Bump on Chest | Different Types of Chest Lumps & Causes

Chest bump quiz

Take a quiz to find out what’s causing your bump.

Take chest bump quiz

Less common causes

The following are less common causes of chest bumps.

• Less common infection types: A pus-filled infection of the deeper skin layers is less likely but still possible. A sac-like membrane containing air, fluid, pus, and/or other material can result from infection, a blocked duct, a foreign body, or chronic inflammation.
• Trauma: Any injury may cause scar tissue to form after a fracture or other damage to the rib bones or their cartilage. A painful lump may also form between two ribs, usually after surgery or direct injury to the bone or cartilage. A swollen collection of blood can form under the skin after an injury. The armpit glands can become inflamed and form bumps at the sides of the chest.
• Aging: Normal aging can cause calcification of rib cartilage and bumps under the skin, with or without an injury.

Rare and unusual causes

The following are more rare causes of chest bumps.

• Benign tumor: A slow-growing, benign, fatty tumor may form between the skin and the underlying muscle. It is painless, colorless, soft, and doughy.
• Malignant or cancerous tumor: Various cancers can manifest with bumps and lumps under the skin of the chest, in both males and females.

8 chest bump conditions

The list below shows results from the use of our quiz by Buoy users who experienced chest bump. This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.

Wart

Warts, also called common warts or verrucae, are small, rough, rounded growths on the top layer of the skin. They may appear singly or in clusters.

Common warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) and are contagious through direct contact, especially through a break in the skin. They may spread from one place on the body to another simply through touch.

Anyone can get warts but they are most common in anyone with a weakened immune system, as from illness or chemotherapy. Children and teenagers are also susceptible to warts.

Warts often first appear on the hands and fingers, especially near the nails or after any injury to the skin. This is why biting fingernails is a risk factor for warts.

Warts are benign, meaning they are not cancerous. But they can be unsightly and interfere with normal use of the hands, so treatment is often beneficial.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination. Warts in children sometimes go away without treatment, but otherwise most warts can be easily removed in a doctor’s office.

Skin cyst

A cyst is a small sac or lump, filled with fluid, air, fat, or other material, that begins to grow somewhere in the body for no apparent reason. A skin cyst is one that forms just beneath the skin.

It’s believed that skin cysts form around trapped keratin cells – the cells that form the relatively tough outer layer of the skin.

These cysts are not contagious.

Anyone can get a skin cyst, but they are most common in those who are over age 18, have acne, or have injured the skin.

Symptoms include the appearance of a small, rounded lump under the skin. Cysts are normally painless unless infected, when they will be reddened and sore and contain pus.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination. A small cyst can be left alone, though if it is unsightly or large enough to interfere with movement it can be removed in a simple procedure done in a doctor’s office. An infected cyst must be treated so that the infection does not spread.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: skin-colored armpit bump, marble sized armpit lump, small armpit lump

Symptoms that always occur with skin cyst: skin-colored armpit bump

Urgency: Wait and watch

Skin abscess

A skin abscess is a large pocket of pus that has formed just beneath the skin. It is caused by bacteria getting under the skin, usually through a small cut or scratch, and beginning to multiply. The body fights the invasion with white blood cells, which kill some of the infected tissue but form pus within the cavity that remains.

Symptoms include a large, red, swollen, painful lump of pus anywhere on the body beneath the skin. There may be fever, chills, and body aches from the infection.

If not treated, there is the risk of an abscess enlarging, spreading, and causing serious illness.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination.

A small abscess may heal on its own, through the body’s immune system. But some will need to be drained or lanced in a medical provider’s office so that the pus can be cleaned out. Antibiotics are usually prescribed.

Keeping the skin clean, and using only clean clothes and towels, will help to make sure that the abscess does not recur.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: rash with bumps or blisters, red rash, red skin bump larger than 1/2 cm in diameter, pus-filled rash, rash

Symptoms that always occur with skin abscess: rash with bumps or blisters

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Pimple

Pimples are also called comedones, spots, blemishes, or “zits. ” Medically, they are small skin eruptions filled with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria.

