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Constant burning in the middle of the sternum, what to do. Burning in the chest

The mammary glands in women are a sensitive organ that responds to any changes in hormonal levels. Hormones control their development and growth, functioning in adulthood and involution associated with aging of the body. A woman listens sensitively to any painful sensations in her chest, suspecting something is wrong. But burning and pain in the mammary gland do not always indicate pathology. The sensations may be associated with physiological conditions and occur periodically during menstruation. However, if the discomfort is constant, then you should not delay visiting a doctor.

  • physiological changes;
  • pathological processes in the mammary glands, endocrine system;
  • chest injuries;
  • squeezing by tight underwear;
  • diseases not related to the mammary glands (osteochondrosis, neuralgia).

Changes in the mammary gland during menstruation, pregnancy and lactation

In the first phase of the menstrual cycle, the maximum level of estrogen is observed, which is responsible for the maturation of the egg. In the 2nd half of the cycle, progesterone and prolactin play a decisive role, ensuring the maintenance of pregnancy. During this period, there is a slight increase in the volume of the gland due to swelling of the ducts and lobules, and the flow of blood to them increases. Swelling occurs, so before menstruation there is a burning sensation and pain when touching the breast.

An increase in prolactin levels during pregnancy causes changes associated with lactation after childbirth. During this period and during lactation, burning and tingling in the mammary glands is normal.

After weaning the child from the breast, involution occurs (reverse development of the gland). At the same time, burning and other unpleasant sensations in the chest disappear.

Video: Changes in the mammary glands before menstruation

Pathologies that cause burning

The cause of all these conditions are, as a rule, hormonal disorders that arise:

  1. During periods of increased hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy, menopause).
  2. As a result of disruption of the natural course of physiological processes (interruption of lactation artificially or early cessation of breastfeeding, lack of sexual activity in a mature woman).
  3. For diseases of the ovaries (polycystic disease, ovarian dysfunction, inflammatory and infectious processes).
  4. In case of abnormalities in the functioning of the thyroid gland, the hormones of which directly affect the production of estrogens, progesterone, testosterone.
  5. Due to the use of hormonal medications or contraceptives.

Breast diseases

A burning sensation in the mammary gland also occurs with various diseases.

Mastopathy. The milk ducts and lobules are compressed due to the abnormal proliferation of connective (fibrous) and adipose tissue. There are different forms of this disease, in which one of the tissues predominates or voids form inside it. In this case, nodules appear and blood supply is disrupted. With small changes, a woman may not feel any discomfort in her breasts for years. If the process develops, then a burning sensation appears in the mammary glands, and it intensifies before menstruation, and after its end, as a rule, weakens.

The cause of mastopathy and burning is also damage to breast tissue due to bruises, injuries, and after operations.

Breast cyst. When the connective tissue grows, cysts appear in it ranging in size from 0.5 mm to 5-7 cm. If their size is less than 5 mm, then with the help of hormonal drugs containing progesterone, it is possible to prevent the increase or achieve their disappearance. The cyst grows and there is a danger of suppuration. During the inflammatory process, a burning sensation is accompanied by an increase in temperature. Large cysts are usually removed surgically.

Fibroadenoma- benign tumor. It arises from nodes of overgrown fibrous tissue. The tumor is a smooth round lump. It is usually felt in the upper outer part of the chest. It can be located both between the milk ducts and inside them. With this disease, a constant burning sensation is felt in the chest, regardless of the menstrual cycle. The lymph nodes under the arms may become swollen. Due to swelling, nagging pain occurs.

If the size of the tumor increases (especially during pregnancy), it is removed to prevent malignant degeneration. Leaf fibroadenoma is especially dangerous. It is a slit-like cavity with a leaf structure filled with a mucous mass. This tumor grows rapidly and contains atypical cells. Often it develops into breast sarcoma. Therefore, it is important to detect and remove it in a timely manner.

Breast infarction. May occur late in pregnancy or immediately after childbirth. Tissue necrosis occurs along the edge of the gland, a burning sensation and pain are felt, and the temperature rises. This condition occurs due to too strong an influx of milk that does not correspond to the volume of the gland. The tumor is benign, but it is removed because an abscess may form, and diagnosis is complicated by the fact that a pregnant woman cannot have a mammogram.

