What Is the Shortest Time Angina Pain in the Chest Can Last ?
So if chest pain lasts under a certain period of time, like really short, would this mean it CAN’T be from angina and thus nothing to worry about?
Or can angina cause sudden but very brief shots of chest pain?
Here’s the answer from a cardiologist to what the shortest duration of time is for angina pain.
“Anginal pain typically lasts at least a few minutes and sometimes as long as hours,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
“It lasts as long as the demand on the heart is greater than the supply. That means that the pain usually lasts as long as the activity or stress that is causing it.
“Once a person knows they have angina, they may stop an activity as soon as they feel the pain come on. In that case, it may last only a very brief time like a minute or so. This is not common, however.
“Most brief episodes of chest pain (seconds) are not angina. All chest pain should be reported to your doctor.”
What about unstable angina?
This is when the pain, from insufficient blood flow in the heart, occurs spontaneously—when the person is at rest, under no stress.
This type may even occur in their sleep and awaken them.
How long can unstable angina last?
“Unstable angina means there has been a change in the pattern of your known angina,” says Dr. Denier. “It may be more frequent, last longer than usual or be brought on more easily, sometimes even at rest,” she explains.
“It suggests that there is a serious blockage of one of the coronary arteries. This type of angina may last for hours.”
It wouldn’t be short-lived, “and it would most often be associated with other signs of coronary artery disease such as sweating or nausea or shortness of breath.”
In particular, this kind of angina will be brought on by physical exertion (as will the stable kind) — even something as seemingly innocuous as going up a flight of stairs or quickly pushing a shopping cart across asphalt will usually bring it on.
Dr. Denier has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine – Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Dan Kosmayer
Breast Cancer Thermography: Truth or Hype?
What is REALLY the truth — or hype — about how effective breast thermography is at detecting cancer?
Some claims are that thermography can detect breast cancer years before a mammograph would pick it up.
Is this too good to be true? And if it’s all a lie, how is it that thermography companies are getting away with these claims?
I decided to get a radiologist’s take on this. But to be fair, keep in mind that this article represents the doctor’s perspective.
My job here is to accurately represent Dr. Debora Fineman.
Dr. Fineman is a former diagnostic radiologist with Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Breast Thermography Claims: Too Good to Be True?
You may have read somewhere that thermography, which does not use radiation, can detect breast cancer years before it actually develops, and that this imaging device does not require the painful compression of the breast, but instead, uses heat.
So it’s fair to wonder just how accurate these reports are and why thermography isn’t a standard screening tool for the detection of breast cancer.
Here is how Dr. Fineman responded to my questions:
I’ll refer you to a position paper from the American College of Radiology, which is the main board determining policies and procedures for radiology including mammography.
The appropriateness criteria from 2012 states, “There is insufficient evidence to support the use of other imaging modalities such as thermography for breast cancer screening.”
The American Cancer Society position on thermography quotes a 2012 research review that found that “Thermography was able to detect only a quarter of the breast cancers found by mammography.
In other words it failed to detect three out of four cancers that were known to be present in the breast. Digital infrared thermal imaging, which some people believe is a newer and better type of thermography, has the same failure rate. This is why thermography should not be used as a substitute for mammograms.”
When I type into the search engine, “Can thermography detect breast cancer that a mammogram misses?” the results indicate that there has been no research on this; that there’s no data.
Dr. Fineman has been in practice for 30+ years.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Workplace Bullying Leads to Depression
Workplace bullying is a serious problem that can lead to a depressing low mood and/or insomnia.
The recipient depends on their job for income — which throws a real huge kink in the chain.
A study that appears in the journal BMJ Open says that even just witnessing bullying on the job increases the odds that employees will be on drugs for depression, taking prescribed sleeping pills or tranquilizers.
The study participants were between age 40 and 60 and they were part of the Helsinki Health Study.
The association between workplace bullying and the use of prescription psychoactive drugs (for depression, sleep and anxiety) was present for both genders.
A hostile work environment can be incentive enough for people to feel so crummy and “depressed” — not to mention being riddled with anxiety — that they ask their doctor to “prescribe something to help.”
This association of medication usage remained after variables (that could influence the study results) were adjusted for, such as being bullied in childhood.
