What is the cause of chest tightness and pain?

Nowadays, many parents always find that their babies tell them that they have chest tightness and pain. This situation mostly occurs in the elderly, but it is relatively serious when it occurs in children and they need to go to the hospital for examination. It cannot be ruled out that it is caused by respiratory system diseases, hypoxia or heart function diseases, or mediastinal diseases.

1. Whether it is hospital outpatient services or free medical consultations, we often encounter some babies complaining of chest tightness. Let’s talk about the topic of chest tightness in children.

2. Why does the child feel chest tightness? Or what are the most common causes?

1. Respiratory diseases: It is more common in babies suffering from respiratory diseases such as bronchopneumonia, bronchial asthma, wheezing bronchitis or tuberculosis. These diseases can cause the baby's respiratory tract to be blocked, oxygen cannot be inhaled, resulting in hypoxia, and carbon dioxide cannot be exhaled, resulting in carbon dioxide retention, causing the baby to feel chest stuffiness. At this time, a chest X-ray and blood gas analysis are needed to determine the cause and hypoxia situation, and blood oxygen saturation monitoring and oxygen inhalation and other treatments are required.

2. Heart disease: such as congenital heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, etc., which cause the heart to enlarge, affecting the expansion of the lungs, affecting the gas exchange in the lungs, causing chest tightness. The baby may also have purple lips, bulges or increased fluctuations in the precordial area, delayed growth and development, and other discomforts. The diagnosis can be confirmed through cardiac ultrasound and cardiac X-rays.

3. Mediastinal diseases: Mediastinal tumors or thymic enlargement may also cause the lungs to not expand normally, resulting in chest tightness. In this case, a chest CT scan can be done to confirm the situation.

4. Diaphragmatic hernia or diaphragmatic elevation: Abdominal organs enter the chest cavity or the diaphragm rises, causing chest tightness and symptoms of gastrointestinal obstruction. A combined chest and abdominal film can be taken to confirm the diagnosis.

5. Neurosis: In addition to chest tightness, the baby also has other mental abnormalities, which need to be confirmed together with a psychiatrist.

3. The above are common causes of chest tightness. If your baby has chest tightness, see a doctor in time for a face-to-face consultation to determine the cause.