Chest Pain Lying Down

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Chest Pain Lying Down
Bone or muscle problems – If your chest is painful and tender to touch, it may be caused by a strained muscle in your chest wall. This can be surprisingly painful, but with rest the pain should ease and the muscle will heal in time. If you have pain, swelling and tenderness around your ribs, and the pain is made worse by lying down, breathing deeply, coughing or sneezing, you may have a condition called costochondritis.

Can a heart attack feel painless?

“Just like the name implies, a silent heart attack is a heart attack that has either: –

no symptoms, minimal symptoms or unrecognized symptoms,” says Deborah Ekery, M.D., a clinical cardiologist at Heart Hospital of Austin and with Austin Heart in Austin, TX.

“But it is like any other heart attack where blood flow to a section of the heart is temporarily blocked and can cause scarring and damage to the heart muscle.” Ekery regularly sees patients who come in complaining of fatigue and problems related to heart disease, and discovers, through an MRI or EKG, that the person had actually suffered a heart attack weeks or months ago, without ever realizing it.

Why shouldn’t you lie down during a heart attack?

First aid: the myths that cost lives I t must be great to know you’ve saved a life. A couple of years ago student Callum Brown was settling in at Exeter University when he came across a group on a night out. “I was going to walk past,” he recalls, “when I heard someone say, ‘Roll him on his back, then he will stop throwing up.'” They’d clearly never heard of Jimi Hendrix, who drowned in his own vomit.

“Having done a first aid course at work,” Brown continues, “I knew this was absolutely not the right thing to do, and I went over and put the guy in the recovery position. His friends were all drunk and would not have been able to help. Shortly afterwards he threw up on to the road, but since he was in the recovery position this was simply messy.

Without my interference he would probably have choked on his vomit.” In an ideal world, everyone would have first aid training – and be sober enough to remember it. But according to St John Ambulance, up to 150,000 people die needlessly in Britain every year; from the 29,000 killed by heart attacks to the 2,500 victims of asphyxiation.

That’s why the charity has launched The Difference – a campaign to remind us how to cope in common situations. While you get round to educating yourself about recovery positions, CPR and so on, here are 10 widespread misconceptions that often stop us doing what we can. Myth 1 The ambulance will be here in a minute.

Not if you’ve only just called it, it won’t. In England, for example, the target response-time for life threatening emergencies is eight minutes, and that’s only for 75% of all incidents – which is easily enough time for a casualty to become a corpse.

Myth 2 It’s better to do nothing than risk making things worse. “If someone is bleeding and you do nothing, they’ll lose too much blood, go into shock and die,” points out St John’s Isobel Kearl. “If someone is unconscious and breathing, but not in the recovery position, they could choke on their tongue or vomit.

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Importantly, if someone is unconscious and not breathing and you do nothing, they will still be unconscious and not breathing.” Myth 3 If you have a nosebleed, you should tilt your head back. It’s news to 30% of us, according to St John, but this may cause blood to run into the throat and lead to nausea and vomiting.

  • Instead, tilt your head forward, pinch your nostrils shut and breathe through your mouth.
  • If you’re still bleeding 30 minutes later, go to hospital.
  • Myth 4 Heart attack victims should lie down, rather than sit up.
  • One in 10 of us believes this is a good idea, but it can make it harder to breathe.
  • A half-sitting position with their knees bent and head and shoulders supported is best.

Myth 5 If an arm or leg is bleeding heavily, you should tie a tight tourniquet above the injury. Although 58% assume we should do this, it could stop all blood flow and cause tissue damage. Instead put pressure on the wound with a dressing, and raise it.

  1. Myth 6 You must never, ever move someone after a traffic accident, even if they’re not breathing.
  2. It’s all very well to worry about spinal injuries (as 43% of us would), but it’s more important to make sure they’re breathing.
  3. If they are unconcious check their airway is clear by tilting the head and lifting their chin.

Myth 7 If a child drinks bleach, make them vomit. This can cause more damage as the vomit leaves the body. Call 999, and let them sip cold milk or water if they have burnt lips from corrosive substances. Myth 8 If someone is choking on a foreign object, they’ll appreciate a couple of fingers down the throat.

This could actually push the obstruction down further. Instead, smack them firmly between the shoulderblades. If that doesn’t clear the blockage, you may have to try the Heimlich manoeuvre, also known as “abdominal thrusts”. This can cause internal damage, however, and anyone who’s been on the wrong end of it should be checked over afterwards.

While we’re at it, Joe Mulligan of the British Red Cross points out that it’s not a good idea to suspend a choking child by their feet. “Not only can it be very traumatic,” he says, “it could also result in head injury if the child is dropped.” Myth 9 If someone is having an epileptic seizure, put something in their mouth – a spoon, perhaps.

  1. This is supposed to stop them biting their tongue – but, says Kearl, “they’re likely to break their teeth, or the object itself – and then choke on the pieces.
  2. And you could get bitten while you’re doing it.” The best thing is to cushion the area with something such as a coat or blanket, and remove bystanders and hazards such as hot drinks.

When the convulsions stop, check their breathing and place them in the recovery position. Myth 10 If someone feels faint, put their head between their legs. They may simply fall forwards. Instead, lie them down and raise their legs to increase blood flow to the brain.

Should you lay down with heart pain?

Signs and symptoms of pericarditis – A common symptom of acute pericarditis is a sharp, stabbing chest pain, usually coming on quickly. It’s often is in the middle or left side of the chest, and there may be pain in one or both shoulders. Sitting up and leaning forward tends to ease the pain, while lying down and breathing deep worsens it.