Is there bullying at your workplace?
“We must distinguish between low mood and brain depression,” says Rupali Chadha, MD, former chief of medical staff at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, CA.
“If you have major depressive disorder in yourself or even your family, sure, any stressful situation can cause you to fall into a depression (brain type).
“If not, of course, a stressful situation can demoralize you (just plain low mood, not necessarily needing medicine).
“The best way to tell is to see an MD psychiatrist, not a psychologist, to see if this has blossomed into a brain depression — or is low mood treated better with stress management, therapy, yoga … even maybe a new job (or standing up to the bully with HR).”
In addition to general psychiatry, Dr. Chadha is also a forensic psychiatrist who treats the brain conditions of the criminally insane and serves as an expert witness in trials. She has a passion for fitness plus how the body, mind and spirit come together to build a healthy individual.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Freepik.com/katemangostar
Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121212205727.htm
Causes of ADHD: Bad Parenting or Brain Wiring?
What more likely leads to ADHD? Parenting methods or innate brain wiring?
If you’ve ever known someone whose child was diagnosed with ADHD, or, if your own child has received this diagnosis, perhaps you’ve often wondered if errors in parenting were mostly responsible, as opposed to just how the child’s brain is naturally hardwired.
“ADHD is a ‘brain wiring’ issue,” says Dr. Divyansu Patel, MD, a psychiatry specialist for 15+ years.
Dr. Patel explains, “It can be genetically inherited, meaning at least one of the parents has had symptoms.”
What if the child seems to have a behavioral issue, such as acting “bratty” in the presence of his or her parents?
What if one of the parents is very lenient, and the other seems to be indifferent, which then creates the illusion of a parenting issue that promotes the hyperactive, impulsive or “rude” behavior?
Dr. Patel points out that in such a case, though the child may have clinical signs of ADHD, that child may also have what is known as oppositional defiant disorder.
Though some people may be tempted to consider this a more technical term for “disobedient child” or a “child whose parents are not consistent with rules,” Dr. Patel explains the following:
“This is a comorbid disorder with ADHD about 40% of the time.
“ODD is more about behavior issues, as it is managed with therapy and then medication.
“Typically, it can originate or be exacerbated when parents are not on the ‘same page’ about parenting.”
ADHD and the Brain
Neuroscientists are looking more towards the miswiring of the brain’s reward system as a potential cause of ADHD, vs. so-called bad parenting.
For instance, study results appear in the journal Neuron.
The researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Florida and Aarhus University in Denmark investigated a type of neuron that regulates pleasure, reward, motivation and cognition.
These dopaminergic neurons are thought to be connected to the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
SorCS2 is a receptor system that’s responsible for the correct wiring pertaining to the dopaminergic neurons. This occurs during embryonic development.
However, after the brain matures, if there’s a cut in SorCS2, a two-chain receptor results. This two-chain receptor causes cell death.
SorCS2 acts as a molecular switch, say the scientists, between what seems to be opposing effects in proBDNF, a neuronal growth factor.
This growth factor aids in the selection of cells that can most benefit the nervous system, and it also gets rid of the cells that are less beneficial.
This way, a finely tuned network of neurons is established.
Mice that are deficient in SorCS2 lack a response to proBDNF.
The contacts between dopaminergic neurons are dysfunctional.
The paper also notes that numerous other studies have reported that people with ADHD commonly exhibit miswiring in the said brain region.
Think of a single-chain protein that’s the SorCS2: a long chain composed of amino acids.
Now, imagine it gets snipped in two. It now functions differently, leading to damage in the nerves of the peripheral nervous system.
What is ADHD?
“ADHD” is actually a term that describes a number of symptoms or signs.
So if someone “has ADHD,” they have enough of these features to get the diagnosis.
ADHD is also considered a neurodevelopmental disorder that one never outgrows. A first-time diagnosis may even occur in adulthood.
“Typical symptoms include inattention, poor concentration, poor organization, poor attention to detail, forgetful in daily activities,” says Dr. Patel.
“They can also have hyperactivity which is typical in childhood, which can include fidgeting, squirming when seated, difficultly with remaining seated, hard time playing quietly, talking excessively.
