Chest tightness even though you are not exercising, what is the cause?

When suddenly your chest feels tight like a squeeze even though you haven't just exercised, the first thing that might come to mind is a heart attack. But that's not always the case. There are so many things that can cause chest tightness. Therefore, it is better if you first learn the various reasons that may cause chest tightness.

What are the causes of chest tightness?

Chest tightness can make it difficult for you to inhale or exhale air from your lungs. As a result, it becomes difficult for you to breathe.

Before rushing into panic, you should first observe the tightness you feel. Is the tightness sensation bothersome, but still mild? Or is it tightness that you feel so tightly pressing on your chest that it makes you tired through the day?

Recognizing the difference in symptoms that appear is very important because it can help your doctor find out the real cause of the tightness you feel.

The following are some of the health conditions that may be the cause behind the tightness in the chest:

1. Indigestion

Chest tightness can be caused by indigestion, such as stomach acid reflux (GERD). When food is not digested properly, leftovers can come back up into the esophagus causing a burning heart and a sharp sour taste in the mouth.

The sensation of chest tightness and heartburn from acid reflux can feel similar to a heart attack. This is because the heart and esophagus (esophagus) are close together and have the same nerve network.

Indigestion can occur due to poor diet, stress, or smoking and drinking habits. It can also be caused by excess caffeine and spicy or fatty foods.

2. Asthma

Asthma is one of the most common causes of chest tightness. If your shortness of breath is followed by a wheezing sound (wheezing), shortness of breath, and coughing (especially at night), this is most likely a sign of asthma.

Asthma is closely related to congenital diseases since childhood, but adults who have no history of asthma can also have asthma attacks for the first time in adulthood.

Asthma causes the airways to swell and narrow, causing a tight sensation when you inhale.

3. Panic attacks or anxiety

Sudden tightness of the chest but not doing strenuous physical activity can signal symptoms of an anxiety attack or panic attack.

Generally, panic or anxiety attacks will cause a person to hyperventilate. Hyperventilation is when you inhale a lot of oxygen and exhale quickly and shortly at one time.

This causes carbon dioxide levels to drop dramatically in the body, causing constriction of the blood vessels that supply fresh blood to the lungs and brain. When this happens, you will feel tight and "floating".

To treat chest tightness caused by panic attacks, try to calm yourself down.

4. Angina

Angina is the cause of chest tightness because the heart muscle is not receiving enough oxygen-rich blood.

The most common symptom of angina is chest pain that feels like a tight squeeze or squeeze. You may also experience aches and pains all over your body — shoulders, neck, arms, jaw, chest, or back.

This condition can be triggered by strenuous exercise or stress, and is relieved by rest. Even so, angina is not a disease. This is one symptom of an underlying heart problem, usually coronary heart disease.

5. Pulmonary embolism

Symptoms of pulmonary embolism usually occur suddenly. Pulmonary embolism is most often caused by deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in a vein.

Blockages that cause pulmonary embolism most often begin in the legs or pelvis. When the clots travel to the lungs, the veins in the lungs become blocked which can lead to serious breathing problems.

Pulmonary embolism causes blood flow to one or both sides of the lung to be so restricted that it makes the chest feel tight and the heart rate increases. This will make it difficult for you to breathe.

Inflammation of the tissue covering the lungs and chest wall (pleura) can also cause chest pain that feels sharp.

6. Tuberculosis

The signs and symptoms of tuberculosis usually develop slowly, can be months to years, and are often associated with other conditions.

When the bacteria that cause TB invade the lungs, pulmonary TB usually causes a chronic (persistent) cough that can produce white phlegm in the morning — it can be yellow or green, but in very rare cases.

Another common symptom of TB is chest tightness. These symptoms may appear as a result of pleural effusion — a pool of fluid between the lining of the lung and the protective lining of the chest wall.

7.Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

COPD can cause a chronic cough that produces phlegm, a wheezing sound (wheezing), shortness of breath, and other symptoms.

Chest tightness due to COPD caused by narrowing or blockage of the airways. Chest tightness can make it difficult for the lungs to get in or out of air, making it harder to breathe.

8. Bronchiectasis

Early airway damage leading to bronchiectasis often begins in childhood. However, the signs and symptoms may not appear months or even years after you start having recurrent lung infections.

Some of the symptoms of bronchiectasis that can appear include:

• a chronic cough with phlegm that occurs every day for months or years
• phlegm appears large, slimy, and may contain pus
• shortness of breath and a wheezing sound
• chest pain
• clubbing finger (the flesh under the fingernails and toenails thickens)

Severe bronchiectasis can lead to serious health conditions, such as respiratory failure resulting in you gasping for breath (shortness of breath, shortness of breath, and shortness of breath while opening your mouth).

Bronchiectasis that is very severe and untreated can cause you to develop heart failure.

The most common signs and symptoms of heart failure are chest tightness or difficulty breathing, fatigue, and swelling of the legs and veins in the neck.

9. Pneumonia

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia can vary from mild to severe. It depends on many factors, such as the type of germ that causes the infection and your age and overall health.

Pneumonia often comes on suddenly, causes a series of symptoms similar to flu and colds, but lasts longer — fever, chills, and cough with phlegm (in more severe cases, this may be accompanied by pus).

This lung infection also causes pleuritic chest pain. This means that you have inflammation or irritation of the lining of the lungs that causes chest tightness and sharp pain when you breathe, cough, or sneeze.

10. Lung cancer

Most lung cancers don't cause any symptoms until the malignant tumor has spread. However, some people with early lung cancer also develop symptoms.

According to the American Cancer Society website, the most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

• a chronic cough that doesn't go away or gets worse (bloody or rust-colored saliva or phlegm)
• chest tightness that gets worse when you breathe deeply, cough, or laugh
• hoarseness
• decreased weight dramatically and no appetite
• hard to breathe
• weak, tired, lethargic
• have infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don't go away or keep coming back
• wheezing sound

If you go to the doctor immediately as soon as you suspect the symptoms, cancer may be diagnosed at an early stage which will be much easier to treat.