Share:
Heart Stings - Heart piercing causes, symptoms and treatment
contents
- definition
- symptoms
- Causes of heart bites
- heart disease
- Other causes of heart piercing
- diagnosis
- Treatment for stinging in the heart area
- Therapy for esophagitis and gastritis
- Relieve heart piercing through relaxation
definition
Heart bites are violent stabbing chest pain. In the narrower sense, the term refers exclusively to pain in the immediate heart region, ie at the level of the second to fifth rib directly behind the sternum. However, sufferers often can not pinpoint their complaints so precisely, which is why the terms cardiac puncture are colloquially used for a relatively broad spectrum of chest pain.
Heart piercing often occurs suddenly and many sufferers immediately think of a heart attack. (Image: SENTELLO / fotolia.com) symptoms
Heart piercing usually occurs just as suddenly as it disappears again. Those affected feel strong pain, which often subside again after just a few seconds. If the heart bites persist for a long time (over several minutes), this should be considered as a possible indication of a more serious underlying disease. However, it does not necessarily have to be a heart attack behind the symptoms.
If the heart bites are regularly observed under physical stress, however, the suspicion of heart disease is close. In general, the accompanying symptoms, which are then presented in more detail in connection with the triggers of the sting, provide important clues to the causative diseases.
Causes of heart bites
Numerous different causes are considered triggers of heart bites. The spectrum ranges from rather harmless muscle tensions and diaphragmatic cramps to diseases of the esophagus and disorders of the lung function to potentially life-threatening impairments of cardiac function.
heart disease
Most people who are affected by heartbreak automatically think of heart disease. Not without reason, because numerous diseases of the heart are accompanied by a puncture in the chest. Here are, for example, coronary heart disease (usually caused by arteriosclerosis), pericarditis (pericarditis), inflammation of the heart lining (endocarditis) and the heart muscle (myocarditis) to call. Heart valve defects and aneurysms (arterial dilations) may cause massive heart bites. The same applies to a general heart failure (heart failure).
Diseases of the heart often lead to a stinging in the region of the chest. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com) The unpleasant stinging in heart disease is often accompanied by an extreme feeling of tightness in the chest (angina pectoris), heart stuttering or cardiac arrhythmia and palpitations. If the heart pain persists for more than 20 minutes and is accompanied by radiating pain in the arms, shoulder blade pain, abdominal pain or back pain and nausea, wheezing and wheezing, this may indicate a heart attack and an emergency doctor should be promptly alerted.
Heart bites and other heart problems can also occur without detectable physical cause. The technical term in such a case is "functional heart complaints". These can be observed, for example, in the context of a so-called cardiac neurosis (cardiophobia), in which only the fear of life-threatening heart disease or a heart attack leads to functional disorders of the cardiovascular and respiratory system. This in turn can cause pain in the chest or pressure on the chest.
Other causes of heart piercing
Immediately behind the heart is the esophagus. If it is inflamed (esophagitis), patients suffer from a so-called reflux (reflux of gastric acid into the esophagus) or achalasia (movement disorders of the esophagus). As a result, there may be a burning sensation in the chest and pain associated with the heart by the sufferer. The same applies to a limited extent for gastritis (gastritis).
Furthermore, muscular tension in the chest area should be mentioned as a possible cause of chest pain, which many sufferers interpret as heart bites.
Tensions in the chest area can cause pain that feels like a heart piercing. (Image: SENTELLO / fotolia.com) The so-called Tietze syndrome describes a painful swelling of the sternum attachment of the ribs. The pain can be triggered in this case by pressure on the swelling and are relatively easy to distinguish from the actual heart bites, as externally swelling and redness is visible.
Other possible chest pain factors that are perceived as heart piercing are pulmonary embolism and respiratory regulation disorders (for example, hyperventilation). If the pains in the chest area are stinging, they can be a symptom of so-called intercostal neuralgia. These nerve pains along the intercostal nerves usually increase on coughing or laughing and are most commonly due to a disease of the lung, pleura, ribs or spine.
diagnosis
As a rule, the actual heart bites can be relatively quickly compared to other forms of chest pain in the course of a medical examination. Pulse measurements, blood pressure measurements, thoracic monitoring, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) immediately initiated in the event of a heart attack can provide information about possible more serious heart diseases.