Pimples often first start appearing at puberty, when hormones increase the production of oil in the skin and sometimes clog the pores.

Most susceptible are teenagers from about ages 13 to 17.

Symptoms include blocked pores that may appear flat and black on the surface, because the oil darkens when exposed to the air; blocked pores that appear white on the surface because they have closed over with dead skin cells; or swollen, yellow-white, pus-filled blisters surrounded by reddened skin.

Outbreaks of pimples on the skin can interfere with quality of life, making the person self-conscious about their appearance and causing pain and discomfort in the skin. A medical provider can help to manage the condition, sometimes through referral to a dermatologist.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination.

Treatment involves improving diet; keeping the skin, hair, washcloths, and towels very clean; and using over-the-counter acne remedies.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: pink or red facial bump, small facial lump, painful facial bump, marble sized facial lump

Symptoms that always occur with pimple: pink or red facial bump

Urgency: Self-treatment

Male breast cancer

Although breast cancer is much more common in women, men can get it too. It happens most often to men between the ages of 60 and 70.

Diagnosing male breast cancer requires a physician’s clinical exam, a mammogram, and tissue biopsy. It’s treatment involves surgically removing the cancer followed by hormone treatments, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. A doctor’s visit is needed in the next few days!

Lipoma

Lipoma is a word that translates as “fatty tumor,” but a lipoma is not cancer. It is simply a growth of fat between the muscle layer and the skin above it.

The exact cause is not known. The condition does run in families and is associated with other unusual syndromes such as adiposis dolorosa, which is similar. Lipomas most often appear after age 40.

Symptoms include a soft, easily moveable lump beneath the skin, about two inches across. A lipoma is painless unless its growth is irritating the nerves around it. They are most often found on the back, neck, and abdomen, and sometimes the arms and upper legs.

It is a good idea to have any new or unusual growth checked by a medical provider, just to make certain it is benign.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination, biopsy, and imaging such as ultrasound or CT scan.

Most of the time, treatment is not necessary unless the lipoma is unsightly or is interfering with other structures. It can be removed through surgery or liposuction.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: skin-colored groin bump, marble sized groin lump, small groin lump

Symptoms that always occur with lipoma: skin-colored groin bump

Urgency: Wait and watch

Dermatofibroma

A dermatofibroma is a fairly common skin growth that usually appears on the lower legs, but may appear anywhere on the body. These mole-like growths are benign (noncancerous.)

The cause is not known, though a dermatofibroma may appear after a minor injury. The growths are not contagious.

Dermatofibromas are most common in adults and are rarely found in children.

Symptoms include a hard, raised growth that is red, pink, or brown and less than half an inch across. They are usually painless but may be tender or itchy, and may appear alone or in groups.

Any new growth on the skin should be seen by a medical provider, especially if the growth is very dark in color or changes its shape or appearance quickly.

Diagnosis is made through physical examination and sometimes biopsy.

A dermatofibroma does not require treatment unless it is interfering with clothing or is unsightly. They can be surgically removed, though this will leave a scar and the growth may eventually return.

Basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common kind of skin cancer. It can develop almost anywhere on the body. It appears as abnormal spots or bumps on the skin. These bumps are often pink, red, or skin-colored and sometimes have a shiny surface. The main risk factor for developing this condition is prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Sun exposure and tanning beds are both sources of UV radiation. People with a history of sunburns, previous skin cancer, and a weakened immune system are at higher risk for this condition.