Some people describe the pain as a dull ache or pressure in their chest. The chest pain may feel like a heart attack, If you experience chest pain, call 911 right away because you may be having a heart attack. Fever is another common symptom of acute pericarditis. Other symptoms are weakness, trouble breathing and coughing.

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Palpitations, which are feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering or beating too hard or too fast, may occur and can be a sign of deeper heart tissue involvement. Chronic pericarditis often causes tiredness, coughing and shortness of breath.

How many hours does heart attack pain last?

How Long Do Heart Attack Symptoms Last? – This varies from patient to patient. In some, the pain can be continuous while for others, it might start and stop again. These symptoms can last for a couple of minutes or several hours.

Are silent heart attacks fatal?

Silent Heart Attacks Can Still Be Deadly Every 43 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. And according to a new study, half of them don’t even know it. Instead, they suffer what are known as “silent” heart attacks. “Some people don’t realize they are having a heart attack because they don’t have pain,” says, a cardiologist with University of Utah Health.

  • There isn’t that ‘elephant on the chest’ sensation that is associated with a heart attack, so they write it off as something else.” Silent heart attacks may not cause pain, but they are still as serious.
  • In fact, people who suffer silent heart attacks are more likely to die of heart disease.
  • There is a significant mortality associated with silent heart attacks,” says Ryan.

“The long-term consequences increase the longer a person goes without seeking treatment.” So, how do you know if you have suffered a silent ? The best diagnosis is with an EKG or echocardiogram. The electrical impulses of the heart will have changed dramatically.

A patient may come in and after seeing the EKG results realize what they thought was flu or reflux a while ago was actually a heart attack,” says Ryan. Other symptoms of a silent heart attack may include a period of muscle aches or not feeling well, followied by an extended period of fatigue. People at risk for heart disease also are at risk for heart attack and should pay close attention to such symptoms.

“If you have diabetes, are obese, or live a sedentary lifestyle, you could suffer a silent heart attack,” Ryan adds. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the country, and this study points out how many people do not even know they are at risk.

What happens to your body a month before a heart attack?

Warning signs of a heart attack that can occur a month beforehand include chest discomfort, fatigue, and shortness of breath. A heart attack is a medical emergency in which the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked. Every year, around 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, roughly one heart attack every 40 seconds.

  • Heart attacks have distinct symptoms, meaning people can seek emergency treatment immediately upon noticing them.
  • However, while heart attacks occur suddenly, there may be signs ahead of a major cardiac event, such as chest discomfort.
  • Being aware of these heart attack warning signs can help people seek treatment quickly, improving the chance of a swift and full recovery.

This article discusses symptoms that can point to underlying coronary artery disease, the risk of heart attack, and how to respond. New symptoms, such as chest pain, can indicate a heart attack and require urgent treatment. However, people sometimes experience other symptoms that might indicate an increased risk for a heart attack.

abnormal levels of fatigue — 70.7% of women in the study reported thisdisrupted sleep — 47.8%shortness of breath — 42.1%

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Only 29.7% reported experiencing chest discomfort. This survey looks at self-reported symptoms and only gave warning signs in women, which can differ from those in men. Read more about heart attacks here, A person should not wait more than 5 minutes to contact 911 if they suspect heart attack symptoms.

Discomfort, squeezing, pressure, or fullness in the middle of the chest: This may last for a few minutes, or it could start to feel better and then return. Discomfort elsewhere: Early heart attack symptoms in other parts of the body can affect one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Breathlessness: This might happen before a person feels discomfort in their chest, but it often occurs alongside the chest discomfort. Other early symptoms: A person might break out in cold sweats, feel nauseous, or experience lightheadedness early in a heart attack.

Learn more about recognizing the signs of a heart attack here, Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of heart attacks, The hearts of people with CAD do not receive enough oxygen-rich blood, as the coronary artery, which leads to the heart, becomes narrower.

the blockage of the coronary artery due to a sudden spasm, which is more likely in smokers and users of illegal drugs, such as cocainea coronary artery embolism is more common in those with atrial fibrillation and is when a blood clot travels from the heart into the coronary artery, blocking ita tear in the coronary artery, which happens more often in women under 50 years of age, pregnant people, or those with Marfan syndrome

Are there warning signs days before a heart attack?

Heart attack – A heart attack occurs when an artery that sends blood and oxygen to the heart is blocked. Fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits build up over time, forming plaques in the heart’s arteries. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form. The clot can block arteries, causing a heart attack.

During a heart attack, a lack of blood flow causes the tissue in the heart muscle to die. A heart attack is also called a myocardial infarction. Prompt treatment is needed for a heart attack to prevent death. Call 911 or emergency medical help if you think you might be having a heart attack. Symptoms of a heart attack vary.

Some people have mild symptoms. Others have severe symptoms. Some people have no symptoms. Common heart attack symptoms include:

Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly Cold sweat Fatigue Heartburn or indigestion Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness Nausea Shortness of breath

Women may have atypical symptoms such as brief or sharp pain felt in the neck, arm or back. Sometimes, the first symptom sign of a heart attack is sudden cardiac arrest. Some heart attacks strike suddenly. But many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance.

Call for emergency medical help. If you think you’re having a heart attack, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. If you don’t have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only if there are no other options. Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed to you by a health care provider. Take it as instructed while awaiting emergency help. Take aspirin, if recommended. Taking aspirin during a heart attack may reduce heart damage by preventing blood clotting. Aspirin can interact with other drugs. Don’t take an aspirin unless your care provider or emergency medical personnel say to do so. Don’t delay calling 911 to take an aspirin. Call for emergency help first.