What causes sharp pain in the heart and difficulty breathing?

Generally, sharp pain in the heart during respiration may be caused by incorrect posture, excessive exercise, emotional factors, intercostal neuritis, pleurisy, myocarditis, or other reasons. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the cause, and follow medical advice for treatment. Details are as follows:

1. Incorrect Posture or Excessive Exercise: Incorrect sitting or standing posture, or sudden deep breathing may cause temporary chest wall muscle spasms, leading to sharp heart pain during breathing. This pain is caused by brief stimulation of muscles or nerves. No specific treatment is required; adjusting posture, appropriate exercise, or rest can help relieve the symptoms.

2. Emotional Factors: Long-term anxiety, tension, or excessive stress may lead to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, causing sharp pain in the cardiac area. This sensation is typically associated with respiratory movements but is not caused by heart disease itself. Pain can be relieved by emotional regulation and lifestyle improvements, such as psychological counseling, relaxation training, and moderate physical activity.

3. Intercostal Neuritis: Abnormal function or injury of the intercostal nerves may cause pain. During respiration, the expansion and contraction of the thoracic cage may stretch or compress the intercostal nerves, intensifying the pain, which may be either persistent or episodic. Medications such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, celecoxib capsules, and ribavirin granules may be used under a doctor's guidance for pain relief and antiviral effects.

4. Pleurisy: Pleurisy is an inflammatory condition of the pleural cavity. Due to inflammatory irritation and exudate compression, movement of the thoracic cage during respiration may cause traction pain in the pleura, often accompanied by fever. Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial medications such as aspirin tablets, cefuroxime axetil granules, and ethambutol hydrochloride tablets may be used under medical supervision.

5. Myocarditis: Myocarditis is an inflammatory heart disease caused by viral or bacterial infections. Inflammation affecting surrounding tissues and nerves may lead to sharp cardiac pain during respiration due to pressure from lung expansion on inflamed areas. Symptoms may also include palpitations. Antiviral and anti-infective medications such as acyclovir tablets, oseltamivir phosphate capsules, and penicillin V potassium tablets may be prescribed by a physician for treatment.

In daily life, maintaining a positive mindset, adopting a healthy lifestyle, and engaging in appropriate exercise can help prevent episodes of sharp heart pain.