Arya WangA painful burning sensation in the chest is known as chest burning. It can be brought on by digestive issues, heart conditions, and occasionally COVID-19.
Most chest burning is typically not a serious warning sign. However, serious medical conditions like a heart attack or a stroke can also be the cause of chest pain.
This article will examine typical causes of chest burning, life-threatening causes, and situations in which you should seek emergency medical help.
What is a Chest Burning Sensation?
A common sign of heart or lung disease, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and even panic attacks is a burning sensation in the chest.
Chest burning can result from:
• heart pain due to spasms
• heart pain due to lack of blood flow
• pain in the esophagus due to heartburn
• musculoskeletal pain in the chest area
• lung pain
• infection
Signs of An Emergency
It’s typical to experience an uncomfortable burning sensation in your chest. It is usually not a sign of a medical emergency, but if you experience the following additional symptoms you may want to seek medical attention:
• Squeezing or pressure sensation, especially pain that gets worse or radiates to the left side of the body
• Pain that travels to your jaw, neck, shoulders, arms, or back
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or vomiting
• Lightheadedness
• Loss of consciousness
• Sweating (especially profuse sweating in a cool area)
• Racing heartbeat
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms or if your symptoms are troubling and persistent.
Common Causes of Burning Sensation in the Chest
Heartburn
According to research, heartburn is thought to be the root cause of non-cardiac chest pain in between 50% and 60% of cases. Acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) are additional names for this condition.
Stomach acid backing up into the esophagus causes this condition. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) can malfunction, allowing acid to enter your throat.
An unpleasant burning sensation in the chest, typically behind the breast bone, is caused by irritation of the esophageal tissues.
Heartburn can be brought on by caffeine, spicy food, or fatty foods. Smoking, being overweight, and pregnancy is additional causes.
Gerd
When triggers like spicy foods, a lot of coffee, obesity, and smoking cause gastrointestinal reflux to recur frequently, it is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is a digestive disorder. The lining of the esophagus is damaged when gastric juice backs up into it, and this can cause a burning sensation in the chest.
Other common symptoms of GERD include:
• Coughing
• Bad breath
• Heartburn
• Trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
• Sore throat
• Vomiting
• The feeling of food caught in your throat
• Non-burning chest pain
Esophagitis
When your food pipe’s lining cells become inflamed due to injury or irritation, esophagitis develops. Your chest pain might be accompanied by additional symptoms such as trouble swallowing and discomfort. The most frequent cause of erosive esophagitis is gastroesophageal reflux. Other causes include:
• Immune-mediated inflammatory processes that lead to eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)
• Esophagitis as a part of systemic conditions such as Crohn’s disease (CD)
• Digestion of corrosive substances
• Chemotherapy or radiation
Stomach Ulcers
Peptic ulcers are sores that form on the lining of the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, or the stomach. They can result in burning chest pain and gnawing abdominal pain. It can be challenging to tell the difference between peptic ulcer symptoms and those of angina, trauma, or a heart attack.
Anxiety
Episodes of extreme fear and emotional distress known as anxiety attacks or panic attacks can happen suddenly and without warning. They can start from a variety of causes and last for a few minutes or even an hour. Stress is the most common cause but others include:
• Substance use
• Caffeine
• Pre-existing health conditions
• Social events
• Reminders of traumatic events
Chest pain can result from this increased anxiety. This is due to the fact that stress causes the body to release the hormones needed for fight or flight (cortisol), which can result in physiological changes like a racing heartbeat and tightening of the chest muscles.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that develops when your lung vessels narrow, making it more difficult for air to enter and exit the lungs. One of the early symptoms of asthma may be chest pain. A burning sensation in the chest or a feeling of pressure, tightness, pain, or pain are typical descriptions.
The most common symptoms of asthma are:
• Coughing
• Wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe)
• Shortness of breath
Life-Threatening Causes of Chest Pain
Heart Attack
Burning chest pain that spreads down one or both arms and does not improve with breathing, movement, or food intake raises the possibility of a heart attack. Having risk factors increases the likelihood that this is the cause of your symptoms.
These risk factors may include:
• Older age
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels
• A family history of heart disease
Trauma
The lungs, heart, and other vital organs may be harmed by any traumatic injury to the chest that affects the muscle of the chest wall, the diaphragm, and the ribs. A burning sensation in the chest may result from this.
Infection
Chest muscles can also become injured by infectious diseases like the shingles virus (herpes zoster). An uncomfortable burning sensation in the chest could result from this.
Pulmonary Embolism
Sharp, stabbing, or burning chest pain is the primary symptom of a pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot in the main artery feeding a lung. A pulmonary embolism typically causes localized pain on one side of the body or under the breastbone that gets worse with deep breathing.
Treatment for Burning Chest Pain
The cause of the burning sensation in your chest will determine the best course of treatment for you. Taking antacids and acid blockers can lessen stomach acid production and help you get rid of your symptoms if, for instance, heartburn is the reason why you’re experiencing symptoms.
The best treatment options for asthma may involve using an inhaler and limiting your exposure to environmental triggers. If you feel more anxious than usual in a stressful situation, try deep breathing exercises or take a break. The best way to treat your chest burn, regardless of the circumstance, is typically by addressing the underlying cause.
Prevention
Preventing GERD, reducing stress, and never smoking are important measures you can take to lessen the possibility of developing chest burn. One such change in lifestyle that you can make is to eat a heart-healthy diet that is low in sodium, cholesterol, and sugar.
It’s critical to understand how to prevent GERD since it’s the most frequent cause of a burning sensation in your chest. If you’re willing to make a few lifestyle changes, GERD is largely treatable without the use of medication. The following steps can prevent GERD:
• To prevent gastric juices from rising into your esophagus, lose weight. Extra abdominal fat puts pressure on your stomach.
• Avoid trigger foods, which have been shown to increase the prevalence of GERD.
• Following a meal, avoid lying down. Food digestion is greatly aided by gravity. The likelihood of stomach acid returning through the LES and into the esophagus increases when you are lying down.
• Chew your food well and consume food slowly. Increased stomach acid production may be caused by eating more food. Acid reflux can be reduced by eating more frequently and in smaller portions.
• Don’t wear anything too tight.
• Stop smoking; nicotine relaxes the esophageal sphincter, allowing acid to enter.
• Tobacco and alcohol both relax the LES, so use them in moderation.
• Elevating your bed 6 to 8 inches will allow gravity to return and stop the backflow of stomach acid into your esophagus. Elevating the entire top half of your body—not just your head—will do this.
• Steer clear of carbonated drinks. They cause you to burp and may cause you to vomit acid as well as gas.
Summary
The most common cause of a burning sensation in the chest is a non-life threatening medical condition. Dietary and lifestyle modifications are crucial in easing your symptoms, which are frequently caused by heartburn or GERD. Although heartburn is not a serious health concern, it can indicate other, more serious problems that should not be ignored.
If your chest burning persists for more than a few hours despite treatment or is accompanied by alarming symptoms, you should see a doctor right away. The possibility of a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or stroke can be ruled out with the assistance of a medical professional.
