Chest pain appears in many forms, and its intensity varies according to the problem causing it, as sometimes the pain is not limited to the chest area only, but spreads to neighboring areas such as the neck, jaw, or back, and it may be accompanied by other symptoms indicating a problem in the heart or lungs. Which calls for an emergency resort immediately.

There are many conditions that cause chest pain, and the following are the most prominent possibilities:

• Costochondritis: It is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum, and causes pain when pressing on the tip of this bone.
• Muscle pain: such as chest muscle strain that may be painful to touch, or chronic pain-causing diseases such as fibromyalgia.
• Injuries: such as cracks, fractures, bruises in the rib bones, or muscle strain. Injuries may result from traffic accidents, falls, sports injuries, or others.
• Tietze syndrome: It is a rare disease, in which the patient feels pain when pressing on the sternum, which is similar to costochondritis with minor differences.
• Shingles: caused by the herpes zoster virus, it may cause pain and a group of blisters from the back to the chest.
• Rheumatic problems: such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
• Slipping rib syndrome: Also called lower rib pain syndrome, or twelfth rib pain, it occurs when the cartilage in the lower ribs slips, causing pain as a result of pressure on the nerves.
• Digestive problems: such as GERD, swallowing problems, or gallbladder inflammation that may cause pain to spread to the chest.
• Heart diseases: such as angina pectoris, heart attack, aortic dissection, or inflammation of the membranes of the heart.
• Lung diseases: such as pneumonia, inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs, or pulmonary embolism. Chest pain worsens with inhalation and exhalation, and is accompanied by shortness of breath or coughing.

In general, you should contact your doctor immediately when chest pain appears, especially in the event that you suffer from it for the first time suddenly and for no apparent reason, as it may be symptoms of serious diseases such as heart and lung diseases. You should not self-diagnose chest pain or ignore it, as the doctor diagnoses diseases by knowing your medical history, assessing other symptoms, and ruling out suspected diseases. Treatment depends on knowing the causes.