Chest pain should not be minimized as it may indicate myocardial infarction, a condition requiring Urgent Care Services in Maui, but may also include lung disease, stomach disorders, or disorders affecting the muscles or the skeleton.
Chest pain refers to all the localized pains in the chest area, also called the “thorax.” These pains can correspond to many diseases, some of which are serious and must be treated urgently. The risk could be circulatory distress, heart failure, or cardiorespiratory failure.
What is chest pain?
Chest pain refers to any localized pain in the thorax area. The thorax is just a technical term for the chest. It is a kind of bony cage composed of the spine, ribs, and sternum. This area attaches various muscles including the intercostal muscles.
It is separated from the belly by another muscle that also serves to breathe: the diaphragm. The chest contains:
- The organs that participate in breathing: the trachea, bronchi and lungs, which are surrounded by the pleura
- The organs belonging to the cardiovascular system: the heart and arterial and venous vessels
- The esophagus, which brings food to the stomach
All of these organs and the chest wall can cause chest pain, but acute heart pain is a major concern, even though it accounts for only 20% of the causes of chest pain. This is why any person that experiences chest pain should seek Urgent Care Services in Maui.
Why does chest pain require urgent intervention?
Since some diseases pose a vital risk to the patient, like a heart attack, people can get a better prognosis if they are seen by a doctor immediately. Being seen by a doctor within 90 minutes of the onset of chest pain can help reduce serious complications.
Some warning signs to look out for:
- The pain is sudden and intense, located behind the sternum and presents a “squeezing” sensation
- Pain is prolonged: it lasts more than five minutes and does not disappear when at rest
- Any pain felt does not give way spontaneously nor after taking pain medication
- Pain radiates to the jaw, left arm, back, neck and/or abdomen.
Pain is also associated with heart palpitations, shortness of breath, unusual weakness and pallor, sweating, nausea, dizziness, and fainting spells. Visit Domain for more information. You can also visit them on YouTube Channel.