Most cases of BCC can be easily treated because they grow slowly. Though if not treated, it can spread inside the body. Your provider will do a skin exam and possibly skin sample test, known as a biopsy. Treatment will depend on where the cancer is, its size, and your medical history. Some treatment options include cutting out the bump, freezing it, or using medicated skin cream.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: facial skin changes, pink or red facial bump, small facial lump, painless facial bump, growing facial lump

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Questions your doctor may ask about chest bump

• What color is the bump?
• Do you feel pain when you touch the bump?
• Is the lump on your chest on the surface of the skin or below the skin?
• Is there fluid coming out of the bump?

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.

What Is Costochondritis?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson, MD on January 04, 2023

• What Is Costochondritis?
• Costochondritis Causes
• Costochondritis Symptoms
• Costochondritis Diagnosis
• Costochondritis Treatment
• How Long Does Costochondritis Last?
• More

Costochondritis is when the cartilage (connective tissue) that joins your ribs to your breastbone is inflamed. Doctors call this area of your body the costochondral joint.

If you press on your upper ribs and it feels tender, or if your chest hurts when you move around, you may have it. The pain can start suddenly or gradually. 

One study found that 30% of people complaining of chest pain had costochondritis. The condition affects both children and adults, but is more common in people 40 and over. It’s more likely to affect women and people of Hispanic origin.

Is costochondritis dangerous? This condition is mostly harmless. But if you have sudden chest pain, always have it checked out by a doctor to make sure your heart is healthy. Unlike costochondritis, a heart attack often causes widespread pain along with symptoms like sweating, nausea, and a hard time breathing.

Injury, physical strain, respiratory infection, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, chest wall infections, tumors, or rare conditions like relapsing polychondritis may also cause chest pain.

There isn’t a single known cause of costochondritis. Doctors aren’t sure how your costochondral joint gets inflamed. But they do know that inflammation is one way your body responds to injury or infection. The condition has been linked to:

• Strain due to exercise or exertion 
• Chest injury
• Lots of coughing 
• Infection, such as respiratory infections 
• Intravenous (IV) drug use

When your costochondral joint becomes inflamed, it results in chest pain and tenderness. Most people describe the pain as sharp, achy, and pressure-like. When you press on your chest, it feels tender and painful. The pain usually gets worse when you move around, breathe deeply, or sneeze. Some people have pain when they wear a seatbelt, hug someone, or lie down. 

Costochondritis pain locations. You usually first feel pain on the front left side of your breastbone. It often affects more than one rib. It may spread to the rest of your chest, and even affect your arms and shoulders. 

Your doctor will do a physical exam, pressing on your chest to check for areas of tenderness. They will also take a look at your range of motion and listen to your breathing. 

If you’re over 35, at risk for coronary artery disease or a blood clot, or you recently had a respiratory infection, your doctor may order more tests, like a chest X-ray and EKG, to rule out more serious problems.

Since costochondritis isn’t dangerous, treatment focuses on pain relief. Most of the time, chest pain from costochondritis will go away on its own. In the meantime, you can try one or more of the following on your own:

• Taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen 2-3 times a day (making sure to follow the directions on the label carefully)
• Using hot compresses or heating pads in the painful area
• Avoiding activities, like strenuous exercise or reaching up, that make the pain worse

Talk to your doctor before taking OTC pain medications if you have:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Past stomach ulcers or internal bleeding.

If your chest pain won’t go away or gets worse, see your doctor. They can give you a shot of a powerful anti-inflammatory medicine called a corticosteroid to reduce pain and swelling. They’ll inject the corticosteroid into the area where you’re feeling pain. But because having too much of a corticosteroid can damage your costochondral joint, you can only have this treatment once every few months.  

Your doctor might also try a procedure called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS. A doctor or nurse puts adhesive patches on your skin near where you’re feeling pain. They use a TENS device to send a weak electrical current into your skin through the patches. It’s thought to work by stopping pain signals from reaching your brain.

Your doctor can also give you information on how to improve your posture and fix any muscle imbalances.

If necessary, they can refer you to a specialist called a rheumatologist, who treats diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones. 

Costochondritis isn’t a permanent condition. Most of the time, your chest pain will go away within a couple of weeks.

