Heart pain on exhalation
If heart pain occurs more strongly when breathing out, this can have various causes.In general, the pressure in the thorax is increased when breathing out, as the air is pressed out of the lungs by the muscles involved in breathing. Any heart disease that is accompanied by a reduced pumping force can cause pain due to the increased pressure, against which the heart has to work even harder. In addition, the pain around the heart can also come from the respiratory muscles themselves or from the lungs.
Especially in diseases such as asthma, chronically constricted lung diseases or a tumor that obstructs the airways, the air flow when breathing out is difficult and pain in the area of the heart can occur. In the case of respiratory tract infections or pneumonia, the pain during breathing increases as the air flows through the irritated airways. In the case of pulmonary embolism, i.e. vascular occlusion of the pulmonary vessels, the pain can also increase when breathing.
The pain can feel similar to heart pain. In what is known as a pneumothorax, air usually passes through a hole between the outer and inner sheets that envelops the lung. If a lot of air collects in this gap, this can also lead to pain and the open lung cannot develop properly. If you experience heart pain when breathing out, you should pay particular attention to accompanying symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing or sputum and consult a doctor.
Heart pain when coughing
Pain in the heart area that occurs when coughing can have various causes. Often it is a problem that does not originate in the heart but in the muscles that are needed for breathing. The coughing itself can be seen as a strong forced and rapid exhalation.
The muscles that assist breathing are put under great strain. If these are injured or irritated, pain in the chest area occurs, which can feel like a stabbing heartache. The diaphragm or the small muscles between the ribs, for example, can be affected.
Pain in the chest area also occurs in the case of pneumonia or respiratory tract inflammation, which often worsens when coughing. However, coughing can also be an underlying heart disease. In a healthy heart, the oxygen-rich blood flows from the pulmonary circulation through the left part of the heart into the large circulatory system. A cardiac insufficiency, which is accompanied by a limited pumping capacity of the heart, can cause blood to back up into the lungs. This increases the blood pressure in the lungs and can lead to coughing.
