Fact Checked
Retrosternal chest pain generally occurs within the chest. Even though it is likely for the discomfort to be linked to other organs such as the esophagus or heart, the pain might oftentimes originate elsewhere.
What are the types?
Digestive causes
Retrosternal chest pain might be an indication of various conditions affecting the esophagus and upper stomach.
- Acid reflux – once the acid from the stomach moves into the esophagus, it triggers a burning sensation in the chest.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – this is a severe and chronic form of acid reflux
- Esophagitis – inflammation of the esophagus
- Esophageal ulcer – this is often due to erosion of the esophageal tissues
Retrosternal chest pain might be an indication of various conditions affecting the esophagus and upper stomach.
Cardiovascular causes
There are instances in which retrosternal chest pain is a sign of a condition that affects the heart and major blood vessels such as:
- Angina – this is discomfort in the chest instigated by diminished supply of oxygenated blood to the heart.
- Myocardial infarction – this is a heart attack due to damage to the heart muscles from a reduction or full cessation of blood flow to a region of the heart.
- Pericarditis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Atrial fibrillation
Respiratory causes
There are cases in which retrosternal chest pain is a sign of conditions that affect the lungs and lower air passages such as:
- Pleurisy – inflammation of the pleura
- Tracheitis – inflammation of the windpipe or trachea
- Cancer
Tumor causes
The chest pain might be a sign of a condition causing a benign or malignant tumor in the site behind the sternum such as:
- Thymoma – growth in the thymus
- Mediastinal lymphadenopathy – enlargement of the mediastinal lymph nodes
- Substernal thyroid