“Impulsivity is also a symptom including impatience, a hard time waiting for a turn and interrupting.”
ADHD in the form of atypical brain wiring also comes with perks such as easily adapting to fluctuating schedules and the ability to hyperfocus on a topic that one is passionate about.
Dr. Patel specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry. He is also well-versed in clinical research, medical education, pediatrics, psychopharmacology and medicine.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140604123424.htm
Why Can Acute Stress Sometimes Cause Chest Pain?
Here’s a cardiologist’s explanation for how sudden stress can sometimes cause chest pain.
It can feel like a heart attack, especially when you remind yourself that there’ve been cases in which a heart attack indeed was set off by an acute episode of severe stress.
“Acute stress can lead to chest pain by causing the muscles of the chest wall, the back, the neck or the face to contract and tighten, leading to a sensation of pain,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
“Acute stress can also raise your blood pressure which can place an increased burden on your heart, causing pain.
“When stress happens suddenly, the body is not prepared for it.
Even a normal response to stress can feel very abnormal.”
Do chest muscles spasm?
“Any muscles can spasm, especially when under stress,” says Dr. Denier. “The chest muscles can do this, causing pain. The diaphragm and the esophagus can also spasm which sometimes mimics heart pain.”
The esophagus’s composition includes striated and smooth muscle, so it definitely has the capacity to spasm.
“Acute stress and release of catecholamines can trigger spasm of the esophagus,” says Dr. Denier.
“Most often, esophageal spasm occurs while someone is eating or drinking something.
“It is more common in women and people with reflux disease or anxiety.
“Sometimes specific foods can trigger it.
“The important thing is that the symptoms can be exactly the same as a heart attack and should always be reported to your doctor.”
To minimize the harmful effect of stress on your heart, you should take up some form of intense exercise at least twice a week.
As for the benign chest pain, strength training and yoga would be a great combination to help keep the musculature less vulnerable to uncomfortable tensing up.
Dr. Denier has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine – Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/tommaso79
What Does Chest Pain Only when Breathing Mean?
The good news is that chest pain only when breathing probably doesn’t mean a heart attack, but the real bad news is that it likely means that there is something else wrong with your heart.
Causes of chest pain only when breathing can involve the heart, though this does not necessarily mean a heart attack.
“Chest pain while breathing is called pleuritic chest pain and usually means there is inflammation involving the lining of the lungs and/or the heart,” explains Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
This is not related to a heart attack or clogged coronary arteries.
Dr. Denier continues, “When there is inflammation of the lining of the lung it is called pleurisy. Inflammation of the lining of the heart is called pericarditis.
“Both can follow an innocent upper respiratory infection or viral illness. This type of pain is worse on a deep inhale or with movement or lying flat.
“Both are relieved by anti-inflammatory medications and will go away once the inflammation is gone.”
These are not minor conditions. They DO need prompt medical attention. If you’re experiencing pain in the chest only when you breathe in — and it’s significant pain — get to the emergency room.
A Few More Causes of Chest Pain only While Breathing
Dr. Denier says, “Chest pain with breathing can also be caused by pneumonia which would usually also be accompanied by a cough and a fever.”
Unlike viral pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia doesn’t produce a fever.
However, a family member should never take the sufferer’s word for it that they says they “don’t feel warm.”
Take that person’s temperature yourself even if they insist, “I don’t feel hot.”
“Severe coughing can sometimes lead to a rib fracture which causes considerable pain with breathing,” adds Dr. Denier.
Dr. Denier has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine – Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/ShotPrime Studio
Which Side Chest Pain More Likely Means Heart Attack, Illness?
A cardiologist explains which side that chest pain is more likely to mean a heart problem or attack.
“Typically, left sided chest pain is more common in patients with angina and/or heart attacks,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
“This is because the heart is located slightly more to the left of the chest.
“There are patients who experience right sided chest pain and truly have heart disease.
“This is called referred pain and can travel anywhere like the jaw or the arm.
“Women can have symptoms that are not typical of the usual angina and this includes right sided chest pain.
“Very rarely, we do see people with a heart on the right side of the body! This is why it’s so important to report any chest pain to your doctor.”