But in some cases, symptoms can linger for months. And sometimes it comes back again after it heals. About a third of those with costochondritis will have it for about a year. 

Top Picks

Symptoms and signs of breast cancer.

Booking Health

Not sure where to start? Leave us a request, Booking Health staff will organize a trip for you for treatment in Germany, the purpose of which is to improve the quality of life and strengthen health

Contact Booking Health

Currently, due to the difficulties associated with organizing treatment in Turkey, Switzerland, South Korea and India, we have suspended the processing of applications for these areas.

If you are interested in organizing treatment in Germany, please leave a request and our specialists will contact you as soon as possible.

If you are looking for information about innovative treatments for stage 4 breast cancer in Germany, you can find it

Here

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Pathology ranks first among female malignant tumors. The tumor often occurs in reproductive age. Therefore, every woman should know the main symptoms of breast cancer in order to detect it in time, consult a doctor and receive timely treatment. Indeed, in this case, oncologists manage not only to completely cure the disease, but also to avoid complete removal of the mammary gland.

Contents

1. The first symptoms of breast cancer
2. Subjective signs of breast cancer in women
3. Does the breast hurt with cancer
4. What symptoms are objectively detected in breast cancer?
5. Self-examination
6. Late symptoms
7. Clinics and cost of treatment
8. Breast cancer treatment in Germany

Early symptoms of breast cancer

Often the disease is not detected in the early stages since breast cancer usually starts without symptoms. In addition, a woman may not attach much importance to them and not see a doctor for a long time, although the tumor continues to grow.

With breast cancer, the first signs in most cases can only be detected by palpation (when probing the breast). Visible changes in the skin or shape of the breast usually do not occur if the tumor is inside the duct and is less than 5 cm in diameter. It can be:

• Enlargement of one gland in size
• Its displacement upwards or to the side
• Increased mobility of one breast or its fixation, limiting mobility
• Retraction of the nipple, change in its shape, rash or ulceration – possible early signs of breast cancer
• Discharge from the nipple (this can be blood, pus, colostrum) one of the areas of the breast
• The presence of weeping surfaces
• Redness of the skin

Sometimes the first signs of breast cancer are symptoms of intoxication and an increase in axillary lymph nodes. Especially in cases where the mammary glands are large. Then changes in them visually begin to be determined much later.

In breast cancer, early symptoms should be a reason to see a doctor and get diagnosed. It is likely that the detected signs do not indicate a malignant tumor, but speak of mastopathy, inflammation of the mammary gland, or a benign neoplasm. But still, it is better to make sure of this, so that in the case of cancer, it will not be allowed to go to the stage when the treatment becomes ineffective.

Subjective signs of breast cancer in women

Signs that are based on a woman’s feelings are considered subjective in breast cancer. In fact, these are complaints with which the patient turns to a mammologist or oncologist.

The main subjective signs of breast cancer:

• Pulling sensations in the mammary gland
• Itching in breast cancer is observed with swelling of the skin, the appearance of rashes on the nipple
• Possible signs of intoxication syndrome in breast cancer: fever, nausea
• In rare cases cases there is pain
• Women may also complain of swelling of the breast, discharge from the nipples

In most cases, breast cancer appears only in the later stages. Therefore, an objective examination is required for timely diagnosis.

Do breasts hurt with cancer

Patients often ask their doctor if breast cancer hurts. Some of them believe that the presence of pain in the mammary gland is a sign of a malignant tumor. But it’s not.

If you have chest pain, it is more likely that dishormonal processes are causing this symptom than cancer. Because the chest hurts with cancer, usually already in the later stages, when the fact of the presence of a tumor is also determined by other clinical signs.

But there are forms of the disease when the breast hurts with breast cancer. This is primarily an edematous-infiltrative form. It is accompanied by an inflammatory process. This is associated with breast cancer pain. In other cases, the pain syndrome appears only in the later stages, when the neoplasm reaches a large size. In this case, the disintegration of the tumor begins, hemorrhages into it are possible. The neoplasm compresses the nerves and surrounding tissues, causing pain.

