How Can I Get My Cholesterol Levels Under Control?
You don’t always need medications to reduce your cholesterol levels for better health. Here, we share steps you can take to control your cholesterol and prevent heart complications.
Is Chest Pain Always Heart-Related?
Chest pain can be a sign of a life-threatening heart event such as a heart attack. In fact, it’s the symptom you might associate most with heart attacks and other heart issues. When chest pain affects you, it’s easy to assume the worst.
Although heart issues aren’t the only cause of chest pain, it’s important to have any chest pain evaluated to avoid serious potential complications. Cardiologist Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, can diagnose or rule out heart problems causing chest pain at his private practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York.
Chest pain accounts for roughly 5% of all emergency room visits. By getting your chest pain evaluated early, you can find out what’s causing it and receive treatment to avoid complications. Here, we explore the most likely causes of your chest pain, heart-related and otherwise.
When the heart causes chest pain
As an experienced cardiologist, Dr. Graf evaluates chest pain frequently. Sometimes chest pain is classified as angina, a specific type of chest pain resulting from a lack of oxygen-rich blood supply in the heart.
Angina can feel like tightness or pressure in the heart, or it might feel sharp. Usually, angina happens when coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked. This may be due to a buildup of cholesterol within your blood vessels.
The following heart conditions can cause angina or more general chest pain:
- Coronary artery disease or heart disease
- Heart attack
- Heart infections
- Coronary artery dissection (a tear in an artery in your heart)
- Aortic aneurysm
- Arrhythmia
- Pericarditis (inflamed sac around the heart)
Because heart problems can be dangerous or life-threatening, it’s important to explore these possible chest pain causes before assuming your chest pain isn’t heart-related. This is especially vital if your chest pain occurs with other heart-related symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness.
Chest pain isn’t always heart-related
Now on to the good news: Your chest pain might not be heart-related at all. Chest pain can occur due to digestive problems, lung problems, or musculoskeletal issues, too.
The most common cause of chest pain is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Though it’s also called heartburn, GERD doesn’t come from your heart. Instead, it happens when the acid from your stomach travels upward into the esophagus, which runs through your chest.
Your chest pain might also come from:
- Chronic stress
- Hiatal hernia
- Overuse injuries of chest muscles
- Pneumonia and other lung infections
- Stomach ulcers
- Gastritis
- Pancreatitis
- Broken rib
- Panic attack
Getting a diagnosis and learning that your chest pain doesn’t come from a heart issue can bring you peace of mind and put you on the right track to proper care.
Diagnosing your chest pain
When you have chest pain, Dr. Graf provides a comprehensive examination to determine its cause. He explores life-threatening causes first.
Dr. Graf asks you about your chest pain features and co-occurring symptoms. He then uses various diagnostic tests to evaluate your heart function and overall health. Your comprehensive exam might involve:
- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
- Blood tests
- Chest X-ray
- Ultrasound imaging
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
Once he determines the cause, Dr. Graf makes personalized recommendations for treatment and lifestyle changes to alleviate the underlying issue.
If you experience chest pain, don’t wait to book an evaluation. Call the New York City office of Jeffrey H. Graf, MD, to schedule an appointment.
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