Mastodigenia. This condition sometimes occurs in women during menopause, when reverse development (involution) of the mammary glands occurs. In this case, the glandular tissue is gradually replaced by connective and adipose tissue. External changes appear: the glands decrease in size and lose their elasticity. This is the norm. But if the volume of adipose tissue prevails over the rest, the size of the breast, on the contrary, increases, a burning sensation, nagging pain, and swelling appear in the mammary gland. The reason is that estrogens are produced and accumulated in adipose tissue, which leads to abnormal changes in the mammary glands. There is no danger of cancerous degeneration with this disease. Treatment consists of taking anti-inflammatory and hormonal drugs.

Video: What causes pain in the chest. Is it dangerous

Diagnostics

Many diseases of the mammary glands, including cancer, may not have symptoms for quite a long time. At some point, deterioration occurs with serious consequences. Therefore, if a burning sensation appears in the mammary gland, you need to make sure that it is not a sign of dangerous conditions.

It must be emphasized: Every woman should be able to conduct a breast self-examination in order to notice in time lumps, changes in shape, differences in the size of the glands, and asymmetry of the nipples. It must be done every month. If any abnormalities are detected, you must immediately visit a doctor for examination.

The most common diagnostic methods for burning and other abnormal sensations are ultrasound, mammography, and ductography. To obtain accurate information, a biopsy of tumor tissue is taken and its histological examination is carried out to detect atypical cells. A blood test is done for tumor markers.


Chest pain and a burning sensation may appear after eating, heavy physical labor or prolonged fatigue. Sometimes this is how diseases or pathological processes that threaten a person’s life signal themselves. Diagnosing the disorder without professional help is quite difficult, since a burning sensation in the middle of the chest is provoked by various reasons.

What causes chest pain

Pain and burning in the chest appear due to various factors. Depending on which organ the pathological changes have occurred, the area and degree of discomfort, as well as accompanying symptoms, change.

Diseases accompanied by unpleasant sensations:

  • pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • disorders of cardiovascular activity;
  • inflammatory processes in the respiratory system;
  • pathological changes in the mammary glands in women;
  • neurological disorders.

Discomfort in the chest area can also be caused by banal overeating or a change in the usual menu, severe mental fatigue or physical activity. To choose a course of action, you need to determine the location of the sensations and take into account their intensity and other signs.

Pain due to gastrointestinal pathologies

The most common cause of heartburn and chest pain is diseases of the upper digestive organs - the esophagus, duodenum and stomach. These pathologies include peptic ulcer, gastritis, esophagitis.

Gastritis is an inflammatory process affecting the walls of the stomach. Discomfort usually appears after eating. Pain during exacerbation of gastritis is aching, it can be reflected in other organs and tissues, including the hands and face. Most often, sensations occur on the right side of the sternum, so this exacerbation is confused with disorders in the cardiovascular system.

Gastritis is accompanied by other symptoms:

  • prolonged nausea, rarely vomiting;
  • general weakness;
  • heartburn;
  • belching with an unpleasant odor;
  • strong gas formation.

Peptic ulcer can be a complication of advanced gastritis. The gastric mucosa becomes depleted and craters form on it. The general symptoms are similar to ordinary gastritis, but their intensity is much higher, the pain is felt in the center of the sternum. During the period of exacerbation, so-called rusty vomiting (with blood) appears, the feces acquire a black tint.

When the stomach wall is perforated, severe bleeding begins and hydrochloric acid reaches other organs. The pain can be so severe that some people lose consciousness.

If such signs appear, you need to call an ambulance.

Esophagitis is a chronic inflammation of the surface of the esophagus. In its advanced form, the pathology can transform into a malignant tumor. Symptoms of this disease appear several hours after eating. This:

  • severe heartburn;
  • sudden belching, sometimes containing undigested food;
  • pain in the center of the upper chest;
  • frequent nausea;
  • difficulty in swallowing.

Belching with esophagitis can occur when a person lies (sometimes in his sleep), bends over sharply, or lifts a heavy object.