Choose a specialized clinic and treatment

What symptoms are objectively detected in breast cancer?

Objective signs and symptoms are most important in breast cancer. That is, those that the doctor detects during the examination and probing of the mammary glands.

In most cases, breast cancer has little to no symptoms in its early stages. The main of them is the presence of a palpable tumor in the mammary gland. Nevertheless, in some cases, some symptoms of breast cancer in women can not only help determine the very fact of the presence of a malignant neoplasm, but also suggest its histological form and location.

When examining a woman, the doctor pays the most attention to: displacement (one of the symptoms of breast cancer is fixation of the skin over the tumor)

On examination, the doctor often reveals reddening of the skin of the breast. It can be local or total. The palpable tumor is fixed to the chest wall and is not always displaced. The skin above it is not only hyperemic, but often swollen.

Lemon peel symptom of breast cancer develops. Swelling and redness may spread to the skin of the hand. Sometimes ulcers appear on the mammary gland. On palpation, seals in the form of nodules or diffuse (uniform) hardening of the breast tissue are determined.

Paget’s cancer, which affects the nipple, shows a rash or weeping patches on the areola. There are such clinical forms of this disease:

• Psoriasis-like – the appearance of plaques and scales
• Exematous – weeping eczema on the areola or rashes
• ulcerative – is characterized by the appearance of ulceration
• Tumor – in the nipple zone, the tumor -like formation

clearly noticeable external signs of breast cancer appear in acute forms of the malignant process. They are considered the most unfavorable in terms of prognosis.

In this case, with breast cancer, a bump in the mammary gland is not even always detected, since other symptoms are more pronounced:

• Increased body temperature and general signs of intoxication
• Erysipelas of the breast – redness and infiltration of the skin of the chest, engorgement
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Bloody discharge from the nipple

Self-examination 9004 9

The easiest way to detect breast cancer at an early stage is to self-diagnose regularly. Breast examinations are recommended for women from the age of 20, since breast cancer can be detected at almost any age. It is carried out once a month.

Self-examination is especially important in developing countries where cancer screening is poorly organized. So, in the CIS countries, on average, in 80% of cases, women manage to determine breast cancer on their own, which becomes the reason for visiting a doctor. And only in 20% of cases, the tumor is first detected by doctors.

Unfortunately, in most cases, the patient notices changes only when the symptoms become severe: deformity of the breast, skin ulceration, discharge from the nipple, etc. appear. If you do regular self-examinations, you can understand that you have breast cancer much earlier. And early detection improves the results of treatment, in most cases allowing the disease to be completely cured.

The following are international recommendations on how to determine breast cancer on your own:

1. It is necessary to conduct an examination one week after menstruation, which is associated with a decrease in the sensitivity of the mammary glands.

2. Be sure to pay attention to the laundry. If it is dirty at the site of the projection of the nipples, this may indicate a discharge. Carefully inspect the areola (pigmented circle around the nipple). See if there are peelings, rashes, ulcers on it.

3. One way to understand breast cancer is to compare two breasts. Normally, they should be symmetrical. Stand in front of a mirror and put your hands behind your head. Take a close look at your chest.

Pay attention to the following changes:

• One breast has become larger than the other (if before they were the same or the other mammary gland had a larger size)
• The location of one breast has changed
• Areas with stretched or bulging skin have appeared
• Areas with discoloration of the skin appeared on one breast

The asymmetry of the mammary glands and their different relative positions are not signs of a malignant tumor. After all, it is likely that they have always been different or became so a few years ago. Timely detection of breast cancer helps to monitor the mammary glands in dynamics. If the asymmetry is growing and has appeared recently, this is a reason to consult a doctor.

