There are vital organs on the left side of one’s body. The heart, stomach, large intestine, pancreas, and spleen are present under and around the left breastbone. Some simple and severe causes occur when one feels pain under the left breast. It can be a cardiac emergency if one’s feels chest pain under left breast. Following are some common causes of chest pain under the left breast:
Causes:
- Heart attack: The heart is present in the left or center of the chest. Heart problems are a significant cause of death. When one feels pain under the left breast, the first thing comes into mind is that a heart attack occurs.
Symptoms: Following are the symptoms of a heart attack:
- Chest pain
- Congestive heart failure
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Cardiac arrest
- Coronary
- Angina pectoris
- Squeezing
- Heartburn
- Crushing pressure
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Severe pain in arm, jaw, neck, and back
Treatment: Immediately call an ambulance when one’s feels a heart attack. Blood clots on the chest require immediate blood thinning medicine such as Aspirin. Following other treatments can be used for heart attacks:
- Other blood thinning medications
- Beta-blockers
- Morphine
- Nitroglycerin
- ACE inhibitors
- Statins
- Thrombolysis
- Balloon angioplasty (PCI)
- Surgery
- Angioplasty: A procedure in which a blocked or severe coronary artery will open with a balloon.
- Coronary bypass surgery: In this surgery, graft a healthy blood vessel from another body part to bypass the blocked arteries.
- Angina: It is a type of chest pain caused by a deficiency of adequate oxygen-rich blood transported by the coronary artery to the heart’s muscles. Ischemia causes angina in which blood flow is restricted in a specific body part. Due to the build-up of fatty substances, ischemia blocks one coronary artery.
Types of Angina:
- Angina Pectoris: It is the most common type of angina. Exercise activated angina pectoris that stops after an instant of resting.
- Unstable angina: It is the most dangerous type that can occur without any physical exertion.
- Variant angina: It is a rare type of angina that occurs at resting.
- Microvascular angina
Symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Light headed
- Pressure in the chest
- Squeezing
- Pain in the neck, arm, shoulders, jaw, and back
Diagnosis: The cardiologist will ask some questions according to symptoms. Additionally, the following tests might be required to diagnose angina:
- EEG is used to measure the heart’s electrical activities.
- Blood tests check the protein released when the heart is damaged.
- The stress test is used during exercise to examine the heart’s function.
- Imaging tests include X-rays, CT scans, ultrasound, nuclear medicine imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Cardiac catheterization checks the pressure and blood flow.
- Coronary angiography is used to examine one’s heart and blood vessels.
Treatment: The following medications are used to treat angina:
- Beta-blockers
- Aspirin
- Statins
- Clot preventing drugs
- Calcium channel blockers
- Ranexa
- Blood pressure medications
- Angioplasty
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Pericarditis: Pericarditis is a thin, two-layered membrane outside the heart that suffers from inflammation of the pericardium.
Symptoms: The most common symptom of pericarditis is chest pain. Other symptoms are given below:
- Leg swelling
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Fever
- Shortness of breathing while lying down
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Heart palpitations
- Anxiety
- Tiredness
- Pain in the back, neck, and shoulder
Treatment: Following are the treatments options for Pericarditis:
- Colchicine: This is a drug that reduces inflammation in the body.
- Corticosteroids: This is a potent drug that fights inflammation.
- Pain relievers: To reduce the pain, the doctor advises pain relievers like Aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.
- Antibiotics
- Steroids
- Anti-inflammatories
- Precordial catch syndrome: Chest pain occurs from the squeezed nerves in the front of the chest. Generally, this syndrome is found in younger ages or adults caused by injury in the chest, lousy posture, and a growth spurt.
Symptoms: Following are the symptoms of precordial catch syndrome:
- Nausea
- Lightheadedness
- Severe headache
- Shortness of breath
- Intensely pain on the left side of the chest
Treatment: Doctors usually give pain relievers like acetaminophen(Tylenol) and Motrin to reduce the pain. However, this syndrome has no specific treatment.
- Pleurisy: In this disease, a thin layer of tissue separates the chest wall from one’s lung. There are many causes of pleurisy. However, the most common cause is a viral or bacterial infection.
Symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Cough
- Sneeze
- Fever
- Pain in the shoulders
Treatment: Pleurisy is caused by a bacterial infection that can be treated with antibiotics, pain relievers, or steroids. Doctors ask patients with Pleurisy to take a rest.
- Costochondritis: Inflammation occurs in the area where one’s upper ribs join with cartilage. This inflammation is most common in women, specifically after age 40.
Symptoms:
- Pain in the front of the chest
- Pain during cough
- Tenderness
- Swelling
- Pus
- High fever
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Dizziness
Treatment:
- Pain relievers
- Avoid unnecessary exercise
- Doing stretching exercises
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
- Gastritis: Inflammation in the stomach lining is called gastritis, which is caused by a bacterial infection.
Symptoms:
- Stomach upset
- Abdominal bleeding
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Belching
- Blood in vomit
Treatment:
- Medications to reduce acid productions
- Medications to neutralize stomach acid
- Antibiotic medicines
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco
- Heartburn: When acid comes back from the stomach to the food pipe, it causes a feeling of burning in the throat and mid-chest. The pain under the left breast is caused by indigestion, stomach acid problems, and hyperacidity.
Symptoms:
- Pain when lying down or bending over
- Vomiting
- Belching with the bitter taste
- Burning pain in the chest
Treatment: Heartburn patients can be treated by self-help. They should not overeat food. They should use OTC medications to treat heartburn.
- Spleen: It is an organ in the upper left of the abdomen, next to the stomach, and behind the ribs. When the spleen is enlarged, it can cause chest pain under the left breast.
Symptoms:
- Pain under the left breast
- Feeling irritation when eating even a tiny amount of a meal
- Tiredness
- Anemia
- Bleeding
- Dizziness
Treatment: Some drugs are used to shrink an enlarged spleen. It is hazardous for life. Doctors recommended several blood tests, Ct scans, ultrasound, or MRI scans to diagnose the disease and treat it accordingly.
- During pregnancy: Soreness and pain start under the left breast during pregnancy. It is caused by pressure on the uterus. When the baby grows, muscles or tissues stretch and cause pain under the breast.
References:
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- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320966
- https://www.healthline.com/health/pain-under-left-breast#digestive-issues
- https://www.hillregionalhospital.com/blogs/pain-under-left-breast/
- https://greatist.com/health/pain-under-left-breast#heart-attack
- https://blog.prepscholar.com/pain-under-left-breast