Heartburn often occurs in women in the middle and end of pregnancy. This condition is not a pathology, it is caused by hormonal changes and pressure of the uterus. If you have heartburn, expectant mothers are advised to reduce the size of portions, but increase their number per day.

Pain in cardiovascular diseases

In cases where burning pain behind the sternum is accompanied by a feeling of squeezing, we are most likely talking about disorders of cardiovascular activity:

  • about angina pectoris;
  • about myocardial infarction;
  • about the formation of a blood clot in the pulmonary artery.

Angina pectoris is a decrease in the lumen of blood vessels, which impairs blood circulation and the supply of oxygen and other nutrients to the heart muscle. It develops most often due to the accumulation of cholesterol. The main sign of the pathology is pain in the middle of the chest, lasting about 1–5 minutes.

Myocardial infarction is a sudden onset pathology that is sometimes fatal. The cause is a long-term disruption of the blood supply to certain areas of the heart muscle, which slowly die.

A heart attack manifests itself as follows:

  • sharp pain in the center of the sternum;
  • strong fear;
  • cold sweat;
  • dry mouth, severe thirst;
  • attacks of vomiting or nausea.

PE (clogging of the pulmonary arteries) takes a long time to develop, and usually a person is unaware of this process. It is accompanied by a periodic cough and a slight increase in temperature. During exacerbation, the following appears:

  • pressure drop in blood vessels;
  • change in heart rhythm;
  • loss of consciousness;
  • pain and burning in the chest.

If you suspect a heart pathology, you need to immediately put the person down, free him from tight clothing, open the window, give nitroglycerin and call a doctor.

Pain due to respiratory pathology

The human chest contains the lungs and trachea. Any inflammatory processes in them cause pain and sometimes burning. The location of the sensations depends on which part of the system is affected.

With pleurisy and pneumonia, the pulmonary vesicles and lining of the lungs become inflamed. These diseases are dangerous due to swelling and are sometimes fatal. Pain in these pathologies can be felt only on one side or involve the entire chest.

Symptoms of inflammation:

  • severe cough without phlegm coming out;
  • temperature up to 38 degrees;
  • weakness.

Bronchitis is an inflammatory process in the bronchi. Its signs:

  • discomfort when coughing;
  • separation of a large amount of sputum.

With tracheitis, inflammation affects the trachea, so pain is felt in the center of the chest. The discomfort is intensified by the feeling of a lump in the throat.

For colds of the respiratory system, there is no need to self-medicate. Only a doctor can determine which medications and physical procedures are suitable in a particular case.

Other causes of chest pain

Pain of varying intensity in the chest and burning sensation are not always caused by diseases of the organs located in it.

So, in women, such symptoms can be periodic and occur due to hormonal changes. Their mammary glands may hurt on the eve of menstruation and during pregnancy.

Unfortunately, these signs also apply to neoplasms of various types in the mammary glands. A woman should carefully monitor the condition of her breasts and sensations. Reasons to contact a mammologist are:

  • severe and frequent pain in the glands;
  • changing their size;
  • palpation of nodes or tumors.

The most dangerous symptom is bloody and purulent discharge, changes in the shape of the nipple.

Burning pain in the chest area occurs when nerves located in the intercostal space are pinched. They appear with colds, osteochondrosis, and spinal injuries. Unpleasant sensations intensify when changing body position. Special warming ointments and painkillers help get rid of them.

Chest discomfort sometimes appears as a result of frequent stress or chronic fatigue. The pain appears suddenly and is not eliminated by any medications. They disappear after the psychological problem is resolved.

Pain and burning in the chest often indicate the appearance of pathological changes in the body. If they become systematic, you need to consult a good specialist.

Disruption of the activity of protective-compensatory mechanisms, limitation of their functionality is expressed by general and local phenomena in the pathogenesis of the disease. The cause-and-effect relationships between clinical forms are determined by the leading pathogenetic factors of the pathology.

Thus, a dry cough and burning sensation in the chest are often associated with an inflammatory process in the bronchopulmonary apparatus, respiratory infections, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The heterogeneity of causes requires individual construction of a therapeutic regimen for each specific case.