4. The next step is to palpate the breast. This is the best way to find breast cancer with a small tumor size. Palpation is carried out in a horizontal position. Lie down on your back. The chest in the region of the palpable breast should be slightly elevated. Therefore, a pillow should be placed under the back on the probing side. Feel the chest with three or four fingers of the opposite hand. Remember the “route” of palpation. If it is the same every time, it will help to detect changes in the mammary gland in time. At the end of the self-examination, squeeze the nipple to check for discharge and palpate the axilla for swollen lymph nodes.

5. Another additional method for recognizing breast cancer is palpation in the shower. Water changes the properties of the skin, and the tumor is sometimes easier to detect. In addition, fingers glide better, which makes examination easier.

If you have signs of a tumor, see your doctor. There is no need to be afraid, because not every bump in the chest is cancer. Most of the pathological formations that women reveal in themselves are not oncological. After all, there are dozens of other diseases that are found with a much higher frequency than malignant tumors.

Choose a specialized clinic and treatment

Late symptoms fabrics. Distant metastases may be found. They most often affect the bones, spine, spinal cord, lungs, liver.

What breast cancer looks like depends on its clinical form. Often the disease is detected only at stage 3 or later. At this time, the tumor can be seen with the naked eye. It is already growing into the chest wall, which is accompanied by pain. Skin ulcers often appear in breast cancer. Symptoms of intoxication may occur.

With a large tumor, progressive weight loss is often noted, since the tumor consumes a large amount of nutrients in order to grow, which it “takes” from the blood.

In the advanced stages of breast cancer, open wounds on the skin of the breast may bleed and fester. They don’t heal. The neoplasm may be partially located outside the mammary gland, and not inside it. Pus and necrotic masses are discharged from the nipple. Bleeding occurs from time to time.

In stage 4 breast cancer, symptoms are also associated with the presence of metastatic foci. Clinical signs depend on the location of the metastases. If they are present in the bones, painful sensations and pathological fractures are possible.

In the case of metastatic lesions of the structures of the respiratory system in breast cancer, fluid in the lungs causes shortness of breath and is often the direct cause of death. Possible damage to the spinal cord with the development of sensory and motor disorders, dysfunction of the pelvic organs.

Clinics and costs of treatment

The average cost of the main types of treatment is: fascia of the pectoralis major or minor muscle – €13,840

The total cost of the medical program depends on the treatment plan. It is determined after receiving the results of the initial examination.

In the treatment of breast cancer, such clinics are leading:

1. Helios Berlin-Bukh clinic, department of gynecology, mammology and obstetrics
2. University clinic of tubingen, department of adult and children’s gynecology, mammology, acouchery
3. University Hospital Ulm, Department of Obstetrics, Adult and Pediatric Gynecology
4. University Hospital Charité Berlin, Department of Adult and Pediatric Gynecology, Mammology
5. University Hospital. Goethe Frankfurt am Main, Department of Adult and Pediatric Gynecology, Obstetrics and Mammology

7

If you have symptoms of cancer, you should contact your doctor for treatment. But it is not equally effective in different countries.

Germany is one of the world leaders in the treatment of breast cancer and other malignant tumors. You can use the services of German oncologists, and Booking Health will help you with this.

Thanks to cooperation with us, you get a number of advantages:

• Treatment will start faster
• You will save up to 70%
• You will be treated by the best doctors in Germany, and not by young specialists from provincial clinics
• The cost of treatment will not increase, because all the extra costs, if they arise, insurance will cover
• After completing the course of therapy, you will get the opportunity to receive a doctor’s consultation for 3 months free of charge

Leave a request on the site. Our specialist will contact you and offer several options among the best clinics specializing in the treatment of breast cancer. Having agreed on all the issues, we ourselves will organize treatment for you – you will not have to think about anything but your health. We will contact the administration of the clinic, help prepare the documents and open a visa, translate the documentation into German.

When you arrive in Germany, we will meet you at the airport, drive you to the clinic and provide you with an interpreter.

