake. Often the symptoms of acute pancreatitis are similar to myocardial infarction. Sometimes exacerbations of gallbladder diseases radiate to the left half of the chest and it seems that the pain is in the heart. To understand what the problem is, you should take antispasmodics. If relief occurs, then the patient has gastrointestinal diseases.

5). Pulmonary diseases. Painful sensations similar to heart pain sometimes appear with pneumonia. This can also happen with pleurisy. But in this case, the pain is acute, intensifying with inhalation and coughing.

What to do?

Every person who feels pain in the chest thinks about what to do next. If there is any suggestion that your heart is hurting, you need to take immediate action. After all, the cause may be serious, in particular myocardial infarction or an attack of angina. Therefore you need to do the following:

• You should calm down and sit down. A stressful state will only worsen the situation.
• You need to try to take a different position. If after this there is relief, there is a possibility that the reason is different. If the pain increases, a pressing pain appears in the heart area, there is a risk that it is angina pectoris.
• It is recommended to allow access to fresh air and open a window.
• To prevent breathing from being constricted, you need to make your clothes looser, unbutton your collar
• If you suspect angina, take a nitroglycerin tablet and place it under your tongue. If relief does not come within a quarter of an hour, you need to take another tablet. You should call for emergency assistance. The medicine does not work for a heart attack.

Finally

Even if the pain in the heart area, the cause of which must be determined by a specialist, has gone away, you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible and get examined. Self-medication is unacceptable.

In Nizhny Novgorod, you can undergo a preventive examination at the Road Clinical Hospital, where professionals work.

Prevention of intercostal neuralgia

The main preventive measure is gymnastics. It is necessary to perform exercises that promote muscle development, strengthening and mobility of the spine. Avoid drafts, uncomfortable positions and excessive physical activity. Everything should be in moderation.

It is important to control your posture, not lift excessive weights, eat a rational and balanced diet, take vitamins, and avoid fasting and mono-diet.

Do not forget to promptly treat diseases that can cause the development of neuralgia.