One can experience chest pain due to several factors in the body system which doesn’t necessarily imply heart attack. It is a discomfort feeling one experience in the chest area which can be caused by heart problems or even other organs such as lungs, neck and even the spine.
Harmless heart murmur caused by the flow of blood through the chambers and valves of the heart and blood vessels near the heart can be due to fever, anemia, pregnancy, anxiety, stress or even an overactive thyroid.
Only abnormal heart murmurs have signs and symptoms. Chest pain is one of those symptoms among others which indicate heart failure or a heart valve disease. The others include heart palpitations or a heart beat which is irregular, fatigue or faintness and unexplained breathlessness. Only a doctor can be able to detect a murmur by hearing with the aid of a stethoscope and not the ailing person himself.
Heart problems in adults may cause shortness of breath and chest pain as well as swelling extremities including several other symptoms. The grading scale determines the measurement in volumes and also evaluates timing, pitch, location of sound and length within the heartbeat cycle in the chest.
Structural abnormalities of the heart such as a defective heart valve or holes formed in the walls of the heart causes pathologic heart murmurs. More common are valve problems.
Here are some of the reasons why one can experience chest pain in the case of a heart murmur:
Angina
Is a heart condition caused by blockage of heart blood vessels which reduces the flow of oxygen and blood to the heart muscle? Has no permanent damage but causes chest pain that feels like accumulating pressure and squeezing sensation. Angina is triggered by excitement, exercise, emotional stress and can be relieved by enough rest. This condition can cause an innocent heart murmur.
Heart Attack/Myocardial Infarction
The reduction in flow of blood through the blood vessels leads to the death of heart muscle cells. One experiences a more severe crushing chest pain which rest cannot relieve. Occurs in cases of abnormal heart murmur and without immediate medical attention can lead to death. Other than the chest pain, other symptoms include restlessness, sweating and nausea.
Myocarditis
Has no blood vessel blockages and resembles the heart attack in terms of symptoms. Inflammation of the heart muscle causes fatigue, difficulty in breathing and fever aside from the chest pain.
Pericarditis
It occurs due to infection or inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart causing a steady sharp pain in the chest and along the shoulder muscle and upper neck. Sometimes it makes breathing, food swallowing or lying down aggravating.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is when the heart muscle thickens leading to heart failure and results in exerting the heart excessively when pumping blood and can be a cause of an abnormal heart murmur . Other symptoms other than chest pain include lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and even dizziness.
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Mitral valve prolapsed is when a heart valve fails to properly close causing the backflow of blood. In mild cases, symptoms are very hard to detect but in extreme cases one can experience chest pains as well as dizziness and palpitations’.
Coronary Artery Dissection
It’s a rare condition resulting from a tear in the coronary artery. A severe chest pain tearing through to the neck, abdomen and back is experienced not to mention the ripping sensation.
Deciding if the chest pain is related to the heart murmur requires a physical checkup from a specialized doctor. Blood tests, x-rays, scans and other forms of tests may be performed for proper diagnostics.
