Right-sided chest pain can be caused by trauma, infection, discomfort with breathing, heart or digestive system.
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Causes of right-sided chest pain
Pleurisy Pleurisy
is an inflammation of the pleura (outer skin of the lungs).
The most common causes are: viral or bacterial infections, tuberculosis, medications, pneumothorax and pulmonary embolism.
Rare causes include: lung tumor or metastases, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
The patient feels a sharp pain when sneezing, breathing or coughing.
Infection
Viral infections such as influenza, cold, etc. can cause chest pain on the right side. The symptoms get worse with deep breathing and coughing.
Influenza causes joint pain, also on: arm, neck, jaw and shoulder.
Pneumothorax
If part of the lungs collapses (pneumothorax), chest pain is felt, which worsens when breathing, and the patient has shortness of breath (dyspnea).
Subluxation of the ribs
This is a common cause of chest pain.
If the patient also has a rib fracture, the pain worsens with deep inhalation, coughing or bending forward.
Gastroesophageal reflux
The stomach acid can rise in the esophagus (gastroesophageal reflux). This can cause intermittent pain and burning in the chest, as well as coughing, bitter taste in the mouth, etc.
Gallbladder diseases
Inflammation of the gallbladder is called cholecystitis.
This condition occurs when a gallstone blocks the gallbladder duct.
The affected person may then feel pain in the right flank and right side in the chest.
Lung disease
The right lung and the bronchus (airway tree) are located in the right part of the thoracic cavity.
The following lung complaints can cause right-sided chest pain:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Emphysema
- Pulmonary embolism
- Lung cancer
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary tuberculosis
Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver, also called hepatitis, is one of the main causes of this type of pain.
A person may feel pain in the right shoulder, on the ribs of the right side of the abdomen or on the back side.
Pancreatitis
The pancreas is located in the upper part of the abdomen. Inflammation of this organ can therefore cause chest pain.
This pain gets worse in a lying position and improves as the patient bends forward.
Psychogenic pain
The chest pain can also be caused by psychological complaints.
You can feel it during a panic attack or hyperventilation syndrome.
This syndrome is a breathing disorder characterized by breathing too quickly or too deeply and can occur as part of a panic attack.
It can be triggered by a stressful situation.
Symptoms may include chest pain, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and the sensation of ant tingling or loss of sensitivity in the mouth area and fingertips.
Digestive blockage
When food or fluids get stuck in the esophagus, there may be congestion (or digestive blockage) that causes pain in the right side of the chest.
Lung cancer
The presence of a tumor inside or around the lungs can cause persistent pain in the right side of the chest.
Which muscle causes chest pain?
Muscular chest pain
Muscle pain in the chest is felt when touched (pressure on the painful area).
Muscle pain occurs when moving.
It can be difficult to pick up an object from the ground, breathe deeply, and lift your arm.
If the patient feels one or more of these symptoms, they should talk to the doctor and have tests such as magnetic resonance imaging or X-rays.
There are various effective therapies for intercostal pain that originates from the back and radiates to the chest, for example the McKenzie method and Tecar therapy.Hamstring
Muscle stretching on the thorax or contusion can cause propagating chest pain on the right side.
The intercostal muscles and tendons can become inflamed or overstretch even with a strong cough.
Exercises with weights in a fitness center can cause muscle injuries and the formation of a painful hematoma.
This pain worsens with movement of the patient.
A torn pectoral muscle is rare, but patients come into practice who have contracted this injury by throwing the ball (for example, when playing handball) or by taking anabolic steroids.
Surgical intervention on the thorax
After a surgical procedure on the thorax, pain is felt for a while. It depends entirely on the recovery time.
Costochondritis
This is an inflammation of the cartilage and rib joints.
Costochondritis is painful, but not dangerous.
Chest pain in the upper right side
Causes of chest pain top right
Costochondritis: is a type of osteoarticular pain caused by inflammation of the cartilage that unites the ribs to the sternum.
Causes can be traumatic or caused by coughing.
Apart from severe chest pain, the other symptoms of this condition are:
» Intercostal pain » Burning along the ribs » Severe pain when sneezing and coughing
» Symptoms worsen with certain chest movements
» Pain that improves at rest » Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia
» Difficulty breathing
» Shortness of breath
Angina: Angina pectoris occurs when there is a blockage of the arteries that carry blood to the heart. Possible causes:
This type of pain can be recognized by the fact that it worsens during physical activity such as climbing stairs or running.
