Is chest tightness related to the lungs? What is the relationship?

There are basically two reasons for chest tightness: one is caused by the external environment, and the other is caused by physical illness. Pathological chest tightness may be caused by lung diseases, such as emphysema and bronchitis.

Pathological chest tightness (i.e. chest tightness caused by organic lesions): Chest tightness can not only be physiological, but can also be caused by diseases in certain organs in the body, i.e. pathological chest tightness. like:

1. Respiratory obstruction: tumors in the trachea and bronchus, tracheal stenosis, and external pressure on the trachea (thyroid enlargement, tumors in the mediastinum);

2. Lung diseases: emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, atelectasis, pulmonary infarction, pneumothorax;

3. Heart disease: certain congenital heart diseases, rheumatic heart valve disease, coronary heart disease, heart tumors;

4. Diaphragmatic diseases: diaphragmatic swelling and diaphragmatic paralysis;

5. Disturbance of fluid metabolism and acid-base balance, etc. Pathological chest tightness can occur suddenly or slowly. Most of the sudden occurrences are due to acute traumatic or spontaneous pneumothorax, acute asthma, acute foreign body in the trachea, acute heart attack, acute pulmonary infarction, etc. Chronic chest tightness is a condition in which symptoms gradually worsen as the disease progresses. Chest tightness in children mostly indicates congenital heart disease or mediastinal tumors; chest tightness in young people mostly indicates spontaneous pneumothorax, mediastinal tumors, or rheumatic heart valvular disease; chest tightness in the elderly mostly indicates emphysema, coronary heart disease, etc.

Pathological chest tightness must be taken seriously to avoid delaying necessary treatment. Patients should go to the hospital for chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, blood biochemistry and pulmonary function tests so that clinical physicians can further confirm the diagnosis.