What Causes Pain In The Right Side Of The Chest?

Muscle Strain

An individual who has pain in the right side of their chest may have a muscle strain in that area. A muscle strain is also commonly referred to as a pulled muscle and occurs when an individual overstretches or tears tissue in a certain muscle. Muscle strain is a common occurrence in the chest because there are three vital muscles, called intercostal muscles, present in the upper trunk. The intercostal muscles stabilize an individual's upper body and help them breathe properly.

The most common cause of a muscle strain in the upper chest is from the overuse of the affected muscle. Reaching the arms above the head for extended periods, skipping warm-ups before physical activity, lifting while twisting the body, poor flexibility, and injury from malfunctioning equipment are all common causes of muscle strain in the chest. An individual who has a muscle strain in their upper torso that is causing right-sided chest pain may experience swelling, pain when breathing, bruising, and muscle spasms.

Pulmonary Hypertension

An individual who has frequent episodes of achy pain in the right side of their chest may be affected by pulmonary hypertension, a condition where the blood pressure within the pulmonary arteries becomes too high. Pulmonary hypertension causes the small capillaries in the lungs to become blocked, damaged, or narrowed. Blood is no longer able to flow through the lungs properly, and the lower right chamber of the heart has to work twice as hard to compromise for this malfunction.

Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive condition that becomes worse over time. Symptoms of pulmonary hypertension include breathlessness, fatigue, fainting spells, dizziness, edema in the ankles, fluid buildup in the abdomen, blue tint to the skin and lips, racing pulse, heart palpitations, chest pressure, and pain in the right side of the chest.