Chest pain on the left side of your chest can have benign causes, but you should report anything that concerns you to a cardiologist, with the idea that a cardiac problem can be ruled out.
Heart attack symptoms
Dr. Denier has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine – Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
How Does Sudden Emotional Stress Cause Angina?
Sudden stress or anxiety has a specific way of causing angina or chest pain, even in healthy people.
A person who does not have heart disease (plaque buildup in the coronary arteries) can still experience chest pain as a result of anxiety or stress.
When a person has chest pain from a shortage of oxygen in the heart, caused by clogged arteries, this is called angina.
“Mental stress leads to the release of catecholamines in your body, hormones that help your body to protect itself,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
“This is the body’s ‘fight or flight’ mechanism. Catecholamines cause an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure which increases your heart’s need for oxygen.
“Catecholamines can also cause your blood vessels to constrict.
“Sometimes the heart can pump so hard that it cuts off its own blood supply by squeezing the coronary arteries! All of these mechanisms can lead to chest pain.”
Non-angina chest pain from stress can cause chest pain as well.
In this case, muscle tension and shallow breathing, especially in the chest and shoulders, can cause the discomfort in that area.
Prolonged tightening reduces blood flow, causes fatigue and micro-spasms, and sensitizes pain nerves, producing chest wall pain without heart involvement.
Dr. Denier has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine – Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Charnchai Saeheng
How Doctors Can Tell if High Blood Pressure in One Arm Is Serious
If your doctor finds that the blood pressure in one of your arms is high but not the other, this is serious and needs to be pursued.
“Doctors evaluate you based on many factors, not only physical findings,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
“The first thing your doctor considers is your overall risk of any diseases such as cardiovascular disease,” she continues.
“There are risk factors known to put you at increased risk of a dangerous event like a heart attack or stroke.
“These risks include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and a family history of early heart disease.”
A Study
“A study has shown that consistent readings of blood pressure with differences of 10-15 points between the two arms is a marker for increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.”
This is one reason why it’s so important to periodically take your blood pressure in both arms. It’s easy to do at your kitchen table.
“A new finding of a very large difference between the two arms would trigger your doctor to do further investigation with testing,” says Dr. Denier.
“The most sinister cause of differences in the blood pressure in both arms is aortic dissection or a tear in the aorta.
“It would be very unusual for someone to have this condition without other obvious signs and symptoms.
“The doctor would be looking for these signs very carefully even if he or she does not seem to be” having an aortic dissection.
The most blatant symptom of an aortic dissection is a ripping pain in the chest, which can radiate to the back.
But if you don’t have chest pain but still have big differences in blood pressure in your arms, see a cardiologist.
Dr. Denier has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine – Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Alexander Raths
High Blood Pressure in One Arm: Serious Problem or Not?
Should your doctor be alarmed if you have high blood pressure in one arm and what does this mean?
“High blood pressure in one arm is something that is important to notice and report to your doctor,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System.
“If your doctor seems unconcerned, it may be because he or she already knows you well and understands your medical conditions and what is normal for you. Do not assume this, of course.”
Have you discovered, using a home blood pressure gadget, that one of your arms has high blood pressure?
“It’s always wise to bring a finding that concerns you to your doctor’s attention,” says Dr. Denier.
“It’s common to see small differences in the blood pressure readings of each arm.
“Differences of 20 millimeters of mercury for the systolic or 10 mm Hg for the diastolic may be a sign of a health problem.
“This can be caused by narrowing of the blood vessels that travel to that arm.
“Other things that may cause this are chronic kidney disease, diabetes or atherosclerosis, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”
My father has a history of having high blood pressure in one arm—not that high, but in the low range of what would be considered “high.”
He was told to take a reading daily and record the numbers.
He doesn’t have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, but he does have heart disease.
His coronary calcium score three years ago was 1195. Over time, the particular arm eventually began yielding readings under 140/90. His doctor was never alarmed over this.
Alert your doctor if you discover that the blood pressure in one arm is higher than the other.
Nevertheless, your doctor should know if you’ve uncovered this phenomenon via a home blood pressure gadget, to see what this finding may mean for your unique medical situation.
Dr. Denier has been practicing medicine for over 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine – Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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