Definition – What is meant by burning in the chest?
A burning sensation in the chest is an acute pain in the chest area. Many people feel uncomfortable because they are afraid that something serious like a heart attack might be behind it. To the front, the chest is bordered by ribs and the sternum, to the back by the spine and inside the chest are important organs such as the heart and lungs. Accordingly, the causes of burning in the chest can be varied.
Causes of burning in the chest
Due to the anatomical position of the breast with all its structures such as ribs, spine and muscles as well as the different organs, the burning in the breast can have different causes. In the breast area there are many muscles that a healthy person hardly notices. But even these muscles can tense up and cause a burning sensation or cause discomfort in the chest due to sore muscles.
Depending on where the pain begins, the burning sensation can also radiate. Rib fractures after a traumatic injury and back pain, for example due to vertebral blockages radiating into the chest, can also be responsible for the burning sensation in the chest. The digestive system can cause a burning sensation in the chest, often due to heartburn.
Often a lung disease is the cause of burning in the chest, often bronchial asthma. In addition, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism and pneumothrorax (a pathological accumulation of air in the so-called pleural space of the pleura) can cause burning sensation in the chest. Inflammation of the pleura and mediastinum can also cause a burning sensation in the chest.
In addition, a frequent cause of burning in the chest is angina pectoris (narrowing of the chest) due to narrowed coronary vessels. In situations, for example during sports, the diseased vessels cannot supply the heart with enough blood and a stabbing pain in the chest occurs. If the coronary arteries are completely blocked, a heart attack can cause a burning sensation.
All diseases of the heart, such as disorders of the heart valves, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericardial inflammation can cause a burning sensation in the chest. In addition to all these different causes, the widespread disease of high blood pressure (arterial hypertension) can also cause a burning sensation in the chest similar to the chest tightness (angina pectoris), shingles (herpes zoster) or, for example, a diaphragmatic injury. Heartburn can extend from the upper abdomen through the chest to the throat and is often accompanied by acidic belching.
It feels unpleasant and burning. A common cause of heartburn is when acid gastric juice flows into the esophagus. It can be triggered by certain foods, diseases or even pregnancy and can cause a burning sensation in the breast.
Mild heartburn is often easily treated by avoiding certain acidic foods and by avoiding alcohol and nicotine. Drug therapy can help with severe heartburn. Proton pump inhibitors, such as Pantoprazole, are often taken to reduce the acidity in the stomach.
A cold (flu-like infection) is one of the most common illnesses, which affects most children and adults several times a year. It is an acute inflammation of the upper airways, i.e. the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Classic cold symptoms are cough, rhinitis, sore throat and headache.
The scratching and dry feeling in the throat can radiate into the chest and, if the lungs are affected, cause a burning sensation in the chest. When pneumonia develops, a burning sensation and pain in the chest is very common. This could also be of interest to you:
- Cold viruses
- Cold symptoms
- Medicines for colds
Muscle tension and simple muscle ache can cause a burning sensation in the chest.
It is often pain from muscles in the upper back that radiates into the chest and causes movement-related pain in the chest. A harmless tension of the back muscles can cause a burning sensation in the chest, but also sore muscles after extensive back training. If you look at the left side of the chest, there are several possible causes for a burning sensation in the chest.
Muscle tension and vertebral blockages can radiate to any region of the chest, as can rib fractures and contusions. The left breast mainly contains a large part of the heart and the left lung. Lung diseases such as pneumonia, pneomothorax or pulmonary embolism can cause a burning sensation here, but also lung cancer.
In addition, heart diseases are also possible. Inflammation of the pericardium, diseases of the heart valves, myocarditis and other diseases of the heart can also lead to chest complaints. High blood pressure (arterial hypertension) and cardiac arrhythmia may also be possible triggers.
It is therefore important to describe the pain in detail in case of complaints such as burning in the chest, so that the doctor can make a thorough diagnosis. In the middle of the chest lies the so-called mediastinum, the area of the mediastinum. This contains numerous vessels and nerves and organs such as the oesophagus, trachea and thymus, an organ of the lymphatic system.
The mediastinum can become inflamed (mediastinitis) and cause a pulling and burning sensation in the chest. However, diseases such as a torn oesophagus or heartburn can also cause a burning sensation in the chest. The right lung is located in the right thorax. It can become inflamed or become troubled by other diseases, such as pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax or even lung cancer.