Contact Booking Health

Choose treatment abroad and you will definitely get an excellent result!

Authors:

The article was edited by experts in the field of medicine, medical specialists Doctor Nadezhda Ivanisova, Doctor Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-treatment!

Sources:

IMTJ – International Medical Travel Journal

MedlinePlus

NHS

Read:

Why Booking Health – FAQ

How not to make a mistake in choosing a clinic and a specialist

7 reasons to trust the rating of clinics on the Booking Health website

Booking Health – Quality standards

Send a request for treatment

Booking Health GmbH | Diagnosis and treatment |

Tactics of behavior in case of chest pain and risk factors for myocardial infarction – Prevention of diseases and healthy lifestyle – Budgetary institution of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra

The most common cause of chest pain is angina pectoris or “angina pectoris”.

Angina pectoris is a form of coronary heart disease (CHD), the obvious signs of which are considered to be pain in the heart and shortness of breath. This pathology occurs against the background of a violation of the supply of the heart with a sufficient amount of blood, which is a consequence of the defeat of the coronary arteries by atherosclerosis.

Since this pathology is one of the forms of coronary artery disease, if it is present, there is an obstruction in one or both coronary arteries, which prevents the blood from circulating normally. This condition is accompanied by attacks of myocardial ischemia, that is, a lack of oxygen in the heart muscle.

The most obvious sign indicating the development of angina pectoris is considered to be the so-called imbalance between the need of the heart muscle for oxygen and the supply of oxygen to the region of the heart. To put it simply, the patient’s heart receives much less amount of blood than he needs.

Lack of oxygen makes itself felt at the moment of physical activity – that is why in patients with this pathology attacks develop during physical work or under the influence of a stressful situation.

Pain sensations resemble seizures. Pain during such attacks is simply unbearable – it seems to burn, press and compress, it arises in the area behind the sternum and radiates to the left shoulder or to the whole arm. Very common pain is also accompanied by strong anxiety, and fear : a person is trying to find a place for himself, he is holding on to his left chest and cannot fully understand what is happening.

In the case of the initial forms of the development of the disease, pain recedes within one to five minutes after taking the drug. If the pain does not disappear after this period of time, then this is a signal that the disease has acquired a more severe course, and, therefore, the chances of developing a myocardial infarction are high.

In most cases, just one tablet of Nitroglycerin helps to forget about the pain. If one tablet is not enough to get rid of pain, it means that the risk of developing myocardial infarction is increased.

At the first manifestations of retrosternal pain, you should immediately consult a doctor. It should not be thought that young age excludes the possibility of angina pectoris, or that burning behind the sternum when running or walking quickly uphill cannot be a sign of “angina pectoris” in a person involved in sports.

During an attack, the following measures are recommended for immediate relief of pain:

• create physical and psycho-emotional rest for the patient: lie down, sit down, or stop if chest pains appear during exercise;
• urgently needs to take 1 tablet of nitroglycerin under the tongue. The analgesic effect of nitroglycerin usually occurs within 1-5 minutes. To stop an attack, 1-2 tablets of nitroglycerin are enough.
• if the attack is delayed (lasts 15-20 minutes) and repeated doses of nitroglycerin were ineffective, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Do not self-medicate. If you do not promptly consult a doctor and do not start the prescribed treatment, the disease progresses.

Under conditions of “oxygen starvation” in case of pain, myocardial cells can live for 20-30 minutes . Then they die. This is a heart attack, a site of necrosis in the tissue of the heart. A scar remains on the affected area.

There are risk factors for the development of myocardial infarction , the elimination of which significantly reduces the risk of its development: smoking, high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension.

For the first time chest pain or shortness of breath on previously well-tolerated exertion, an urgent need to consult a cardiologist. The District Cardiological Dispensary has the whole range of diagnostic procedures necessary in this case: all currently known methods for diagnosing coronary heart disease, both performed on an outpatient basis and in a hospital.