The most common causes of constant chest pain are generally gastrointestinal disorders and a serious circulatory condition called angina. Other causes that are relatively common include musculature problems and various lung-related illnesses. Chronic chest pain usually isn’t a sign of heart attack, although it can potentially be a sign that something serious is happening. It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between less serious causes of chest pain and emergency situations, so seeking medical treatment is generally advised when an undiagnosed chest pain develops.
In many cases, disorders related to an overabundance of stomach acid can potentially cause chest pain. The body will often reflexively push some of this acid up through the digestive tract, and it can cause some unusual pain symptoms. Sometimes this can feel like heartburn, and other times it can cause a dull ache. This sort of constant chest pain is very common, and can usually be treated with either over-the-counter or prescription medications.
Angina is a disorder that often results in constant chest pain. It happens because the blood flow to the heart is being restricted by plaque in the arteries. When people develop angina, it is generally a progressive problem, and it is often a precursor to a heart attack. For this reason, people are advised to seek medical attention and begin the process of heading off future heart complications. This may involve lifestyle changes and the use of various medications.
If people lift weights or do any other kind of strenuous physical activity, it is not that abnormal for them to pull muscles in their chests. This can lead to constant pain in the region of the pulled muscle. Chest muscles also have a tendency to be reinjured, so the pain may linger for a long time if the individual doesn’t care for the injury well enough.
Another cause of constant chest pain is some sort of problem with the lungs. Some of these issues can be quite dangerous, including pneumonia or pleurisy. In some cases, lung cancer can also lead to a dull pain in the chest, and this is obviously a serious situation. According to most experts, any sort of chest pain that is accompanied by breathing problems generally requires medical attention.
A heart attack tends to cause a squeezing kind of pain, and in many cases, the pain will radiate outward from the chest into the arm or the face. Heart attack pain is also often more intense than some other chest pain, but not always. According to some experts, it generally pays to be cautious and treat any unusual chest pain as a possible emergency.