Angina
When your heart works hard, it needs more oxygen to keep going. Sometimes, the blood vessels that bring oxygen to your heart can get narrow or blocked. This makes it hard for enough oxygen to get to your heart, and your heart may start to hurt. This is called angina.
Imagine your heart is like a bicycle pump, and the tubes that carry the air (oxygen) to the pump are like the blood vessels that carry oxygen to your heart. When you pump a lot and fast, you need more air to keep going, just like your heart needing more oxygen. But if the tubes are very narrow or blocked, you can't get enough air, and it makes your muscles hurt. If the muscles in your legs hurt when you run too much or too long, the muscles around your heart might hurt when it needs more oxygen.
Angina can feel like a squeezing, pressure, or tightness in your chest, or it can be a burning ache. Sometimes, the pain can spread to your arms, neck, jaw, shoulder, or back. If you have angina, you should stop what you're doing and rest. Your doctor may give you medicine to help your heart work better or to lower your blood pressure. They may also suggest changes in your diet or lifestyle to help prevent angina.
Imagine your heart is like a bicycle pump, and the tubes that carry the air (oxygen) to the pump are like the blood vessels that carry oxygen to your heart. When you pump a lot and fast, you need more air to keep going, just like your heart needing more oxygen. But if the tubes are very narrow or blocked, you can't get enough air, and it makes your muscles hurt. If the muscles in your legs hurt when you run too much or too long, the muscles around your heart might hurt when it needs more oxygen.
Angina can feel like a squeezing, pressure, or tightness in your chest, or it can be a burning ache. Sometimes, the pain can spread to your arms, neck, jaw, shoulder, or back. If you have angina, you should stop what you're doing and rest. Your doctor may give you medicine to help your heart work better or to lower your blood pressure. They may also suggest changes in your diet or lifestyle to help prevent angina.