Chest Pain
There are various Chest pains. Chest pain may be caused by gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiac or musculoskeletal analysis. Chest pains may also be caused by anxiety, pericardium, myocardium, parietal pleural, aorta, esophagus, Chest wall, trachea and large bronchi, skin, and musculoskeletal system. As a nurse, I must carefully assess by asking questions, such as Location: where do you feel the pain in your chest? Onset: when did the pain begin? Duration: Does it happen with breathing? Is it nonstop or comes and goes? Associated manifestation: what else is experienced with the chest pain? Characteristics: describe your pain? Treatment: have you seen anyone or tried any medication? Relieving factors: does anything make it better (Nursing Guide)?
Anxiety procedure is not clear. It is located below the left breast or across the anterior chest. The quality of pain is stabbing, sticking, dull or aching. Its severity is varying. It can be from hours to days. Symptoms are shallow breathing, anxiety, weakness and palpitations. Aggravating factor may be emotional stress. A relieving factor is unknown (Nursing Guide).
Pulmonary: Tracheobronchitis is Inflammation of the trachea and bronchi, and is located at the on both sides of the sternum or at the sternal. The quality of pain is a burning sensation, severity, mild to moderate. The timing is variable. Aggravating factor is coughing, and relieving factor is lying on the affected side (Nursing guide).
Pleuritis Pain: Inflammation of the parietal pleura as in pleurisy, pneumonia, pulmonary infarction or neoplasm, located at the chest wall. The quality of pain is sharp and can hurt like a knife with severe pain. Aggravating factors are inspiration, coughing and movements of the trunk, and relieving factors are medication and treatment. Its timing is persistent (Nursing Guide).
Cardiovascular: Angina Pictoris: Temporary myocardial ischemia, usually secondary to coronary atherosclerosis, located at the anterior chest that sometimes radiates to the shoulder, arm, neck, lower jaw or upper abdomen. The quality of pain is pressing, squeezing, tight and heavy with occasional burning. The severity is mild to moderate; this is sometimes perceived as discomfort rather than pain. Its timing is usually 1-3 minutes but up to 10 minutes, prolonged episodes are up to 20 minutes. Association symptoms are dyspnea, nausea and sweating. Aggravating factors are exertion in the cold, meals, emotional stress, it sometimes occurs at rest. Relieving factors are rest and nitroglycerin (Nursing Guide)
Myocardial Infarction: This is prolonged myocardial ischemia, and results in irreparable muscle damage and/or necrosis. It is located at the anterior chest that sometimes radiates to the shoulder, arm, lower jaw, neck or upper abdomen. The quality of pain is like angina. Myocardial Infarction is often but not always a severe pain, with a timing of 20 minutes to several hours. The relieving and aggravating factors are unknown (Nursing Guide).
Pericarditis: Irritation of the parietal pleura, adjacent to the pericardium. It is located at the precordial space and could radiate to the tip of the shoulder and the neck. The quality of pain is also sharp and knife-like and also severe with persistent timing. Aggravating factors are breathing changing position, lying down, swallowing and coughing. A relieving factor is sitting forward (Nursing Guide).