How To Assess Your Chest Pain Properly
Posted in Exercise on September 26th, 2011 by PauloWhenever you feel any form of chest pain, you should be able to relate this concern to a medical professional as soon as possible. Any delay might actually cause more trouble with your health and with your life. Worst, this may be a sign of an evolving myocardial infarction. In layman’s term, this is referred to as a heart attack. For this pain to be managed appropriately, you should be able to relate well the salient aspects of chest pain you are currently having.
For better understanding, describing your pain should be done on a step-by-step method. You can use the acronym OLDCARTS to fully describe the pain well. First is the onset. Carefully remember as to when your pain started and what you were doing at that time. Were you walking or watching the television when it occurred? Did it start when you strained while on toilet? This can be very vital information for the doctor to diagnose your case appropriately. Be able to verbalize the exact location of the pain. Is it substernal in nature? Did it originally started from an abdominal discomfort? Is it radiating to your shoulder? The doctor will help you with this.
Take note of the pain’s duration. Did it last for a minute or two? Is it persistent? Is it intermittent in nature? This should be assessed well. Persisting chest pain may be managed right away with a sub-lingual drug that helps dilate the vessels in your heart or by way of an intravenous drug. The characteristic of the pain must also be asked. Is it stabbing, pricking or gnawing in nature? Some may even describe it as numbing in nature. There is no right or wrong answer here. Just be true to what you are currently experiencing. Aggravating and relieving factors must also be assessed. Was it aggravated by motion? Did you feel any relief when you rested? All these data really matter. Treatment can then be appropriately rendered.