Angina can spread to other areas of the body, such as the arm, neck, shoulders or jaw.
Gallbladder: The right-sided chest pain could also be caused by gallbladder problems.
Causes can be:
- high-fat diet,
- bad eating habits,
- Overweight
- hormonal imbalance,
- Infections
- Gall stones.
Some symptoms of gallbladder disorders include:
» Pain in the upper and right chest area, which can extend to the abdomen, hands, back and shoulders.
» Vomiting and nausea.
» Poor digestion.
» Change of stool color.
» Diarrhoea or constipation.
Aortic dissection: The aorta is the main artery of the body. It consists of two interconnected layers of muscle cells.
When these layers separate from each other, the blood enters the space in between.
Symptoms include a launching chest pain that can radiate to the shoulders (area of the shoulder blades) and into the back.
Chest pain when breathing
The most common causes of chest pain when breathing:
Pleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the thin serous skin over the lungs.
It can be caused by a viral infection, trauma to the ribs, pulmonary embolism, mesothelioma, or autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
The main symptoms of this disease are:
- acute chest pain or burning sensation when breathing, which may radiate to the shoulder, neck or abdomen,
- Dyspnea
- fever,
- dry cough.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a respiratory disease caused by an infection of the lungs.
According to conventional medicine, it occurs due to contact with bacteria, viruses or fungi. A lung infection can occur when the microbes enter the lungs and multiply there.
Symptoms of pneumonia include:
- difficult breathing,
- severe chest pain when breathing deeply,
- fever,
- cough with sputum,
- Muscle pain.
Pneumothorax
A pneumothorax is the collapse of the lungs and it occurs when air accumulates in the pleural cavity.
The cause is a contusion of the thorax, a lesion, an infection, a tumor, etc.
Pulmonary hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension is a condition that causes too high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries.
These blood vessels carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
Causes are:
- congestive heart failure,
- cirrhosis of the liver,
- Autoimmune diseases such as lupus or scleroderma,
- Pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs)
- Long-term use of medication
The symptoms are:
- Breathlessness
- Tachycardia
- dizziness,
- pain and tightness in the chest,
- Cyanosis.
Pleural effusion
Between the two pleural leaves (pleura parietalis and pleura visceralis) is the pleural space.
The pleura parietalis (pleura) covers the inner wall of the rib cage, while the pleura visceralis (pleura) is closely connected to the lungs.
Normally, there is a small amount of fluid inside this pleural space.
The fluid serves the two pleural sheets to smoothly pass each other during the breathing process.
A pleural effusion consists in the increase in the amount of fluid inside the pleural space.
Chest pain arises during deep breathing and is one of the characteristic symptoms of this disease.
Symptoms of pleural effusion include:
- chest pain with deep breathing,
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Breathing acceleration.
Pulmonary embolism
This condition is caused by the blockage of one or more arteries that carry the blood to the lungs.
The blockage is caused by a blood clot in the arteries.
Symptoms of this condition include:
- sudden chest pain when breathing,
- Shortness
- Haemoptysis
- blue discoloration of the skin,
- Perspiration.
Costochondritis
Costochondritis is an inflammation of the costal cartilage that connects the ends of the ribs to the sternum.
The cause may be trauma to the chest after a fall or car accident or a respiratory infection.
The intercostal muscles serve to expand the chest during inhalation and contraction during exhalation.
For this reason, the respiratory excursion is painful in case of inflammation or contracture of the intercostal muscles.
Often women fear having a tumor on the breast because they feel pain in the chest area after a car accident.
The chest pain may be caused by the sudden pressure of the seat belt in the context of whiplash.
Pericarditis
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the outer skin that covers the heart.
Causes can be:
- trauma,
- inflammatory diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Symptoms of pericarditis include:
- fever – an important symptom for diagnosis, since it is not caused by an infarction,
- Indisposition
- acute pain in the left side of the chest or in the middle of the chest,
- shortness of breath when lying down,
- Cough.
Rib fracture
The causes of breath-dependent chest pain also include the fracture or bruise of the ribs.
Among others, the symptoms are:
- pain in chest movement (tilting and turning forward),
- Pain during deep breathing, coughing or sneezing.
Panic attack
Panic attacks are episodes of sudden anxiety that can occur when a person faces a situation that triggers severe anxiety or anxiety in them.
Some people may be genetically predisposed to have panic attacks.
Panic attacks are characterized by symptoms such as:
- tachycardia,
- chest pain,
- Shortness
- Perspiration
- Feeling of suffocation.