The physiological role of cough is to restore the drainage of the external respiratory organs with the help of peristalsis of the small bronchi and the activity of the ciliated epithelium. Normally, the cough reflex is a protective reaction against the introduction of foreign entities and strains; in case of pathology, it disrupts the patient’s subjective state and changes the quality of life.

In practice, cough is most often interpreted as a symptom of ARI. However, the patency of the respiratory tract can be disrupted by unfavorable environmental conditions and bad habits, some medications, contact with an allergen, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and the digestive system.

The feeling when the chest burns when coughing indicates inflammation of the organs of the bronchopulmonary system, and may be a sign of pathologies such as:

  1. . The initial stage is manifested by a dry or wet cough, general malaise, weakness, and a change in low-grade fever (up to 38⁰C). Spasmodic exhalations are recurrent, paroxysmal in nature, and are accompanied by a burning sensation in the chest, headache, and sore throat. With early diagnosis and adequate treatment, the recovery course will take 10-14 days, but the cough can persist for up to a month.
  2. . The walls of the chest cavity and lungs are lined with a serous membrane - the pleura. Against the background of unfavorable factors (complications after tuberculosis, pneumonia, pancreatitis, damage by viruses, bacteria, fungi), it becomes inflamed, chest pain occurs, intensifying during reflex acts, after physical activity. The patient's general condition is affected by joint pain, high fever, and fatigue. As the disease progresses, fluid collects between the layers of the pleura, against which the intensity and frequency of cough attacks increases, shortness of breath, respiratory failure, cyanosis of the facial skeleton, lower and upper extremities appear.
  3. Pericarditis. The inflammatory process of the serous membrane of the heart is accompanied by a burning sensation, dull and pressing pain in the chest, radiating to the left shoulder blade, neck, and both shoulders. The nature of the pain determines the degree and stage of the lesion: it can be moderate or painful, appear after a cough or be present constantly.
  4. Gastroesophageal reflux. The reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus results in heartburn, sour belching, bloating, and nausea. Classic symptoms are cough and chest pain on the left side, which spreads to the neck and lower jaw.
  5. Pneumonia, tuberculosis,. The clinical sign of these pathologies is a hacking cough, frequent attacks of which initiate pain and burning in the chest. The location of the burning sensation depends on which lung is damaged.
  6. ARVI. In addition to coughing and burning in the retrosternal space, symptoms of infections include pain in the throat when swallowing, decreased performance, sneezing, and body temperature.

Important! Malignant formations on the lungs change the quality of breathing, cause a debilitating cough, stabbing and cutting pain in the chest. As tumors grow on the spine, the burning sensation behind the sternum intensifies.

There are an additional number of factors why there is a burning sensation in the chest when coughing. Triggers include traumatic damage to the ribs or chest, when the slightest tension or sudden movement causes pain.

With the presence of pain and a burning sensation in the retrosternal space, pneumothorax occurs (accumulation of air in the pleural cavity), renal colic, osteochondrosis, intercostal neuralgia.

Symptoms and treatment of burning sensation in the chest when coughing

To eliminate the main cause of reflex acts, which result in unpleasant sensations behind the sternum, medical attention will be required. If an infection in the respiratory tract is suspected, consultation with a therapist or otolaryngologist is necessary. Treatment of thoracalgia (compression of intercostal nerves) is the responsibility of a neurologist, and treatment of chest injuries is the responsibility of a surgeon.

Early diagnosis and a competent approach provide a positive prognosis for various pathological forms, with the exception of oncology. With timely detection of cancer cells, the chance of recovery increases by 80%. The main treatment regimen is based on surgical intervention.

In case of progressive disease, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are carried out. Incurable patients are provided with palliative care to reduce the severity of symptoms and prolong life.

Any prescriptions should be carried out by a specialist, taking into account the physiological characteristics and medical history of the patient, the pathogenesis of the disease. In case of viral or bacterial etiology of ARVI, the basis of the etiotropic scheme is antibiotics or antiviral drugs. Prescription of medications must be comprehensive.

