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SYMPTOMS IT IS WISE NOT TO IGNORE: CHEST PAIN
The first sensible reaction to persistent chest pain is to assume that it may be related to heart health — although, if you are a young, healthy male, the incidence of heart attack is low.
There have been a number of reports of chest pain in young people who are quite fit and exercise regularly. One plausible explanation of chest pain amongst regular exercisers is that it is a direct result of muscle strain in the chest wall, which can be exacerbated by a particularly vigorous exercise session. Do not try to judge this for yourself. If you experience chest pain of any kind, consult your doctor. There may be more serious reasons for chest pain than a pulled muscle.
Angina pectoralis, for example, is a cardiac condition in which chest pain frequently starts in the middle of the chest and radiates to the left arm, shoulder or hand. The pain is usually described as a pressing or squeezing pain of short duration. An angina attack is often triggered by some unusual stress, either physical or mental, and the attack often disappears quickly when the stressful situation has passed. For this reason, many men neglect to treat the passing symptom with the seriousness it deserves. Angina usually reflects a partial blockage of the coronary arteries and, if caught early enough, there is much that can be done to alleviate the condition.
Heart pain may also be due to a disorder in which the lining of the heart (the pericardium) becomes infected by a virus. The symptoms of pericarditis resemble those which are often experienced during a full-blown heart attack, but unlike heart attack, the pain of pericarditis seems to worsen when a deep breath is taken. A genuine heart attack involves a kind of pain which is often described as being pressure-like.
Many people assume cardiac pain is sharp and stabbing, or that it begins in the left side of the chest. This may in fact not be the case. The pain is often located mainly in the centre of the chest, behind the breastbone, where it can radiate to either shoulder through to the back, arms, hands, jaws or ears. Heart-attack victims become pale, weak, short of breath, and may break out into a cold sweat during an attack. There may also be a cough, heart palpitations, dizziness and light-headedness associated with a heart attack, depending obviously on its severity and the location of the damage within the heart muscle. Again, if you experience any type of chest pain make sure that it is checked by your physician at the earliest convenience.
Generally speaking, the further away the pain is from the centre of the chest, the less likely it is to be heart pain. If the pain inches into your arm or jaw, however, or is accompanied by nausea or sweating, urgent medical attention is required. A difference of minutes may be the difference between life and death.
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