Chest pain and heart attack
Chest discomfort or pain is a key warning symptom of a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms include:
- Chest discomfort or pain that is crushing or squeezing, feels like a heavy weight on the chest, or is occurring with any of the following symptoms:
- Sweating.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, upper belly, or one or both shoulders or arms. The left shoulder and arm are more commonly affected.
- Lightheadedness or sudden weakness.
- A fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat.
Causes of Chest Discomfort or Pain
Most people fear that chest pain always means something is wrong with the heart. This is not the case. Chest discomfort or pain, especially in people who are younger than age 40, can have many causes.
- Pain in the muscles or bones of the chest often occurs when you increase your activities or add exercise to your schedule. This is sometimes called chest wall pain.
- Burning chest pain that occurs when you cough may be caused by an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. You may also have a fever with the cough.
- Burning chest or rib pain, especially just before a rash appears, may be caused by shingles.
- An injury, such as a broken rib can be quite painful, especially when you cough or try to take a deep breath.
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause pain just below the breastbone. Many people will say they have “heartburn.” This pain is usually relieved by taking an antacid or eating. Medicines may also cause GERD.
Other, more serious problems that can cause chest pain include:
- A collapsed lung, pneumothorax, which usually causes a sharp, stabbing chest pain and occurs with shortness of breath.
- A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism), which usually causes deep chest pain with the rapid development of extreme shortness of breath.
- Lung cancer, which may cause chest pain, especially if the cancer cells spread to involve the ribs.
- Diseases of the spine, which can cause chest pain if the nerves in the spine are “pinched.”
- Aortic dissection, which can cause chest pain when the aortic vessel tears.
How Much Should I Weigh?
Most people overestimate how much weight they can realistically lose, which leads to frustration. To find your happy or healthy weight look back on your weight history as an adult and identify a weight you were able to maintain naturally and fairly easily.
And if you’ve gained more than a few pounds since your wedding day, forget trying to fit into that bridal gown. “As you gain weight, you experience an increase in fat cell size and number, which will probably prevent you from getting back to your married weight. Instead of focusing on the numbers on the scale, set behavioral goals: “Eat breakfast every day, go for daily walks, eat more fruits and vegetables — when you set behavior goals, they are easier to accomplish and they make you feel good.” Stick with these behaviors for 3-6 months and they will become part of your life.
Based on your current weight, eat about 10 calories per pound of nutritious food (low in fat, rich in lean protein, high in fiber), get regular exercise, and assess your weight after a month or so.
As you get to a healthy weight, you can go up to 12 calories per pound.
Your Weight “Set Point”
Just as your body temperature is programmed to stay around 98.6 degrees, your body weight is naturally regulated to stay within a range of 10%-20%. This weight range is known as the “set point.” A complex set of hormones, chemicals, and hunger signals help your body naturally maintain your weight within this range. It is not just a matter of genetics, though. Your eating and exercise habits can also help to determine your set point. It is difficult, but not impossible, to set your range lower. With changes in healthy eating and exercise behavior, you can lower your set point.
Created by Karen Thampoe, MD.
West Houston Internal Medicine
Office located in Katy, Tx
Holiday Food No No’s
- Turkey Skin-Instead have turkey breast or white meat.
- Stuffing-Instead try Wild Rice Stuffing.
- Buttery Mashed Potatoes-Instead use low-sodium, fat free chicken broth.
- Sweet Potatoes Casserole-Instead leave out butter & cut sugar in 1/2.
- Pecan Pie-Instead eat some mixed nuts, if you can’t resist have a small piece without the crust.
- Fancy Finger Foods-Instead chilled shrimp or fresh fruits & vegetables.
- Caramel popcorn-Instead stick to plain popcorn.
- Egg Nog-Instead make a low calorie Egg Nog with skim milk, egg substitutes, & artificial sweeteners.
- Mixed Drinks–Instead make a wine spritzer by adding a splash of wine & sparkling water to pomegranate or cranberry juice. Contributes to fruit serving for the day.
- Cakes & Cookies– Instead whole grain cereal or crackers.
- Milk Chocolates–Instead have a solid dark chocolate with 70% cocoa. Multiple studies suggest a single square or two a day can help prevent heart disease.