For reference! When choosing an antibacterial agent, they are guided by the indicators of bacteriological culture of the nutrient medium to determine the sensitivity of the pathogenic flora. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are empirically prescribed: penicillins and cephalosporins 1-3 generations.

Intensity and frequency of dry non-productive cough relieved with antitussive medications. Preference is given to drugs with peripheral action (for example, "", "", "Libexin Muco"), they do not interfere with respiratory functions and are not addictive.

For the treatment of productive cough use expectorants, bronchodilators and mucolytics. They reduce the viscosity and elasticity of bronchial secretions, speed up the process of its evacuation from the lower respiratory sections to the upper ones, followed by release into the external environment.

Antihistamines help reduce the amount of biogenic amine released, the appearance of which is responded to by general allergy symptoms: cough, angioedema, lacrimation, sneezing, redness and itching of the skin. Having a complex effect (antispastic, antiserotonin, analgesic and anti-inflammatory), they prevent the development of bronchospasm and reduce susceptibility to the mediator of allergic reactions.

The pathogenetic direction includes use of anti-inflammatory drugs. Their pharmacological action is to reduce mucus hypersecretion and restore its physiological characteristics, eliminate swelling, bronchial obstruction, and increase ciliary activity.

Nuance! In the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract, physiotherapeutic procedures are successfully used: UHF, electrophoresis, massage.

To increase the effectiveness of therapeutic measures, inhalations are carried out with medications or vapors of phyto-decoctions (coltsfoot, thermopsis, plantain, chamomile, thyme, marshmallow root). The general condition of the patient is improved by traditional medicine recipes(warm milk with honey, beet juice, apple with onion, radish with honey, ).

When treating inflammation of muscle tissue, a conservative approach is used in combination with physiotherapy (therapeutic massage, acupuncture). In case of prolonged and severe form, surgical intervention is indicated. The lack of adequate medical care increases the risk of chronic pathology, which is dangerous due to complete muscle atrophy.

Elimination of dry pericarditis are carried out with antihypoxants (improving metabolic processes in the myocardium) in combination with analgesics (to reduce pain), anti-inflammatory and potassium-containing drugs. With rapid and excessive accumulation of exudate, a puncture is prescribed, and the constrictive pathological form requires surgery for pericarditis.

Therapy for intercostal neuralgia takes place in two stages: symptomatic and etiotropic treatment. Muscle spasms and pain are relieved with muscle relaxants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition to the main treatment, courses of therapeutic massage, manual therapy, and physical therapy classes are recommended.

Fact! Damaged nerve structures are well restored by B vitamins.

In treating cough, it is important to pay attention to a healthy, balanced diet and moderate physical activity. It is advisable to give up bad habits, increase the daily fluid intake, create a favorable microclimate in the room (maintain optimal air temperature, humidity, sterility).

Conclusion

The basis for eliminating a burning sensation in the chest when coughing is to determine the mechanism of development and maintenance of the pathological process, which is within the competence of an otolaryngologist or other highly specialized specialist. Treatment of the underlying disease must be combined with a palliative approach: analgesic, antitussive (), expectorant and mucolytic drugs (with difficult to separate sputum).

A burning sensation behind the sternum is a sign of a certain pathological process, which is characterized by a feeling of discomfort, sometimes pain in the chest area. Despite the localization of the symptom, it is not always a sign of cardiovascular disease.

Only a doctor can establish the etiology of this symptom and prescribe the correct treatment after carrying out the necessary diagnostic procedures and making a final diagnosis.

Etiology

A burning sensation behind the sternum can be caused by the following etiological factors:

  • diseases of the cardiovascular system – , ;
  • gastroenterological diseases;
  • diseases of the respiratory system;
  • excessive physical activity;
  • severe psycho-emotional shock, constant nervous tension;
  • oncological processes;
  • injuries to the thoracic region and spine.

Only a doctor can accurately determine the cause of this manifestation after diagnosis. It is strongly not recommended to select treatment on your own, as this is fraught with the development of serious complications.

Symptoms

In this case, it is impossible to identify a general clinical picture, since this is a symptom of a nonspecific nature.

