Lung Discomfort: Root Causes and Potential Remedies
In our daily lives, experiencing burning chest pain can be a concerning symptom. While it might be alarming, understanding the common causes can help alleviate some anxiety. Here are some key factors to consider.
Common causes of burning chest pain primarily include heartburn (acid reflux) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This pain typically arises when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus, irritating its lining and causing a burning sensation behind the breastbone that can extend to the throat. Triggers often include eating large or fatty meals, spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and being overweight. Other contributors include stress and some medications. The burning pain can last from minutes to hours and may be associated with a sour taste in the mouth or burning in the throat.
Regarding COVID-19, burning chest pain is not a primary or common symptom. COVID-19 symptoms generally include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, some COVID-19 patients may experience chest discomfort related to respiratory issues such as pneumonia or inflammation, which can cause chest pain but is usually different from the burning sensation caused by acid reflux. In rare cases, COVID-19 can affect the heart, potentially leading to chest pain, but such cases typically present with other cardiac symptoms and require medical evaluation. Therefore, while burning chest pain is mainly linked to acid reflux and GERD, if it occurs with COVID-19 symptoms, medical assessment is important to rule out respiratory or cardiac complications.
Another condition that can cause chest pain is a pulmonary embolism, a blockage in the arteries that supply the lungs with blood. This condition is often caused by deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the leg. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism might include chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. Doctors treat pulmonary embolism with medication to thin the blood or dissolve the clot, and may also recommend catheter-assisted thrombus removal.
Asthma, a long-term condition where people have inflamed bronchial tubes, can also cause chest pain. During an asthma attack, the muscles around the tubes tighten, making the air passages really narrow. This can result in a person feeling as though someone is sitting on their chest, and the episode might last just a few minutes or go on for hours. People with asthma usually have an inhaler that helps relax the muscles around the tubes, allowing air to get in and out of the lungs more easily.
Lastly, it's crucial to be aware of the symptoms of a heart attack. In males, symptoms may include pain or discomfort in the center of the chest, which may feel like burning, pressure, or squeezing, pain in one or both arms or the back, neck, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, and lightheadedness. In females, symptoms may include shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and pain in the jaw or back.
If you or someone else is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 right away. If burning chest pain persists or occurs with COVID-19 symptoms, seeking medical care is important to exclude serious conditions.
[1] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Burning chest pain. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20369397
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
[3] National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2020). Pulmonary embolism. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/pulmonary-embolism
[4] American Heart Association. (2021). Symptoms of a heart attack. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/symptoms-of-a-heart-attack--204652417
- A naive approach to ignoring chest pain can lead to more serious health issues, as common causes include heartburn, GERD, asthma, and even pulmonary embolism.
- Predictive models suggest that stress, spicy foods, caffeine, smoking, and being overweight might trigger heartburn or GERD-induced chest pain.
- The dry, burning sensation behind the breastbone could be a sign of asthma attack, especially when accompanied by shortness of breath.
- The lung condition, pulmonary embolism, can cause chest pain and shortness of breath due to a blockage in the arteries that supply the lungs with blood.
- Asthma, a long-term respiratory-condition, affects the bronchial tubes, causing them to narrow and potentially resulting in a dry, tight feeling as though someone is sitting on the chest.
- Cardiovascular conditions, such as heart attack, may also present with chest pain, which for males might feel like burning, pressure, or squeezing, while females might experience shortness of breath, nausea, or pain in the jaw or back.
- Aq, a common acid found in stomach acid, flows backward into the esophagus during acid reflux, causing the burning sensation in the chest.
- The degeneration of the esophagus lining over time can lead to the development of eosinophilic esophagitis, a type of inflammation.
- Studies on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) indicate that certain personas, such as smokers and those with atopic dermatitis, are at a higher risk of developing the condition.
- Diabetes, science suggests, can exacerbate the symptoms of GERD and increase the risk of esophageal cancer or macular degeneration related to smoking.
- Chest pain might be a symptom of lung cancer metastasis, particularly non-small cell lung cancer, which can cause damages to other organs such as the heart or brain, leading to heart attacks, depression, and other medical conditions.
- Burning chest pain, if accompanied by wheezing, tightness in the chest, or trouble breathing, may indicate an asthma flare-up.
- Proper health-and-wellness practices, like fitness-and-exercise, may help maintain a healthy weight and lower the risk of developing conditions that cause burning chest pain.
- If you or someone else is experiencing chest pain alongside symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, it's essential to contact medical professionals, as COVID-19 can cause lung inflammation and potential complications.
