How to Manage Angina Pain with Home Remedies
Keep a journal., Visit your doctor for diagnosis., Consider an electrocardiogram., Get a blood test.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep a journal.
Write in a journal to track patterns or changes in your daily routine.
This can help your doctor determine if your pain is a result of an underlying heart problem, especially if you experience chest pain frequently.
Angina can be a sign of coronary heart disease (CHD), even if initial tests don't point to the disease.
However, not all chest pain or discomfort is a sign of CHD.
Panic attacks and other lung or heart conditions can also cause chest pain.
Your doctor may ask about your symptoms, risk factors for heart disease, and your family history regarding CHD and other heart conditions.Take note of the following things in your journal:
What the pain feels like, symptoms you experience when you have chest pain, such as high blood pressure, and any symptoms you experience afterwards, such as nausea or dizziness.
How often you experience chest pain, where you feel pain or discomfort, the severity of the pain and how long the pain lasts.
Dietary changes or foods you ate two to three days prior to experiencing chest pain or indigestion.
Also note any beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda, and how frequently you drink them per day or per week.
New exercise regimes or recreational activities that cause physical exertion.
Any stressful environments, work or relationships that may be causing symptoms of chest pain.
Any other conditions you may have or any illnesses you may have had, such as a fever or cold, prior to experiencing chest pain.
Any drugs, medications, supplements, herbs or home remedies you are currently using or may have used in the past two weeks.
If your chest pain is interfering with your daily activities. -
Step 2: Visit your doctor for diagnosis.
Any kind of chest pain should be checked by your doctor, since it may be a symptom of an underlying condition.
Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes, medicines or medical procedures depending on the type and severity of your angina pain.
Different types of angina have different symptoms and require different treatments. , ,If you have angina, you may diagnosed with one of the following:
Stable angina:
Stable angina is the most common type which follows a regular pattern, such as when it occurs and what factors may trigger it.
It usually occurs after stress or physical activity and may last one to 15 minutes.
Stable angina isn’t a heart attack, but suggests that a heart attack is more likely to occur in the future.
If you have stable angina, you can learn its pattern and predict when the pain will occur.
The pain usually goes away a few minutes after you rest or take your angina medicine (usually nitroglycerin, taken sublingually or under the tongue).
Variant angina:
Variant angina is rare.
A spasm in a coronary artery causes this type of angina.
Variant angina usually occurs while you're at rest, and the pain can be severe.
It usually happens between midnight and early morning.
Smoking is a major risk factor for this type of angina.
Medicine can relieve this type of angina.
Unstable angina:
Unstable angina doesn’t follow a pattern and it may occur more often and be more severe than stable angina.
It often occurs while the person is at rest.
This type is very dangerous as it suggests that a heart attack may happen soon and requires emergency treatment.
Unstable angina also can occur with or without physical exertion — it often happens without physical activity.
Rest or medicine may not relieve the pain.
Microvascular angina:
Microvascular angina can be more severe and last longer than other types of angina.
It is often noticed during routine activities and times of psychological stress.
Symptoms include shortness of breath, sleep problems, fatigue and lack of energy.
Medicine may not relieve this type of angina. , Your doctor may suggest getting an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine if you may have heart disease.
If you experience angina pain or palpitations, an electrocardiogram is usually the first test to determine if you have heart disease.
An ECG is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart to measure any damage to the heart, heart rate, size and position of heart chambers.
It also measures the effects of drugs or devices you may be using to manage chest pain.
In addition, an ECG can be used to monitor stress levels.
The procedure for ECG is painless, done by attaching patches called electrodes to your arms, legs or chest to monitor heart activity. , Ask your doctor about an ECG if you experience angina pain and have had heart problems in the past or have a strong history of heart disease in your family.
Make sure your healthcare provider knows about all the medications you are taking, as some can interfere with test results.
Exercising or drinking cold water immediately before an ECG may cause false results. , Blood tests check the levels of certain fats, cholesterol, sugar, and proteins in your blood.
Abnormal levels may show that you have risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Your doctor may recommend a blood test to check the level of a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP) in your blood.
High levels of CRP in the blood may increase the risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack.
Your doctor also may recommend a blood test to check for low levels of hemoglobin in your blood.
Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells.
It helps the blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of your body.