Pain in the chest located in the middle may be a sign of upper respiratory tract disease. In this case, an acute respiratory infection cannot be ruled out either. The following clinical manifestations may be observed:

  • , as the pathological process of the body worsens;
  • feeling of aching in bones and muscles;

However, you need to understand that these clinical manifestations may be a sign of a pathological process of another nature, so you need to consult a doctor for medical help and not self-medicate.

A burning sensation behind the sternum on the left side may be a sign of a disease such as “angina pectoris,” which is characterized by the following clinical picture:

  • a feeling of pressure, heaviness and tightness in the chest;
  • the pain is localized on the left side, can radiate to the scapula area, sometimes to the left arm right down to the fingertips, and can intensify with deep breathing;
  • unstable blood pressure;
  • increased;
  • cough;
  • Changing body position does not reduce the intensity of pain.

The manifestation of this symptom during a heart attack is also no exception. Burning and pain behind the sternum in this case can be supplemented by the following clinical picture:

  • heart rhythm disturbance;
  • sharp, which can manifest itself both during physical activity and at rest. A distinctive feature is that the pain does not go away after taking nitroglycerin;
  • pain radiates to the left shoulder blade and arm;
  • cold sweating;
  • dyspnea.

In some cases, a burning sensation behind the sternum may be a sign of the clinical picture of myocarditis, which is characterized by the following manifestations:

  • dyspnea;
  • low-grade fever;
  • weakness, ;
  • frequent changes in blood pressure;
  • attacks of angina.

It should also be noted that with this disease, the clinical picture appears periodically, and at the initial stage of development, symptoms may be completely absent. As the pathological process worsens, the intensity of the symptoms becomes more pronounced.

The appearance of such a symptom in some gastroenterological diseases cannot be ruled out. In such cases, patients may complain of:

  • , which can intensify after eating or, conversely, during fasting (the so-called “”);
  • deterioration or complete lack of appetite, which may result in sudden weight loss;
  • changes in stool frequency and consistency;
  • the presence of pathological impurities in the stool - blood, mucus, pus;
  • dyspeptic symptoms - with an unpleasant odor;
  • flatulence, ;
  • low-grade body temperature (in some cases).

With osteochondrosis, burning and pain behind the sternum can be characterized by the following symptoms:

  • a burning sensation behind the sternum may be accompanied by pain, which intensifies with physical exertion and physical activity;
  • dizziness;
  • headaches for no apparent reason;
  • fatigue, increased fatigue;
  • and the back of the head;
  • , feeling of coldness in the fingers and toes;
  • difficulty breathing, feeling of heaviness in the chest;
  • pain may radiate under the shoulder blades;
  • disorders of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract - attacks of diarrhea, bloating, loss of appetite.

As the pathological process worsens, burning and pain in the chest area can bother the patient even at rest, so at the first signs of illness you should immediately seek medical help.

If the cause of such a symptom is an oncological process, then the following symptoms may occur:

  • difficulty breathing, sensation of a foreign body in the throat;
  • general deterioration of health;
  • weakness, decreased performance;
  • headaches;
  • dull, pressing pain in the chest area, which gradually increases;
  • , for no apparent reason;
  • discharge from the nipples of the mammary glands;
  • enlargement of one mammary gland, pain on palpation;
  • for women - .

It should be noted that this is only an approximate clinical picture; the symptoms of the oncological process will depend on the underlying factor and the localization of the pathological process.

Diagnostics

A burning sensation behind the sternum, in most cases, is a sign of a serious pathological process, so you should immediately seek medical help.

One of the most common complaints with which middle-aged and older people turn to a therapist is pain and burning in the chest. It is not immediately possible to accurately determine the cause of the malaise - there are many organs in the chest and almost each of them can be the cause of a burning sensation. And it is very important to know what caused it - this symptom can indicate both the development of relatively harmless heartburn and warn of serious heart problems.

Causes of burning sensation in the chest

Pain, tightness or a burning sensation in the chest mainly occurs in older people; they are associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or cardiovascular system; such symptoms are less common in adolescents and young people suffering from gastritis, stomach ulcers or colds.

