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Chest pain
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
What causes chest pain?
One of the causes of chest pain may be mastalgia, or mastodynia. Most often, this type of pain bothers women at a young age, but it can also make itself known in the postmenopausal period. Sometimes the pain can last throughout the entire menstrual period, be cyclical or non-cyclical. The main symptoms of the disease are engorgement and soreness of the mammary glands, their heaviness, and compaction. Such signs may also indicate the development of mastopathy - a cystic fibrosis of the mammary glands.
Mastopathy
Causes of mastopathy:
- Termination of pregnancy.
- Inflammatory diseases of the genital organs.
- Disorders in the functioning of the endocrine system of the body.
- Neuroses and stress.
- Lack of lactation after childbirth.
- Late first birth.
Diagnosis of the disease includes palpation of the mammary glands, ultrasound examination, mammography, cytological examination. Women are also advised to periodically conduct self-examination of the breast.
Treatment
In case of mastopathy, the following medications are indicated: Mastodinone (thirty drops or one tablet twice a day, minimum three months), Mulimen (sublingually 15-20 drops three to five times a day), Vitokan (30 drops three times a day half an hour before meals, course of treatment is 1 month), iodine preparations (Iodomarin), vitamins A and E (Aevit), vitamin C, Mastofit herbal tea, sedatives, synthetic analogues of the hormone progesterone. All medications can be used only as prescribed by the attending physician. In case of mastopathy, one should not sunbathe, go to the bathhouse or sauna.
Mastitis
Pain is sometimes associated with inflammation of the mammary gland, accompanied by swelling, enlargement of regional lymph nodes, local redness of the skin, temperature. Antibiotics are prescribed for treatment, and Traumeel gel is used locally.
Breast injuries
Chest pain is rarely associated with injuries to the mammary glands, ribs, or chest. Any injuries require immediate medical attention and a detailed examination.
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Tietze's syndrome
In Tietze's syndrome, the costal cartilage hypertrophies and becomes curved. Painful sensations are localized in the xiphoid process and can radiate along the ribs, to the shoulder, arm, and chest area. Also characteristic is the appearance of sharp or gradually increasing pain in the upper chest, often on one side. The costal cartilage becomes swollen and compacted. Sometimes the cause of such pathology can be trauma. Analgesics, heat to the affected area, local novocaine blockades, and hydrocortisone injections are indicated as treatment.
Intercostal neuralgia
The next cause of chest pain is intercostal neuralgia. This pathology is characterized by the occurrence of pain due to compression and irritation of the intercostal nerves. An attack can be provoked by prolonged hypothermia, acute respiratory viral infections, intoxication, stress, injuries, physical overload. In most cases, the pain becomes stronger if the patient takes a deep breath, coughs, sneezes or talks loudly, the pain radiates to the shoulder, shoulder blade or arm, accompanied by tingling or burning. Treatment of the disease involves the use of acupuncture, pharma puncture, vacuum therapy. Of the drugs, vitamin B and non-steroidal agents (creams, gels, ointments, tablets, injections) are prescribed - diclofenac, piroxicam, indomethacin, ketoprofen, etc.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine causes pain in the chest area, as well as between the shoulder blades. When moving, the pain usually becomes stronger, sometimes breathing becomes difficult. X-rays are prescribed for diagnosis, treatment consists of physiotherapy methods - cupping, acupuncture, laser therapy, magnetopuncture, etc.
Pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs)
Chest pain with pneumonia is accompanied by high fever, cough with expectoration of sputum with purulent masses, shortness of breath, general weakness, increased sweating. Symptoms can be differentiated depending on the form and type of the disease. The disease progresses quite quickly, requires immediate medical attention. The main treatment consists of prescribing antibacterial therapy. Expectorants, chest massage, and therapeutic breathing exercises are also prescribed.
Chest pain, depending on the nature of the disease and accompanying symptoms, may indicate various pathologies and requires consultation with specialists such as a neurologist, pulmonologist or mammologist.