If your hemoglobin level is low, you may have a condition called anemia. -
Step 3: Consider an electrocardiogram.
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Step 4: Get a blood test.
Detailed Guide
Write in a journal to track patterns or changes in your daily routine.
This can help your doctor determine if your pain is a result of an underlying heart problem, especially if you experience chest pain frequently.
Angina can be a sign of coronary heart disease (CHD), even if initial tests don't point to the disease.
However, not all chest pain or discomfort is a sign of CHD.
Panic attacks and other lung or heart conditions can also cause chest pain.
Your doctor may ask about your symptoms, risk factors for heart disease, and your family history regarding CHD and other heart conditions.Take note of the following things in your journal:
What the pain feels like, symptoms you experience when you have chest pain, such as high blood pressure, and any symptoms you experience afterwards, such as nausea or dizziness.
How often you experience chest pain, where you feel pain or discomfort, the severity of the pain and how long the pain lasts.
Dietary changes or foods you ate two to three days prior to experiencing chest pain or indigestion.
Also note any beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda, and how frequently you drink them per day or per week.
New exercise regimes or recreational activities that cause physical exertion.
Any stressful environments, work or relationships that may be causing symptoms of chest pain.
Any other conditions you may have or any illnesses you may have had, such as a fever or cold, prior to experiencing chest pain.
Any drugs, medications, supplements, herbs or home remedies you are currently using or may have used in the past two weeks.
If your chest pain is interfering with your daily activities.
Any kind of chest pain should be checked by your doctor, since it may be a symptom of an underlying condition.
Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes, medicines or medical procedures depending on the type and severity of your angina pain.
Different types of angina have different symptoms and require different treatments. , ,If you have angina, you may diagnosed with one of the following:
Stable angina:
Stable angina is the most common type which follows a regular pattern, such as when it occurs and what factors may trigger it.
It usually occurs after stress or physical activity and may last one to 15 minutes.
Stable angina isn’t a heart attack, but suggests that a heart attack is more likely to occur in the future.
If you have stable angina, you can learn its pattern and predict when the pain will occur.
The pain usually goes away a few minutes after you rest or take your angina medicine (usually nitroglycerin, taken sublingually or under the tongue).
Variant angina:
Variant angina is rare.
A spasm in a coronary artery causes this type of angina.
Variant angina usually occurs while you're at rest, and the pain can be severe.
It usually happens between midnight and early morning.
Smoking is a major risk factor for this type of angina.
Medicine can relieve this type of angina.
Unstable angina:
Unstable angina doesn’t follow a pattern and it may occur more often and be more severe than stable angina.
It often occurs while the person is at rest.
This type is very dangerous as it suggests that a heart attack may happen soon and requires emergency treatment.
Unstable angina also can occur with or without physical exertion — it often happens without physical activity.
Rest or medicine may not relieve the pain.
Microvascular angina:
Microvascular angina can be more severe and last longer than other types of angina.
It is often noticed during routine activities and times of psychological stress.
Symptoms include shortness of breath, sleep problems, fatigue and lack of energy.
Medicine may not relieve this type of angina. , Your doctor may suggest getting an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine if you may have heart disease.
If you experience angina pain or palpitations, an electrocardiogram is usually the first test to determine if you have heart disease.
An ECG is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart to measure any damage to the heart, heart rate, size and position of heart chambers.
It also measures the effects of drugs or devices you may be using to manage chest pain.
In addition, an ECG can be used to monitor stress levels.
The procedure for ECG is painless, done by attaching patches called electrodes to your arms, legs or chest to monitor heart activity. , Ask your doctor about an ECG if you experience angina pain and have had heart problems in the past or have a strong history of heart disease in your family.
Make sure your healthcare provider knows about all the medications you are taking, as some can interfere with test results.
Exercising or drinking cold water immediately before an ECG may cause false results. , Blood tests check the levels of certain fats, cholesterol, sugar, and proteins in your blood.
Abnormal levels may show that you have risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Your doctor may recommend a blood test to check the level of a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP) in your blood.
High levels of CRP in the blood may increase the risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack.
Your doctor also may recommend a blood test to check for low levels of hemoglobin in your blood.
Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells.
It helps the blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of your body.
If your hemoglobin level is low, you may have a condition called anemia.
About the Author
David Fisher
Brings years of experience writing about practical skills and related subjects.
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