When such symptoms appear, it is important to accurately determine the location of their occurrence.– on the right, on the left, behind the sternum, in the back, the nature of the unpleasant sensations – the burning sensation can be unexpressed or cause severe pain. And also the accompanying symptoms and signs are of great importance - the appearance of nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, cough, increased body temperature and the causes of burning: violation of diet and diet, hypothermia or excessive physical activity.

The most common causes of burning in the chest

1. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract– burning in the chest, heartburn, belching and other unpleasant sensations that appear immediately after eating or several hours after eating can be symptoms of such unpleasant diseases as gastritis or a stomach ulcer with high acidity, esophagitis, pancreatitis or, less commonly, colitis. Such diseases are characterized by pain to the right or left of the sternum, accompanied by a feeling of burning and heaviness in the stomach, as well as heartburn, nausea, vomiting or belching that occurs after eating fatty or fried foods. If a burning sensation in the chest occurs along with severe heartburn immediately after eating or several hours later and appears regularly after each meal, the cause is most likely reflux esophagitis. With this disease, the upper esophageal sphincter weakens and the acidic contents of the stomach enter the esophagus, where it irritates the mucous membrane;

2. Diseases of the cardiovascular system– pain and a burning sensation in the left half of the chest or behind the sternum, appearing after physical, emotional stress, in the evening or at night, are characteristic of angina pectoris, developing myocardial infarction, myocarditis and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels. In this case, the pain is intense, intensifies with movement, radiates to the left shoulder, shoulder blade or arm and is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the chest, fear, shortness of breath and changes in heart rate. A distinctive feature of such diseases is that pain appears mainly at night or after exercise and goes away with rest or after taking nitroglycerin;

3. Neuralgia– inflammation or pinching of the intercostal nerves causes severe pain and a burning sensation in the chest area. Inflammation or pinching of nerve endings can be caused by osteochondrosis, spinal injury or a cold (popularly such diseases are called “lumbago”). Diagnosing intercostal neuralgia is not difficult - the pain is constant, severe, aggravated by movement, turning the body or bending;

Recipe for the occasion::

4. Colds– tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and pleurisy are also accompanied by a burning sensation in the chest. But this symptom in such diseases is secondary; fever, cough, chest pain and general malaise come to the fore;

5. Other reasons - a regularly occurring burning sensation in the chest can be caused by neuropsychiatric diseases, tumor processes in the chest or other reasons. Prolonged nervous tension, emotional shocks or chronic stress disrupt the normal functioning of the autonomic-vascular system. As a result of this, patients may experience inexplicable pain and a burning sensation in the chest, which appear regardless of any external causes - overeating, hypothermia, physical activity, do not disappear when changing body position and are not relieved by taking medications. A thorough diagnosis in such cases usually reveals minor disorders of the gastrointestinal tract or cardiovascular system, but treatment of concomitant diseases does not help solve the problem, since the help of a qualified psychologist or psychotherapist is required.

How to deal with a burning sensation in the chest

You can completely get rid of a burning sensation in the chest only by curing the disease that caused this symptom. Therefore, with regular burning in the chest, only seeing a doctor, a comprehensive examination and specific treatment can help.

If the burning sensation appears periodically and it is not possible to immediately seek medical help, you can try to alleviate the patient’s condition at home:

1. If the occurrence of a burning sensation is associated with food intake, you need to give up fatty, fried, salty foods, use spices, fast food, strong coffee and alcoholic drinks, eat often, but in small portions. To cope with pain and burning in such a situation, drugs such as omez, omeprazole, almagel, ranitidine, famotidine and other drugs that reduce the acidity of gastric juice and protect the mucous membrane from the aggressive effects of gastric juice will help;

2. If unpleasant sensations are associated with the cardiovascular system, the patient should stop any work activity, lie down and try to calm down. It is also recommended to take an elevated position, provide a flow of fresh air, get rid of tight clothing and give the patient nitroglycerin, validol, corvalol or tincture of motherwort, peony or other sedative;

3. For colds, a burning sensation in the chest can be relieved with the help of antibiotic therapy, but only the doctor treating the patient can prescribe a specific drug;
For other diseases, temporary relief may be provided by taking painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.