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CHEST PAIN

(Keywords: chest pain, chiropractic, painful chest, tietzes syndrome, heart attack )

Certainly pain in the chest is not uncommon and, of course, it may be serious. Unless you are ABSOLUTELY SURE to the contrary, it is best to assume that you are having a heart attack. After all, 50% of persons having their first heart attack will die very suddenly within a short period of time, with no prior warning, and if you are wrong ...

For more about chest pain from a holistic medical doctor, click here. CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE ...

However, there are many other causes of pain in the chest. Here we will discuss a few that are relevant to chiropractic, since about 25% of chestpain complaints stem from the joint between the ribs and the breastbone.

Harvard University reports that 6 million Americans with chest pain were seen in hospital emergency departments in 2009. Only 20% of them were having a heart attack. So what about the 80%?

Certainly it is best to consider whether your chestpain could be coming from source other than your heart before having expensive, and sometimes unnecessary procedures, like having a stent fitted, should you be experiencing pain in the chest.

But first, what ARE the symptoms of an impending heart attack?

HEART ATTACK aka Myocardial Infarction or MI.

Painful chest may be caused by a blockage in the heart's arteries which reduces or completely cuts off the blood supply to a portion of the heart muscle. This can cause a blood clot to form and totally stop the blood flow in a coronary artery, resulting in a heart attack usually with much associated chest pain (also called an acute myocardial infarction or MI).

Irreversible injury to the heart muscle usually occurs if medical help is not received promptly. Unfortunately, it is common for people to dismiss heart attack symptoms. Doctors use two blood tests, looking for Creatine kinase and Cardiac troponin, that a sure sign of heart muscle damage.

So, what are the warning signs of a heart attack? EVERYONE!!! should know these signs. Print this out and stick it up on the fridge. It could save your life! (haws)

Key signs are...

The gradual onset of pain over the course of a few minutes and

pain that appears during or after physical exertion or emotional stress are also red flags. On the other hand, sharp or stabbing pain lasting only a few seconds, or pain confined to one small spot is less likely to be a heart attack. For example, sharp pain or a dull ache over a rib-breastbone joint is more likely to be Tietzes syndrome (more lower down).

You should also keep in mind that pain from a heart attack isn’t always confined to the area around the heart. For example, a heart attack may cause pain, numbness or other unusual sensations in

one or both arms,

the back,

neck,

jaw or

stomach.

Other symptoms that can accompany a heart attack include nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and breaking into a cold sweat.

Remember, too, that a person can have a heart attack without any pain. In particular, women often have symptoms of stomach distress or back pain instead of chest pain.

PREVENTION

In all of health,"Prevention is better than a cure", but nowhere more so than in regard to heart disease. For starters, think delicious fish soup ... Read more: FISH SOUP ... loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids.

While it is common knowledge, it is worth repeating: obese persons, particularly fat around the belly, and smokers are at high risk. As are diabetics who are not disciplined. Are you an obese, smoking diabetic? A medical disaster waiting to happen, I'm afraid. You should be too!

Should you be in this high risk category we strongly recommend you visit our olive garden nutrition page for a few things that could put off the impending disaster. It's surely the desire of each and every one of us to go to our graves smiling, in our dotage, rather than, in our prime, leaving broken hearts behind. Yes? Read more about how the olive can help you. OLIVE GARDEN NUTRITION ....

Just as important make a decision as to when you are going to stop smoking. Put a date to it. January 1 is a good day to turn over a new leaf. Otherwise it may well be the last leaf. Read that delightful story? The last leaf by O. Henry. My favourite short story. (1303)

But even if you're not in the high risk category a good walk has much benefit, on your bone strength, for your back and on your Exercise and Cholesterol profile.

AT THE COAL FACE

'Doctor, I have pain in my chest. It started three months ago.'

'Have you seen your doctor, Mr Jones?'

'Yes, I have had extensive tests. They were all negative. Nobody seems to know what's wrong with me?'

