Definition
Feeling a pressure in the chest can have many causes, including both harmless and serious illnesses. These are differentiated according to their location in the thoracic cavity and can therefore be caused by the various organs in the thorax such as the lungs, the heart or the oesophagus. In addition, a feeling of pressure in the thoracic cavity also occurs during a panic attack.
Causes of pressure in the thorax
In the chest area there are several organs and numerous blood vessels pass through this area. A feeling of pressure in the chest can therefore have various causes. A heart attack is classically accompanied by pain and a feeling of pressure in the chest area.
Therefore, many people quickly become concerned when they have a feeling of pressure in the chest. If thoracic pressure occurs due to narrowed coronary arteries, this is known as angina pectoris. However, it is not always a heart attack when the heart is affected and pressure is felt in the chest.
Many people who suffer from calcified coronary arteries (coronary heart disease) regularly feel a feeling of pressure in the chest when they are under physical stress. This is an indication that the coronary arteries are narrowed. Nitrospray often provides relief.
It dilates the vessels and thus improves the blood circulation in the heart. However, it is extremely difficult for patients to tell whether it is such a seizure or a heart attack. In addition to a disturbance in the area of the heart vessels, cardiac arrhythmia can also lead to a feeling of thoracic pressure.
These include, for example, the usually harmless heart stumbling in supraventricular extrasystoles or atrial fibrillation. The esophagus is another organ that can often trigger a feeling of pressure in the thorax. Many people suffer from so-called reflux esophagitis, or heartburn.
The backflow of gastric acid from the stomach into the esophagus can cause unpleasant pressure in the chest area. The two lungs are also located in the thorax. Diseases of the lungs can therefore lead to a feeling of pressure or pain in the chest area.
Possible diseases are pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, i.e. the occlusion of a large pulmonary vessel, or pneumothorax. The aorta, the main artery, also runs through the back of the chest. If the aorta is damaged, this usually leads to severe pain, and a feeling of pressure is rather unusual.
Another possible cause of pulling or pushing in the thorax can be a pinched rib nerve. Although this is usually more likely to cause stabbing, suddenly shooting pain, a feeling of pressure is less common. Sore muscles after unusual physical exertion can also lead to a feeling of thoracic pressure.
Herpes zoster (shingles) is another nervous disease in the broader sense. The pathogens remain in the body for decades and then attack at some point when the immune system does not offer sufficient protection. Shingles can cause severe pain in the affected area, and a feeling of pressure can also occur.
Degenerative changes or diseases of the spine can also cause a feeling of pressure in the chest area. Physical causes are not always responsible for a feeling of pressure on the chest. One of the most common causes is a feeling of anxiety in the context of a panic attack.
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