Although significant changes in cardiac function can often be detected in an ECG infarct, a blood test is required for a reliable diagnosis in case of doubt. However, this can only be done a few hours after the actual event. A so-called echocardiography (ultrasound examination of the heart) can also provide important clues for the diagnosis of heart disease and is often used in emergency medicine in suspected heart attacks to assess the risk until a clear finding is present.
Listening to the ribcage often makes it possible to draw conclusions about existing respiratory diseases. If there is a suspicion of a pulmonary embolism, further investigations using modern imaging techniques (computed tomography, magnetic resonance tomography) are envisaged. If diseases of the heart and lungs could be ruled out in the course of the diagnosis, an oesophageal or gastroscopy is often performed in order to check possible causes in this area.
If a heart attack is suspected, immediate action must be taken and the emergency physician must be alerted. Because the faster the treatment is initiated, the better the chances of recovery. (Image: pattilabelle / fotolia.com) Treatment for stinging in the heart area
Immediate medical care is urgently required, especially in cases of suspected heart attacks. The faster treatment steps such as the so-called lysis therapy, the PTCA (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty) or any required heart surgery are initiated, the higher the chances of survival of the patients.
For example, so-called nitroglycerin sprays and morphine preparations (for pain relief) are used as medicaments in the case of a myocardial infarction. In addition, a wide range of different medications, for example, to help calm, facilitate blood flow and relieve pain, may be used depending on the individual symptoms of infarction patients.
A pulmonary embolism also requires immediate medical care for the patient. The underlying occlusion of the blood vessels (thrombus) is carried out with the help of lysis therapy, but it can also be a mechanical fragmentation or surgical removal of the thrombus. The follow-up therapy includes, among other things, a drug treatment with drugs to inhibit blood clotting, to prevent the reoccurrence of a thrombus.
Therapy for esophagitis and gastritis
Inflammation of the esophagus and gastritis is usually medically treated with so-called acid inhibitors (antacids), at the same time a change in diet and the absence of irritating substances (such as drugs, alcohol, nicotine) are provided. In addition, a treatment of the actual cause of this inflammation takes place. For example, bactericidal gastritis may usually be successfully treated with antibiotics.
In order to soothe the affected gastric mucous membranes in a natural way, proven home remedies such as a freshly brewed tea with effective medicinal plants are very good. For example, chamomile provides relief because it has an anti-inflammatory and invigorating effect on the mucous membranes. Melissa ensures rest and relaxation and relieves cramps. Mint has a disinfecting effect and ensures that the mucous membrane is less sensitive to nausea-inducing stimuli.
Tea recipe to strengthen the stomach
|
Esophageal inflammation can usually be completely repaired by the combination of medical treatment and diet change. In rare cases, however, complications may occur that require (minimally invasive) surgery.
If tension is the cause of the discomfort, in many cases massages and relaxation techniques help. (Image: Nikki Zalewski / fotolia.com) Relieve heart piercing through relaxation
Are tensions of the musculature cause of the complaints Massage, physiotherapy, acupuncture and the Osteopathie efficient therapy approaches, which can cause in most cases a relief or a decay of the symptoms.
Psychologically related heart complaints such as cardiac neurosis, psychotherapeutic measures are to be considered, which should take away the fear of those affected and thus prevent the self-reinforcing effect of cardiophobia. Learning relaxation techniques for stress relief (for example, autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation) can also help here.
Ultimately, most causes of cardiac pricking can be treated successfully and the symptoms do not represent an outstanding health risk, however, an increased sensitivity due to the possible connection with a pulmonary embolism or a heart attack is quite appropriate. (fp, nr, last updated on 29.3.2017)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor) 