'What made you decide to come here for chest pain?'

'My doctor says that it could be muscular. It cost me a packet, and the pain is getting worse not better ...'

For interesting cases from the Chiropractic Coalface (late on Friday I call it the salt mines! It's hard work being a miner!),

click here. CHIROPRACTIC COALFACE ...

Overweight?

It doesn't take genius to realise that obesity and chest pain are first cousins. There are 101 reasons to lose weight if you are obese. Terrible knee pain, chest pain, heart attack, diabetes, just to mention a few. Consider our free weight loss programs ...

Chiropractic Help OBESTITY IN THE CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC ...

BREASTBONE / STERNUM PAIN

Costo-sternal Syndrome = Tietzes Syndrome

Chest pain is commonly caused by a subluxation of the joint between the rib and the sternum or breast-bone. It may be associated with pain along the course of the rib, and in the midback, but this is not necessarily the case.

It is easy to test yourself: Press firmly on the breast bone, and then let your fingers slide right and left over the junction with the ribs. In this syndrome it will be very tender over some of the joints, usually on one side only, if you have this musculo-skeletal, non-heart, condition. You are almost certainly not having a heart attack!

Just how common are these other causes of musculo-skeletal chest pain, you may be asking. Read more: COSTOSTERNAL CHEST PAIN ...

More about the anatomy of the chest. COSTOSTERNAL ANATOMY ...

TIETZES SYNDROME CaseFile ...

Deep breathing may aggravate musculo-skeletal chest pain, but does not usually unless it is severe.

This is a common condition which responds well to chiropractic. While your chiropractor should know it, it may be worth repeating that a heavy adjustment in the middle of the back may well aggravate this problem. It took me quite a few years to work that one out. I was napping the day we had that lecture!

Love to read? Chiropractor Bernard Preston loves to tell intriguing tales that challenge the chiropractor. His books are often described as a fun-read, but simulataneously you will find out much about the private world of chiropractors. Soaring in his glider, trout-fishing, hiking the mountains and his search for the unknown God make these delightful reads. For more about Bernard Preston's books, Click here. BERNARD-PRESTON.COM

RIB PAIN

Chest pain is not uncommonly caused by a subluxated rib head. It can sometimes be extremely painful in the midback, between the shoulder blades. Where the rib joins the spine there are three small joints any of which can be sprained, causing severe pain. The common sign is PAIN WITH DEEP INHALATION. In fact it is often described as though someone is stabbing a rusty knife in the back, between the shoulder blades.

The condition is often caused by a violent sneeze, particularly if it is unexpected, and you are twisting or in some unusual posture.

This very painful condition responds very quickly to a gentle highly specific chiropractic adjustment of the rib head.

Home treatment should include an ice pack over the joint for 20 mins (on a dry face cloth) followed by a hot shower. Gentle massage may help too.

More difficult is when it involves the lower ribs. Patients (and doctors) may think that it is renal colic (eg from a kidney stone). A careful, thorough exam is the only way to differentially diagnose this condition. It is a more difficult area to adjust chiropractically, and may take longer to resolve.

RIB PAIN TREATMENT

Despite the fact that a subluxation of a ribhead can cause extreme pain in the middle of the back, the treatment is surprisingly not really painful. Relief is often immediate. Not having it treated, the acute pain usually recedes, but a dull gnawing ache often remains.

Pleurisy also causes pain with deep breathing. If you are feeling ill, running a fever, be sure to alert your chiropractor.

For more information about chiropractic Rib pain treatment.

Read more … RIB PAIN TREATMENT ...

THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME

This is another perplexing cause of chest (sometimes) and arm pain which confronts the chiropractor on a daily basis. The nerves to the arm and the chest muscles emerge from the lower neck, between the first rib, the collar bone, and some muscles, through a small triangular gap. The so-called brachial plexus of nerves may become entrapped in this triangle causing angina like symptoms, mimicing a heart attack. For more information,

click here. THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME ...