If you have pain, swelling and tenderness around your ribs, and the pain is made worse by lying down, breathing deeply, coughing or sneezing, you may have a condition called costochondritis. This is caused by inflammation in the joints between the cartilage that joins the ribs to the breastbone (sternum).
As the body changes position, the heart rubs against the inflamed membrane. This usually causes a sharp, piercing pain over the center or left side of the chest. However, some people experience a dull pain. Sitting up and leaning forward often relieves the pain, while lying down aggravates it.
When you lie down, the redistribution of blood in the body causes the symptoms to get worse, and this is usually experienced as shortness of breath. Your husband must therefore establish if the pain is due to angina or some other problem, as this will determine which treatment is likely to work for him.
Acid from your stomach comes up into your esophagus, making you feel burning or tightness (heartburn) under your breastbone. This chest pain may be worse when lying down because gravity can't help keep stomach acid down like it does when you're standing up.
Acid Reflux
Also referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease, acid reflux can cause a burning sensation in the chest. This occurs when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus. The chest pain can worsen while sleeping as the amount of acid produced increases and backflows into the esophagus.
It can be difficult to distinguish heart-related chest pain from other types of chest pain. However, chest pain that is less likely due to a heart problem is more often associated with: A sour taste or a sensation of food reentering your mouth. Trouble swallowing.
Sleeping on Your Back
Back sleeping allows your body to rest in a neutral position while keeping your head positioned above your chest, both of which are great for minimizing aches and the symptoms of heartburn.
The pain of a heart attack differs from that of a strained chest muscle. A heart attack may cause a dull pain or an uncomfortable feeling of pressure in the chest. Usually, the pain begins in the center of the chest, and it may radiate outward to one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
If the pain becomes continuous, seek medical attention immediately and consider calling 911. If you have chest pain constantly for several days, weeks or months, it is unlikely to be caused by a heart attack. Heart pain is usually not sharp or stabbing.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint.
It can also occur because of unstable plaques, poor blood flow through a narrowed heart valve, a decreased pumping function of the heart muscle, as well as a coronary artery spasm. Can be very painful and usually occurs between midnight and 8 a.m. Can be helped by medicines such as calcium channel blockers.
They can be much more subtle and sometimes begin with warning pains in the chest or other symptoms days or even weeks before the actual attack. Typically, however, if you're having a heart attack, the severe pain lasts for about 15-20 minutes and then can linger for some time after.
Chest pain is the most common symptom of pericarditis. It usually feels sharp or stabbing. However, some people have dull, achy or pressure-like chest pain. Pericarditis pain usually occurs behind the breastbone or on the left side of the chest.
Less commonly, heart palpitations at night can be signs of a serious health condition, such as arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). If your heart often races when you lie down, you should see your provider for an examination. Get help right away if you have palpitations and trouble breathing or chest pain.
The most common causes of pleuritic chest pain are bacterial or viral infections, pulmonary embolism, and pneumothorax. Other less common causes include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and cancer. Pneumonia or lung abscess. These lung infections can cause pleuritic and other types of chest pain, such as a deep chest ache.
Calling 911 for Chest Pain
A visit to the ER for chest pain can be life-saving. When your chest pain persists, is severe, or is accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, radiating pain, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure, call 911 immediately.
Heart attack symptoms for women
Women often describe heart attack pain as pressure or tightness. And it's possible to have a heart attack without chest pain. Women are more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain, such as: Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or upper belly (abdomen) discomfort.
Chest pain may arise and subside every few minutes or over several days. The cause may be related to the heart, the muscles, the digestive system, or psychological factors. Underlying causes of chest pain may be mild, as in the case of acid reflux. Or, they may be serious and indicate, for example, a heart attack.
Keep Your Torso Neutral and Minimize External Pressure
You should find a comfortable mattress and the to support your head, neck, and upper body. Especially during the first couple of days, you may find it helps to keep your upper body elevated.
Similarly, sleeping on your left side, specifically, could help the flow of blood to your heart. When your heart pumps blood out to your body, it gets circulated and then flows back to your heart on the right side, Winter explains.
Microvascular angina.
This used to be called Syndrome X. It causes chest pain with no coronary artery blockage. The pain is caused by from poor function of tiny blood vessels that lead to the heart, arms, and legs. It is more common in women.