Introduction
A burning sensation in the chest can not only be painful but can also lead to far-reaching complications. In order to understand where the burning in the chest can come from, it is worth discussing the anatomical conditions in the chest. The two lungs, the heart, the oesophagus and – as the bony and muscular boundary of the organs – the thorax itself can be found here. Each of these compartments can cause a sensation of pain or a burning sensation in the thorax in different ways.
Causes
A burning sensation in the chest is not a very specific symptom. This means that it can indicate a great many possible illnesses, but is not a clear proof of a specific illness. A large number of organs are located in the chest and accordingly many diseases project into the chest.
For example, the burning sensation could be caused by the heart. Angina pectoris (narrowing of the coronary vessels), a heart attack or inflammation of the pericardium (pericarditis) could be the cause. The lung is also located in the chest.
A burning sensation can indicate pneumonia, an obstruction of one of the large pulmonary vessels (embolism) or a tear in the lung membrane (pneumothorax). However, the stomach or oesophagus can also be the cause of the burning sensation, for example in the case of acidic belching (reflux) or inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach (gastritis). Furthermore, rib fractures, contusions or dislocations should not be ignored.
Aching muscles or blockages in the thoracic spine can also cause a burning sensation. Besides the organic causes, psychological causes should also be considered. A detailed questioning of the patient is therefore important to be able to exclude an anxiety and severe stress situation. If a burning sensation in the chest occurs, a doctor should be consulted to identify and treat dangerous processes.
Associated symptoms
If the burning sensation originates from the heart, breathing difficulties (e.g. dyspnoea) and limited performance are often also present. Patients who have a heart attack usually also suffer from extreme anxiety and sweating. In addition to the burning sensation, there is also frequent pain in the chest and upper body area.
In principle, any form of discomfort can be associated with a heart attack: Pain that radiates into the arms, neck, back or even the upper abdomen, or even nausea. If the lung is the cause, patients also experience shortness of breath and pain when breathing. Coughing and an increase in the heart rate may also occur.
In the case of a pulmonary embolism, there is sometimes a preceding thrombosis, e.g. of the leg veins. If the muscles, ribs or vertebral bodies are involved (in the sense of a blockage), the pain is usually motion-dependent and can be intensified or triggered by pressure or rotational movements. Patients often adopt relieving postures to ease the pain.
On closer examination, an event (sport or incorrect movement) is usually found to explain the problem. If the stomach is the cause of the discomfort, additional symptoms are an unpleasant taste in the mouth (sour or bitter) and a pulling of the sensation down to the throat and mouth. After large meals, the increased consumption of sweets, lying down or even during physical exertion (such as bending or lifting), the symptoms become worse.
If a psychological cause is the reason for the occurrence of chest pain, there are often many other symptoms that have an identical basis (e.g. sleep disorders, depressive moods, insecurity). Very often the psyche is not recognized as the cause and the treatment is incorrect. If no reason can be found after the exclusion of the dangerous acute courses, then a psychological or psychosomatic etiology should also be considered as a cause for the burning in the chest.